Semi-Charmed Life
by Buck and Cap's Princess
Summary: History is doomed to repeat itself. Follow Steve and Ellie Rogers-Barnes with best friend Bucky Barnes as they journey through life from the 1930s to pre-Infinity War and beyond. Ellie Barnes must come to understand her mysterious powers to help save the universe. From the ashes, must rise the Phoenix. Bucky/OC, Steve/Peggy then Steve/Nat, Avengers
1. Chapter 1 - My Girl

A/n: This is my first story in ages. The idea struck me one day and I had to get it on paper. My plan was to have maybe 10 chapters... 30 chapters later and still climbing, I love this story and I hope that you do as well.

* * *

 **Semi-Charmed Life**

* * *

 _I don't need no money, fortune, or fame (ooh hey hey hey)_  
 _I've got all the riches baby one man can claim (oh yes I do)_  
 _I guess you'd say_  
 _What can make me feel this way?_

 **-My Girl by the Temptations**

* * *

Fate and destiny are things seen often as interchangeable. Webster's dictionary states that fate means: the will or principle or determining cause by which things in general are believed to come to be as they are or events to happen as they do.

Destiny's definition is that of a predetermined course of events often held to be an irresistible power or agency.

Whether fate or destiny, three lives changed on a course of action to change the world, one October day in 1930, when two boys that would shape history, Steven Rogers and James Buchanan Barnes met, along with Steve's little sister Ellie. Forever reshaping the fabric of time.

* * *

 ***~ October 1930 ~***

It was a cool, brisk day in Brooklyn, New York, where children in costumes of various design were wandering around the streets during the annual trick-or-treat night.

"Ellie, slow down!" 12-year old Steve Rogers yelled as he tried to catch up to his 11-year old sister as she took off from him, "Mom's going to kill me if you get hurt!"

Elizabeth 'Ellie' Rogers laughed as she ran, blonde curls bouncing behind her, down the street leading to their house in the center of Brooklyn. Glancing back, she finally saw her older brother's face, which was bright red despite the red cheeks of his clown makeup, and stopped as she saw him struggling to breathe.

"You okay Stevie?" She asked concerned as he finally caught up to her, slightly wheezing and sweat rolling down his temples.

"I…I just…need to catch… my breath" Steve wheezed, doubling over holding his knees.

Ellie rubbed his back, "Just breathe in… now out… slowly" She felt her pillowcase of candy from the neighborhood trick or treat be ripped out of her hands.

"Thanks for the candy" A voice said as Ellie's bag in the hands of the 'leader' of the neighborhood troublemaker 'gang', Peter Murphy.

Ellie stood her ground, squaring her shoulders glaring up at him, "Give that back!"

"I don't even need to go around trick-or-treating, look at this haul!" Peter said to his friend Henry next to him.

Steve, who stood less than 5 foot tall and was shorter than even Ellie, walked up to Peter, "Give my sister her candy back!"

Peter laughed, "And you're going to make me? You can't even breathe"

Steve pulled his fist back and swung, hitting Peter under the chin, not even fazing the other boy.

"No Steve!" Ellie yelled attempting to pull him back as Peter threw a punch right back at him, knocking him to the ground.

Footsteps ran up in front of them as Ellie knelt down to check on Steve.

"Hey! Get lost will you!" A taller brunette boy said as he walked over and pushed Peter away, "You shouldn't take candy from an angel".

Ellie gazed upon the boy who stepped in for them. He was taller that Peter and stood with squared shoulders and not too shabby clothes. He was not dressed in a costume.

Peter stared at the boy, weighing his options whether to deck him or not, but the other boy was at least three inches taller than Peter.

"Rogers, this ain't the last of it!" Peter yelled as he and Henry walked away.

The brunette boy looked down at Steve and Ellie, who had torn her tights as she knelt down next to Steve attempting to mop up his bloody nose with her handkerchief. He knelt down next to them with a soft voice, "You guys okay?"

Steve ran the back of his hand over his nose, blood smearing across it, "Thanks but I had him on the ropes"

The older boy chuckled, "So that is what you call that? Hi I am James Barnes but you can call me Bucky" He said holding out his hand for Steve.

Steve took it and let Bucky pull him up, "Steve Rogers"

"And who are you ma'am?" Bucky said helping Ellie up.

"Ellie Rogers thanks for helping us Bucky. Steve never knows when to back down from a fight" Ellie said with a scolding tone to her voice.

"Don't worry about it. I have a younger sister, so I know how it is" Bucky said with a smile.

"Hey! I'm older than her" Steve told him.

Bucky looked between them and Ellie nodded, "I'm 11, and Steve is barely a year older than me and is 12" She explained.

"Jesus Steve, you need to eat a horse or something. Come on, where do you guys live? I'll walk you home" Bucky said offering his arm to Ellie.

"Down off East 16th" Ellie said as Steve hurried following them.

For the next five years, it was Steve following behind them as fast as his shorter legs could carry him, and Bucky and Ellie touching each other in some fashion, whether holding hands or his arm around her shoulders. They weren't together. Bucky was still the neighborhood womanizer that dragged Steve around to double dates that he had no interest in. That was until her 18th birthday.


	2. Chapter 2 - How Did I Fall In Love

**_Remember when_**  
 ** _Never needed each other_**  
 ** _The best of friends_**  
 ** _Like sister and brother_**  
 ** _We understood_**  
 ** _We'd never be alone_**

 ** _Those days are gone_**  
 ** _Now I want you so much_**  
 ** _The night is long_**  
 ** _And I need your touch_**  
 ** _Don't know what to say_**  
 ** _Never meant to feel this way_**  
 ** _Don't want to be_**  
 ** _Alone tonight_**

 ** _~ How Did I Fall in Love With You by Backstreet Boys_**

* * *

Bucky wiped the sweat off his brow, as he walked up to the familiar apartment that had become his second home after the last seven years of being best friends with the Rogers siblings. Bucky frowned when he realized what today was besides pay day, it was August 1, 1937. That meant Ellie turned 18 today.

Backing his way off the steps of their apartment building, he snuck into Steve's elderly neighbor Mrs. Simons, backyard where she kept her prized garden. Glancing at the backdoor, he walked over to her orange roses. Breaking off two at the stems, he swore out loud as the thorns punctured his skin. Putting his dirt covered, bleeding finger to his mouth, he saw Mrs. Simons herself standing at her back door looking at him.

Bucky blushed as he scratched the back of his neck, "Hello Mrs. Simons. How are you on this fine day?"

"James Barnes, what are you doing picking my roses?" She scolded as her tiny body marched over to him.

"Sorry ma'am I just…" Bucky stammered over his words.

Bucky looked at her in disbelief as she smiled. So big that he thought her old face would crack. He subconsciously took steps back as she walked over to him and took her hand in his.

"Are these for Elizabeth?" She asked giving him a knowing look.

Bucky swallowed hard, "Yes Ma'am…it's her birthday you see and… well I…"

"Stay here" She told him as she patted his cheek.

Bucky watched her confused as she went inside her house, then came out a few moments later with a vase and scissors.

"Which ones do you think she would like?" She asked him.

"Thank you ma'am, but… these two will do. I apologize for taking your flowers" Bucky told her.

She smiled at him again as she slowly knelt down next to her white roses and clipped off some more, placing them into the vase, "You remind me of my Anthony, when we were younger. He was just as… suave as you but when it came down to anything for me…he became a bumbling fool. Took him months just to get the courage to ask to go courting" She said lost in the memories as she cut off some pink roses.

Bucky's face became as red as the red roses sitting next to him, "I… I don't-"

The older woman offered a warm smile as she pulled herself up, handing him the ten various colored roses that she had cut off, inside the vase, "I may be old to you but I am not blind James Barnes. I see how you look at that girl. You better get some sense about you before someone else does first. Now, come inside and clean yourself up. She is not home in the first place. Sarah took her out for her birthday earlier for lunch after church and a surprise trip to the salon. I dare say Sarah needs it as much as Elizabeth"

Bucky went inside the house with Mrs. Simon, and then washed his hands and face. A couple hours later, after sitting with Mrs. Simons and listening to her stories of her and her husband, he walked over to the window to see the light on in the Rogers' apartment.

Bucky cleared his throat, "Thank you Mrs. Simons but the light is on in Steve's room so I am going to head over there. I appreciate your hospitality ma'am"

"Thank you for listening to an old woman reminisce" She told him with a sad smile, "Tell Elizabeth I said happy birthday"

Bucky grabbed the vase off the table and left through the front door, walking down the sidewalk and inside their apartment building. His hand paused mid knock as a sudden feeling hit his stomach that he had never experienced before. Before he had time to analyze what it was, the said door swung open and the feeling hit him harder.

"Bucky!"

Bucky stared at the girl in front of him. He shoved the vase in her hand, walked around her and ran to their bathroom.

He threw open the bathroom door and knelt down in front of the commode, breathing heavily at the sudden feeling in his stomach that he only could attribute that he was about to be sick. It had to be the sandwiches that Mrs. Simons fed him on an empty stomach. It couldn't have been the girl who opened the door. Not with her curly blonde hair that cascaded down her back and the dark eyelashes that now framed her blue eyes. Bucky suddenly had the thought, 'Whoa Ellie has blue eyes'

The door opened and a small blonde head poked in, "Okay Buck?"

"Go away Punk" Bucky gasped, "I don't want you to get this"

Steve shook his head as he came in, "You sick?"

"I came over earlier and you weren't home. Mrs. Simons got me… must be the sandwiches or something" Bucky said as he sat on the ground trying to breathe as the feeling passed.

"Did you bring flowers for El?" Steve asked confused.

"Mrs. Simons idea. I…" Bucky said as his mouth became dry as Ellie, still in her Sunday best stepped into the doorway.

"You okay Bucky?" She asked softly.

Bucky's eyes got wide at the realization that old Mrs. Simons was right, "Oh shit"

"James Buchanan Barnes!" Sarah Rogers scolded as she came to the doorway next to her daughter.

Bucky rubbed the back of his neck, "Sorry ma'am"

"Are you alright son?" She asked as she knelt down and put her hand on his face, "No fever but you are clammy. What symptoms are you experiencing?"

Bucky swallowed looking at her as she took his wrist and looked at her watch, "My stomach just…suddenly got in knots. Before you got home, I spent some time at Mrs. Simon's house. I…I just think it was bad sandwiches"

Ellie bunched her dress up and Bucky's eyes drew to her swallowing hard as suddenly the legs he had seen for years, which had been scuffed along with his own, seemed longer and different as she knelt down next to her mother.

"Is he okay Momma?" Ellie asked concerned.

Bucky swallowed looking at her from her long eyelashes that had to have something on them as he didn't remember her having eyelashes before. To her unnaturally pink cheeks that made the eyes above them sparkle more than usual. Down to the ruby red lips that rivaled a movie star. He barely heard Mrs. Rogers say, "Heart rate seems elevated but…I think some dinner and a cool drink will help that. Come on James"

Bucky looked at her dumbly, "What ma'am?"

Sarah Rogers glanced at him then to her daughter before smiling back at him, "Stand up son. I think you can stomach some food. I made Ellie's favorite"

Ellie's smile lit up the room, "Momma made chicken pot pie and an apple pie"

Bucky smiled, "You and pie"

Ellie held out her hand and helped Bucky stand then chuckled as he seemed to lose his footing, "Are you sure you are alright?"

Bucky exhaled then smiled, "Yeah…happy birthday by the way"

Ellie laughed as she bounced out of the bathroom, her curls bouncing behind her, "So that's what the flowers were for. You remembered. I thought suddenly you were sweet on me Bucky Barnes"

Sarah Rogers coughed then covered up her smile as Bucky's eyes grew wide and her daughter giggled.

"Your face!" Ellie said as she wrapped his arm in hers, "I know that I am not one of your girls from the dancing club"

Bucky scratched the back of his neck, "yeah… Ellie Bell…I could just imagine you in the club"

She gave him a look, "Well I am old enough now"

'Aw shit… I'm cooked' Bucky thought as he nearly knocked over her chair as he pulled it out for her.

Bucky ignored the looks at Steve was giving him, confused at his behavior as he ate his dinner. Ellie was thankfully totally ignorant at the way he was acting but Mrs. Rogers wasn't. Especially after she asked him to pass the potatoes and he dropped them as Ellie's hand brushed his and it suddenly felt as if electricity coursed through his body.

Bucky excused himself before the apple pie saying that he had to run. Stammering his way through an explanation and nearly knocking his chair over again. Mrs. Rogers met him at the door then stepped outside with him.

"Bucky honey" She said in her motherly voice that always got to him since she was just like a second mother.

Bucky swear he felt sweat bead down his temple, "Yes ma'am"

Sarah Rogers looked at him with a knowing smile, "I approve. Just don't wait too long" She said reaching up and patting his cheek.

"I…I don't know what you are talking about" Bucky said.

"It's alright, I've already thought of you like a son anyways" Sarah said as she turned and walked back inside the apartment.

Bucky shook his head trying to clear the thoughts from his head. In the five minute walk to his own house, the thoughts did not go away as he hoped. It must have been obvious something was going on as when he unlocked his house and walked in, his little sister Rebecca looked up from the couch and laughed at him.

"What?" Bucky snapped.

"You look like someone slapped you" Becca told him.

Bucky sighed as he sat down next to her, "I feel like I've been kicked in the stomach Becca"

"What happened?" Becca asked.

"I... I don't know. I went over to Steve and Ellie's. It's Ellie's birthday and I thought I'd just pick a flower or two from the neighbors garden" He said looking at his hands and noticing the cuts from the thorns, "Mrs. Simons… she said some stuff. I just wrote it off but… I went to their apartment…." Bucky groaned as he stood up and started pacing, "I can't do this!"

"Do what?" Becca asked confused.

"Have feelings for Ellie" Bucky said finally saying it out loud.

"No shit" She said.

"Rebecca!" Winifred Barnes scolded her daughter as she came in the living room drying a dish, "James honey, what is wrong?"

"He just realized his feelings for Ellie Rogers" Rebecca told her with a grin.

Winifred smiled as she walked over to Bucky and put her hand on his shoulder, "It is okay to be scared honey"

"I…I can't ma" Bucky told her looking at the ground, "I…its…she is Ellie"

"The best relationships start from friendships first" She assured him.

"I can't ma… she is going off to school. I am just… me" Bucky told her pained.

Winifred pulled him into a hug.


	3. Chapter 3 - Heartache Tonight

a/n: Please remember to leave me a little note on what you think. I am a teacher and I have this story running through my head, but sadly I do not have a lot of time to be putting it to "paper" like I wish I could. After the school year starts and calms down, I hope to have more, but I just want to know I am not wasting my time on this. That people are enjoying it. So please, even if it is a simple, MORE SOON PLEASE! Let me know if someone is reading it!

Also HAPPY BIRTHDAY SEBASTIAN STAN! My whole inspiration for this story

* * *

 _Somebody's gonna hurt someone before the night is through.  
Somebody's gonna come undone; there's nothin' we can do  
Everybody wants to touch somebody, if it takes all night  
Everybody wants to take a little chance, make it come out right  
There's gonna be a heartache tonight, a heartache tonight I know  
There's gonna be a heartache tonight, a heartache tonight I know  
Lord, I know. ~ **Heartache Tonight by the Eagles**_

* * *

 _ ***~ June 1941 ~***_

Stepping off the train at the train station in 1941, Elizabeth Rogers looked around to see if she recognized anyone. She had just finished her final year at Saint Joseph's College for Women in Connecticut. Now armed with a degree in psychology, and a job lined up in an organization that seemed to want to work with her despite her being a woman, she had decided to come home for the summer.

Ellie sighed as she realized that despite her letter, no one had come to the train station. The last year had been hard on both her and her family and in turn, she had not been home since her mother died in the year prior. It had been too hard for her to say goodbye, to all parties as they parted so she decided to distance herself. Letters still conversed back and forth along with phone calls. Steve had ended up moving into an apartment with Bucky and they told her that she was always allowed to stay with them.

She set her bag on a bench and sat down then sighed remembering the last time she had been at this very depot.

* * *

 _Ellie bit her lip as she looked at the train schedule then at Steve, who had finally grown taller than her but it in turn made his appearance look even more sickly, "Are you sure that you don't want me to stay? I can"_

" _El, no…I'll be fine" Steve told her with a sad smile._

" _Just make sure you are still getting your medicines okay" She told him, placing her hand on his face. She looked up at Bucky, "Take care of him for me"_

" _Of course" Bucky said as he put his arm around Steve's shoulders, "Can't let my little brother down"_

" _Get off Buck" Steve said pushing him off._

" _Go be the smart one in this family. We have it handled. I'm with you guys until the end of the line got it?" Bucky told her with a smile._

 _Ellie bit her lip and smiled at him through the tears welling in her eyes and stood up on her tiptoes to hug him._

 _Bucky pulled her close, resting his cheek on the top of her head._

" _Thank you Bucky" Ellie told him glancing over at Steve, whose bad ear was facing them so she knew he would not hear her, "Keep him safe for me. He is all I have left now"_

 _Bucky put his hand under her chin so that she would look up at him, "You have me too and I will"_

 _Ellie pulled him down and kissed his cheek before she let him go with a shaky breath then pulled Steve into a hug, "I love you Stevie"_

" _Love you too Ellie" Steve told her kissing her forehead._

 _Before they could see the tears falling from her eyes, Ellie grabbed her bag and walked to the train climbing up with assistance from the conductor that took her bag._

* * *

"Ma'am, are you in need of some assistance?"

Ellie rolled her eyes as she turned to look at the man who spoke to her, "No sir I… Bucky" She smiled as she saw him, hair slicked back looking at her with a grin. He had a dark green shirt on that had the sleeves rolled up, showing the muscles that he had gained by working at the docks. He had definitely grown up well.

Bucky's face lit up in a smile as he reached down and pulled at one of her curls, "Hey Bells"

Ellie set her bag down on the bench and threw her arms around him, "God I missed you. Where is Steve?"

Bucky grabbed her bag after she let him go, "He is taking some art classes downtown. I told him I'd get you" He said as he put his arm over her shoulders, "How ya doin' kid?"

"Feels weird coming home you know?" Ellie told him, "You know, without her here"

"Well Stevie and I agreed that you get his room. We're going to share. We already have it all set up" Bucky told her.

"You guys don't need to do that. I am only here for the summer" Ellie told him frowning.

Bucky frowned back as he stopped and looked at her, "Why only for the summer?"

"I have a new job lined up. I told them not until September. Down in Washington DC" Ellie told him as she hooked her arm into his as they walked towards the subway.

"Doing what?" Bucky wondered as he paid for their tickets so they could go home.

"You don't need to pay for me Buck, I'll be working for the government as a psychologist for the military and others I'd assume" Ellie told him as they had a seat and the train started to take them home.

Bucky grinned, "I still can't believe you did it. You're a doctor for head cases"

"Not a doctor yet. It takes a lot of money to become a doctor" She said fiddling with a string on her dress. She bit her lip, "How is Steve really?"

Bucky sighed as he put his arm around her shoulders and leaned back, "Still Steve. Nearly got himself killed last week when he stepped in where he shouldn't 've"

Ellie groaned, "What about this time?"

"Who the fuck knows" Bucky said as an elderly woman gave him a look at his language and he glared back, "You know him, 'Sorry Buck…I just hate bullies'. I swear I gotta follow him everywhere"

Ellie took his hand and squeezed it, "Thank you for keeping him safe"

Bucky rolled his eyes but smiled, "I figured it was what I signed up for when I pulled Murphy off him all those year ago"

"Can you believe it's been eleven years since we've met?" Ellie said with a smile.

Bucky laughed, "Seems longer. I feel like I've known you forever"

"So, what have YOU been up to Barnes? Any special girls in your life?" Ellie asked.

Bucky's stomach sank as he took his hand out of hers then scratched the back of his neck, "Nah… too busy for that. Besides working at the docks, I do odd jobs around the neighborhood… plus keeping your brother alive is a full time job in itself. Plus going to Dodgers games" He said as he cleared his throat, "Find a 'potential husband' down there?"

Ellie laughed, "Like the nuns would let us look. I went out with a few of the girls to some of the dance halls. No one of interest"

Bucky nearly let a sigh of relief roll out, "Well if you go to dance halls, that is what we should do tonight to celebrate you coming home"

"You do realize I am going to know none of these dances right?" Ellie told him, "I went to a catholic college where we weren't allowed to dance or drink"

Bucky laughed, "Like that stopped you"

Ellie elbowed him in the ribs as he belly laughed, "Be quiet"

They got off at their exit and walked home together.

Holding her bag in one hand and the key to his and Steve's apartment in the other, Bucky unlocked the door, "Steve you home?"

"In my bedroom, please tell me you picked up…. El!" Steve yelled as he came out of the bedroom and saw her.

Ellie pushed past Bucky and threw her arms around her brother.

"Let me look at you" Steve said as he stepped back, "You look amazing"

"What the hell happened to you?" Ellie said touching his shiner causing him to flinch.

"Some drunk guy was hasslin' his girl" Steve said.

Ellie sighed, "One of these days…" she said as she hugged him tighter mentally frowning as she heard him wheeze.

"I suggested we go out dancing Steve" Bucky told him setting her bag down on their old ratty couch, "Turns out she went to some halls when she wasn't busy studyin"

Steve looked at her, "Really? You dancing?"

Ellie's laugh filled the apartment as she patted his cheek, "Oh Stevie… you gotta lotta learn about me"

Steve looked at Bucky confused as she grabbed her bag and went to the first bed room.

"Well… I guess she is taking my room" Bucky said as the door shut.

Ellie lay back on the bed in Steve's room and sighed as the day of travel washed over her. Closing her eyes for a moment, she sniffed smelling something unique but familiar at the same time. The smell of faint cologne, sweat and fresh soap but another smell that she couldn't quite name but could place all the same.

"Shit" Ellie said as she pulled the pillow of the unmade bed to her nose and inhaled, her eyes fluttering shut as the intoxicating smell washed over her senses, "This is Bucky's room"

Sitting up she looked around noticing the bottles of cologne, newspapers scattered amongst dirty clothes and sitting on top the dresser was a picture.

Pushing herself up, she grabbed the frame. It was the only picture in the room. It was a picture of her and Bucky from the last time she had came home prior to her mother becoming sick. They were laughing as they sat on the front steps of her family apartment on the Fourth of July. Her mother had snapped the picture and Ellie loved it. The same photo was currently in a smaller form in her purse inside her bag.

She touched his face in the photograph, "Why do you have this photo on your dresser Buck?" She whispered.

She jumped as a knock sounded on the door, quickly putting the frame back in its place, she walked over answering it.

"So… yeah this is Bucky's room. You can use it instead but here are the linens you can use" Steve said handing them to her.

"I might take a shower. Get the travel stench off me" Ellie told him.

"Next door down" Steve told her with a smile as he hugged her, "I'm glad you are home El"

"Me too Steve" She said with a smile.

Shutting the water off, Ellie grabbed her towel from where she had folded it on the sink and dried her body off before stepping out of the tub. Wrapping it around her and knotting it, she looked into the mirror.

At 21 years of age, about to be 22, she finally in her opinion was starting to look more towards a woman as opposed to a girl. Her face had thinned out and thanks to classes she had taken at school, so had her body. When she first enrolled in college, thanks to the scholarship that she had earned, she had put on weight because suddenly there was food at her disposal. Not that she had starved at home, but between the stock market crashing and putting a damper on everything in the early 30s, Steve's illnesses and hospital stays, her mother had to work two jobs just to get by as a family. They never went without food but sometimes food was scarce, especially when they cut shifts at the hospital. After years of looking out for Steve, she and her mother both tended to give more helpings to him, rather than taking them for themselves.

Touching her face, her face finally looked healthy. When she and her friends from college did go to the dance halls, men fawned over her. Her friend Maria was into cosmetics and hair, so she taught Ellie to pin her curls and how to style her hair. She also learned to do her makeup in only a way that she had looked after going to the spa with her mother for her 18th birthday. With her classes and her change in athleticism while in school, her figure had changed as well. Suddenly she went from the tomboy, that followed her brother and his best friend around that was seen as another one of the guys, to a woman.

Yet she did not feel the slightest interest in any of the men at the dance halls, or at the men her friends attempted to set her up with. She for the first two years of college thought something was wrong with her. Until a week before the telegram that her mother had came down with tuberculosis, when Maria had set her up with a friend of her own boyfriend. It was another failed date because the entire date; she had accidentally called him Bucky. Apologizing, she explained that one of her friends at home and he had looked very similar, her date had attempted to shrug it off. Until, their night ended with a kiss and she called him Bucky.

He shook his head, "I can't take another man's girl. Sorry"

It weighed heavily on her mind until she received the telegram from Steve, saying that their mother had come down with tuberculosis. Sarah Rogers lived a short three weeks after her diagnosis. Her children were not allowed to be in the room with her, and cried from the other side of the window after they were notified. The man who held her daughter's heart was the one to comfort them both. A week prior to her mother's death, Ellie had come back from the closest restaurant after grabbing a bite to eat, right before the doctors had prevented them from going to see her anymore, to see Bucky in the room with her mother. His face was conflicted and her mother was smiling at him. Both were mum about whatever subject they had been on prior to her walking into the room, but as her mother slipped in and out of consciousness the rest of that day, she thanked the lord that he was there for her. She did not tell him her feelings, did not act on them before going back for her final year.

A year later, Ellie was still not sure if she could act on the feelings she experienced whenever she looked at him. When he held her hand as he had done for years, or when goose bumps flooded over her body after he put his arm around her.

With a sigh, she pulled her towel closer to her then exited the bathroom in just her towel, purely by habit, not bringing her clothes with her and choosing as the rest of the girls in her all girl school would do, just to walk around in a towel between the lavatory and their rooms.

"Ellie!" Bucky said surprised as he literally ran into her in the hall.

Ellie gasped as he hands grabbed her bare arms and she had to grab her towel as it slid lower down her breasts, "Shit Bucky… sorry. Just a habit… let me go get dressed"

Bucky felt his mouth go dry as he stared at her chest.

"Ummm Buck, can you let go of my arms?" Ellie asked.

"Oh yeah" Bucky said as he let go of her and they awkwardly danced around each other as she slipped into his room, shutting the door behind her.

Bucky finally let out the breath he did not realize he had been holding, and shook his head trying to get the thought of her breasts out of his mind. He walked into Steve's room and saw Steve lying on his bed sketching in his book.

Steve glanced up, "What was that?"

Bucky glanced at the picture and smiled when he could see Ellie's face coming together through the marks Steve was making on the page, "Guess all those girls at the girls' college shower then walk around in just towels" Bucky said wiggling his eyebrows.

Steve's jaw dropped, "Ellie was naked?!"

"Nah she had a towel on but she said it was just a habit" Bucky said popping down on the bed and nearly making Steve fly into the air, "Man could you imagine… all those women just walking around in towels, soaking wet after showering"

Steve hit him with his sketch book, "That's my sister!"

Bucky laughed.

Down the hall, Ellie leaned back against the door after shutting it. 'You were just imagining it El,' she whispered to herself as she thought about how she swore Bucky's pupils had blown as he looked at her in just a towel.

She pushed herself off the door then proceeded to get dressed.

* * *

Ellie fanned herself as she sat down after dancing for over the last hour, with Steve and various other people.

"Need a drink?"

Ellie glanced up at Bucky, who had one in his hand, and gladly accepted it, "Thanks"

Bucky sat down next to her moving his chair closer to hers, "you sure can dance"

Ellie grinned over her wine, "It was a required class, learning to dance properly for a lady"

Bucky laughed putting his hand on the back of her chair, "And that was how to dance properly as a lady?"

"Well with a little extra flare" Ellie told him as she watched Steve actually dancing with a woman.

"He is having a blast. He never actually dances here" Bucky told her as Steve nearly fell flat on his face, "could help that he is drunk"

"He only had two drinks" Ellie said with a laugh, "I've drank more than he has"

Bucky took her drink, setting it to the side on the table next to his, then stood up holding his hand out, "May I have this dance?"

Ellie smiled as she took his hand in hers, "Of course sir"

Ellie had the time of her life as she danced with Bucky, who was an amazing dancer. They laughed as he twirled her around the dance floor, causing some attention.

The music slowed down and instead of heading back to the table, Bucky pulled her closer as "This Love of Mine" by Tommy Dorsey Orchestra played.

Ellie rested her head on his chest as they swayed back and forth.

"You're always on my mind, tho' out of sight. It's lonesome thru the day, But oh! the night. I cry my heart out it's bound to break, since nothing matters, let it break. I ask the sun and the moon, the stars that shine, what's to become of it, this love of mine" Bucky sang along with the voice of the lead singer of the Orchestra, Frank Sinatra.

Ellie looked up as they swayed back and forth, Bucky smiling down at her, "I cry my heart out it's bound to break, since nothing matters, let it break. I ask the sun and the moon, the stars that shine, what's to become of it, this love of mine" he sang softly as he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

Feeling a little brazen between the adrenaline rushing through her veins and the alcohol, she reached up and pulled his mouth onto hers.

Bucky moaned into her mouth as he kissed her back.

The song changed to another big band hit and it suddenly hit Ellie what she was doing.

She stepped away from him, putting a hand to her mouth, "Oh my god"

"El!" Bucky yelled as she took off through the crowd.

Bucky fought his way through the dancers towards their table, and she was not there. Looking around and not spotting her in the dark hall, he swore to himself looking for Steve, only to see him getting laid out on the ground by a man near the bar, "Damnit Steve!"

Pushing his way to the bar, he pushed the guy away, "Back off!"

"He was dancing with my girl!" The man yelled trying to take a swing at him again.

"Let's go Steve!" Bucky yelled pulling him away.

"Ugh" Steve groaned at his split lip and hurt jaw, "Where is Ellie?"

"I don't know!" Bucky yelled in frustration, "That's why I was trying to find you and you were getting decked!"

"What happened with Ellie? Where did she go?" Steve asked concerned.

"We were dancing then… she just took off. I gotta find…her" Bucky said as they turned the corner and saw her sitting on the steps of their apartment, "Go inside and get cleaned up. I'll talk to her"

Steve walked up to her and she looked up with tear filled eyes in the dark shadow of the night, "You okay sis?"

Ellie sniffed, "Yeah, damnit Steve, another fight?!"

"This time I was innocent" Steve defended.

"Go get yourself cleaned up punk" Bucky told him pushing him up the stairs.

"Jerk" Steve said entering the building.

Bucky sighed and sat down next to her, "I don't know what to say El… sorry? Is that what you want me to say?"

"I feel stupid" Ellie told him wiping her tears on her sleeve.

"Why?" Bucky asked.

"Everything that happened back there. I'm…" Ellie said as she groaned.

"You aren't drunk. You only had two drinks and that was before we danced" Bucky said.

"No" She said her eyes fluttering shut, "Alcohol isn't making me stupid; my own brain is. This can't happen"

"What can't happen?" Bucky asked his stomach suddenly in knots.

The tears started to flow again, "This" She laughed bitterly, "We were having such a great time then you started singing those words to me and I-" She said as she was cut off by his lips on hers again.

"Mmmm" Ellie moaned then groaned pushing him away, "Stop! God" She said as she stood up, "Don't pity kiss me!"

"Is that what you think that was?" Bucky asked as he stood up next to her, "A pity kiss?! Pity on what?"

"Your best friends little sister and her stupid crush" She mumbled.

Bucky laughed and she growled to herself trying to turn away and he grabbed her arms, "Are you kidding me right now?" He asked.

"Don't make it worse Bucky" She said sadly.

"Since when?" Bucky asked trying not to smile.

"Since… forever on some level but since right before Mom got sick, that last time I was home" She whispered looking at the ground.

Bucky smiled, "Have you beat"

Ellie looked up at him through her long eyelashes, "What?"

"Since your 18th birthday" Bucky told her, "But like you said… forever on some level"

"What?" She asked in disbelief.

"It wasn't Mrs. Simons damn sandwiches El. I thought my stomach was coming through my throat when you opened that damn door that day" Bucky told her pushing a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"Wait… what?" Ellie asked.

Bucky laughed as he pulled her into a kiss.

Ellie threw her arms around his neck then pulled back gasping for air, "We are idiots"

"Yes we are" Bucky said smiling.

* * *

 ***~ * September 1941 *~***

"I hate this" Ellie said as September had sadly rolled around.

"Do you have to go?" Bucky mumbled into her neck.

"I made promises Buck" Ellie told him rubbing his back, "We are going to write. We can call each other. Whenever I get the time, I am coming to visit"

"Just make me a promise" Bucky told her.

Ellie looked into his beautiful blue eyes, "Anything"

"Don't…don't find someone else" Bucky whispered placing his forehead against hers.

"Never, I am yours and yours alone Bucky Barnes" Ellie told him.

Bucky leaned down and kissed her, "I love you"

"I love you too" she said sniffing back the tears threatening to fall.

"All aboard!"

Bucky sighed, "I hate this place… it's taken you away from me twice now"

"It always brings me back home too" Ellie told him kissing his lips again.

"Call me, when you get home. I don't care what time it is" Bucky told her.

"I will" Ellie said resting her head on his chest.

"Last call, all aboard!"

"Damnit" Ellie said as the tears finally fell.

"Christmas at the latest" Bucky told her.

Ellie pulled him down in a hard kiss then grabbed her bag, sobbing as she climbed aboard the train.

Bucky sighed as he tried to follow her through the train with his eyes and lost her as it started moving, taking her away again.


	4. Chapter 4 - Lucky

a/n: Thank you to the new followers, it shows me that people are reading. I hope everyone is enjoying it. Thought I would post a new chapter. I am currently sitting in my hotel room here in Niagara Falls bored.

Thank you to my followers so far: Dalar Rose, KitKat, CastleOUAT, Cheakymaid and grumpypirate… enjoy!

Enjoy!

* * *

 _ **They don't know how long it takes**_  
 _ **Waiting for a love like this**_  
 _ **Every time we say goodbye**_  
 _ **I wish we had one more kiss**_  
 _ **I'll wait for you I promise you, I will**_

 _ **I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend**_  
 _ **Lucky to have been where I have been**_  
 _ **Lucky to be coming home again**_

 **~ Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat**

* * *

December 7th, 1941 would be forever known as the day that would live in infamy, but it started as a normal day in New York City. Steve had an art class at noon and had asked Bucky, who had the day off, if he would like to come with him.

Both men had climbed off the subway and walked to Time Square, hands in their pockets in attempt to keep the warmth there as the bitter December air surrounded them. As it was a Sunday morning, New York City was surprisingly quiet.

Steve looked over at Bucky as he saw a woman that reminded him of Ellie.

"Did you talk to Ellie last night?" Steve asked as they made it closer to his studio.

"Yeah, not for long. She was exhausted. There has been a lot going on in DC from what she said, she has had a lot of new patients" Bucky told him avoiding a bicyclist, "I'm going to go down next week I think. Use some vacation time"

Steve opened the door to let them inside the art studio, "You need the break and she will love having you there"

Bucky follows him to get the materials which they were working with today, helping Steve with the colors since he was color blind and could not see them.

They had sat down behind the easel and just had started listening to the teacher, when a man ran in and over to the instructor.

Bucky looked over at Steve as their instructors eyes became wide.

"Class, you are being dismissed. There has been an attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Head home to be with your loved ones. No one knows who has orchestrated it or if they plan to do more. Go home"

* * *

Bucky and Steve sat in front of their neighbor's television set, watching as scenes from Hawaii played across the screen. Ships were destroyed, thousands of people dead and injured. President Franklin D. Roosevelt came on the screen.

" _Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Senate, and of the House of Representatives:  
Yesterday, December 7th, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.  
The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific."_

Steve leaned forward resting his hands on his hands as he listened to the President in Washington DC.

" _Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack. It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace"_

"Shit we are going to war" Bucky said sitting back against the couch in shock.

" _The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu. Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam.  
Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island. And this morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island. Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation"_

"God you're right Buck" Steve said.

" _As Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.  
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph—so help us God. I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire."_

In the hours that followed, congress declared the United States was now in war with Japan. In the days that followed Germany and Italy also declared war on the United States. Recruitment stations started popping up all over New York, showing the need for soldiers to serve in the new war.

* * *

The week before Christmas, Steve looked at Bucky as they sat down for dinner, "I'm going to enlist"

Bucky spit out the water he had just drank over his dinner and the table and coughed, "What?"

"I'm going to enlist. I want to fight, like our dads did" Steve told him setting his fork down.

"Are you fucking nuts? No Steve, they won't even take you!" Bucky said standing up looking at him, "No offense man but you aren't even 100 pounds, you can barely lift the bags of groceries and that's not even talking about your health issues"

"You were the boxing champion in high school. Train me" Steve told him.

"Hell no!" Bucky told him shaking his head, "I'm not training you to go die Steve"

"Then I'll go find someone that will" Steve said as he left the apartment, slamming the door behind him.

Bucky bit his lip and left their apartment, walking down to their neighbor's apartment. She allowed them to use her phone to call Ellie and would receive calls from Ellie for them.

Knocking on her door, she smiled at him as she answered, "I wondered when one of you would be coming to talk to her"

"Steve is being an idiot and I need her to come home" Bucky told her, "can I call her?"

"Of course, would you like a cup of tea?" Mrs. Neville asked.

"That sounds lovely. Thanks" Bucky said as he picked up the line dialing zero, "Operator, I'd like to place a long distance call"

"Where would you like to call please?" The operator's voice asked.

"Washington DC ma'am, Logan Circle 1530" Bucky told her, "This is Brooklyn, Brooklyn Street 14047"

"One moment and I will connect you to Washington DC, Logan Circle 1530"

Bucky stood watching Mrs. Neville move around her kitchen.

"Logan Circle 1530, this is Polly speaking" Answered one of Ellie's housemates.

"Polly this is Bucky, can I speak with Ellie. Is she in?" Bucky asked.

"Let me get her" Polly said as he heard faint sounds in the background then a click.

"Hey babe" Ellie said as she got on the line.

"God I missed your voice" Bucky said with a smile.

"I miss your face" Ellie told him, "One more week Buck"

"Actually can you move that up?" Bucky asked her, "Your brother has decided to join the Army"

"WHAT!" Ellie yelled, "My god, no he didn't"

"He asked me to help him get stronger so he could enlist. I told him no, but you know Steve. He took off in a huff" Bucky told her, "More than likely going to come back with a 4F and a shiner"

"Do you think they will actually enlist him?" Ellie asked concerned.

"No, he has asthma, had scarlet fever and rheumatic fever. He's always sick, has high blood pressure and has heart trouble. Let's not forget the color blindness and the deaf in one ear" Bucky told her, "it's not going to happen"

Ellie sighed, "I'll talk to work. Everything is essentially shutting down for the holidays anyways… it shouldn't be too hard to get a little extra time"

"Let me know. I love you Belle" Bucky told her.

"I love you too Bucky" She said as she hung up.

Bucky hung up his call and ran his hand over his face.

"Does Steve actually want to enlist? And the poor boy thinks that he can?" Mrs. Neville asked walking over to him.

"He is Steve, when he is determined… nothing will stop him" Bucky told her as she handed him a cup of tea.

* * *

Three days later, Bucky stood at the Atlantic train station as the train pulled up. He stood back watching as families and people young and old departed the train. Some people finding their loved ones with hugs and kisses, others just walking on the own away from the crowds, but Bucky had yet to set his eyes on the one he was waiting for.

Then he heard her, "Bucky!"

Bucky turned and smiled as she came jogging up towards him. She threw her bags to the ground and jumped into his arms.

"God I missed you" Bucky said breathing in the scent that was purely Ellie.

Ellie kissed him, "Take me home"

Bucky grabbed her bag then her hand in his then led her out of the terminal.

"So did he do it?" Ellie asked.

"Yep. Big 4F in bright red ink on his enlistment form. He was so upset" Bucky told her.

"Thank goodness but did he ask you to train him again?" Ellie asked pulling his arm to her.

Bucky rolled his eyes, "Hell of course he did. I told him that I wasn't doing it because damnit I ain't killin him"

They made it to the subway and rode home to their apartment. Opening the door for her, Bucky led her inside. Steve was wrapped up in blankets sitting by the radiator. He looked up at the door, "Ellie! You aren't supposed to be here until Tuesday"

"I decided to come home a couple days early" She said as she walked over and hugged him, rubbing his arms, "You feeling okay?"

"Just another cold" Steve told her as he coughed, "Nothing I haven't handled before"

Ellie looked at Bucky.

"We have an inhaler" Bucky told her setting her bag down.

Ellie sat down on the couch next to him and felt his forehead, "Steve, you have a fever. You need to get to bed"

Steve coughed another rattling cough, "El, you aren't mom. I'm fine"

"I'm tired, let's go lay down" Ellie told him as she stood up, holding her hands out to him, "For old times sake"

Steve took her hands and she easily pulled him up, "Golly El, didn't realize how strong you were"

"Or maybe you are just that weak right now" Ellie jabbed back, "Come on you wet blanket"

Bucky smiled at her, "I'll make dinner"

"You suck at dinner" Steve told him.

"Shut it punk" Bucky yelled after him.

"Make me jerk!" Steve said as he laid down in his bed. Ellie kicking her shoes off and climbing in next to him, resting her head on his chest, frowning as she heard the congestion in his chest, "How are you liking Washington?"

"It's not bad. Honestly it has mostly been trainings and learning new techniques" Ellie told him pulling the covers over them, "It will be interesting to see now that we have declared war, if things change"

"Why would a psychologist's job change?" Steve asked confused.

"There are… many levels to my job. That is why I am still in training" Ellie told him as she yawned, "I'm tired. Go to sleep. I've been traveling for the last two days"

Steve frowned, "Two days?"

"Not now shhhh" Ellie told him.

Only a few minutes later, Steve's breathing and heart rate slowed as he fell asleep. She gently pulled herself out of his grasp and walked back into the kitchen.

"He asleep?" Bucky asked looking up from the stove.

Ellie nodded as she put her arms around his waist and kissed him.

Bucky frowned, "Where were you?"

"What do you mean?" Ellie asked confused pointing towards Steve's room, "In Steve's room"

"No, you told him you were on a train for two days. You were in DC the other day when I called you" Bucky told her.

Ellie bit her lip then sighed as she leaned on the countertop, "Buck… there…I can't tell you some stuff… working for the government and all. I want to but… there are a lot of secrets to my job. I work for the government and I was… at a training"

Bucky frowned placing the lid on the pot, "What kind of secrets?"

"Big secrets. That if they got out, I'd be in big trouble. I'm safe okay?" Ellie said touching his face, "Worst part of my job is the pigs I work with that underestimate me because I am a woman"

Bucky laughed, "They don't know what they have coming for them do they?"

"Nope" Ellie said as she laid a light kiss on his lips, "So… where am I sleeping?"

"You can have my room. I can take the couch" Bucky told her.

"Or" Ellie said as she ran her arms up around his shoulders, "Or…we could share"

Bucky looked at her in shock, "Really?"

"Wouldn't be the first time we've shared a bed. It can be innocent. Nothing will happen but… I just miss you" Ellie told him.

Bucky kissed her, "Let's eat then get to bed"

* * *

It was three days after Christmas of 1942, when the mailman came to their door.

"Mr. Barnes… you have mail" He said holding out the letter as Bucky made it to the door.

Bucky looked at the address stamped onto it, "Shit" He said as he shut the door.

"What?" Ellie asked looking up from her book, from her place on the couch.

"Nothing good" Bucky said as he shut the door and tore the envelope open, "I've been drafted"

Ellie gasped as she got up and walked over taking the letter from him, "No, no! This can't be happening!"

Bucky sat down on the couch in shock.

"You are to report to Camp McCoy in Wisconsin by January 12th at 13:00 hours" Ellie read as her legs gave out from under her, "No… this… no"

"I can't do this El, I'm not my Dad" Bucky told her through tear filled eyes.

"You still have to go through the exam, maybe they will find something" Ellie told him re-reading through the paper.

"What? That I…I… damnit… in all these years of being friends with Steve, have I ever been sick?" Bucky asked, "While Steve was cursed, I've been blessed"

Tears fell from her eyes, "I just…"

Bucky pulled her onto his lap, "There isn't anything I can do. If I run from it, they'll find me"

Ellie sobbed into his shirt as she clung to him.

* * *

Steve came into the apartment and found them on the couch together asleep, and it had been obvious that they had both been crying. On the ground a letter. Steve picked it up, "Oh god"

Three days before Ellie was scheduled to leave to go back to Washington, she came back into the apartment after shopping to hear Steve and Bucky arguing.

"Help me Buck. At least teach me how to fight for real" Steve begged.

"No, I don't want you to have to go through this! What would it do to Ellie? Both of us out there?!" Bucky told him, "I can't do that to her"

"She is going to be vulnerable as it is Buck! Train us both" Steve begged.

Ellie sat her bags on the table, "Shouldn't I have I say?"

"No" "Yes!" Steve and Bucky yelled.

"Look Bucky… let's be honest. Steve is going to get into fights but you aren't going to be there to save him" Ellie told him as she looked at Steve, "And Steve, is Buck teaching you how to fight, really going to help you get into the Army?"

Steve sighed, "No but… it can't hurt"

"Why the hell did I become friends with the most reckless punk ever?" Bucky said aggravated, "Fine"

"Thank you Bucky" Steve said as he went over to the couch and tried to push it out of the way.

"Now?!" Bucky asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, Ellie has to leave soon" Steve said struggling with the couch, "And I want as much practice as I can get"

Bucky sighed, closing his eyes and counting to himself then hung his head as he walked over to Steve helping him push the furniture to gain more space.

"I'm going to unload these, then change into something else" Ellie told them as she went into the kitchen.

"Okay Steve, stand like this… no feet wider"

Steve groaned as he was sent to the floor again.

"That's enough for right now" Bucky told him helping Steve off the floor, "I'm done. No more"

"No… just show Ellie stuff. I'll learn from that" Steve told him rubbing his back.

Bucky looked at Ellie, who shrugged as she stood up in front of him.

"Don't pull your punches" Ellie told him with a grin as she got into form.

"Okay, you are standing great, now when someone throws a punch at you try to block with your left then punch with your right" Bucky explained.

Ellie grinned, "Show me. Now remember, don't pull your punches"

Bucky bit his lip then punched out to her. She blocked with her left, bobbed, grabbed his arm and twisted so that she was pulling him to the ground.

"Whoa!" Steve yelled as he jumped up from the couch.

Ellie looked down at Bucky as she straddled his chest, "You okay?"

"Holy shit, where'd you learn that?" Bucky asked shocked.

Ellie stood up, helping him stand, "Part of the curriculum at school was self defense. I am a black belt. I was just messing with you guys"

"Ellie is training me!" Steve yelled.

Bucky just stared at her in disbelief.

* * *

The next day, Bucky popped his head into the bedroom where she was stretched out on his bed reading, "Hey El, want to go out on a date?"

Ellie bookmarked her spot then shut the book placing it on the bedside table, "Sure, where?"

"I figured we could go see a movie then maybe go to the dance hall? Bucky asked.

"I'd love to, what time?" Ellie asked.

"Go ahead and get ready. We can go out early" Bucky told her, "A new movie just came out"

Ellie found a dress in her bag, "Turn around"

Bucky turned around as she dressed.

"Can you tie me?" Ellie asked.

Bucky turned around and tied the back of her dress.

"What movie is it?" Ellie asked as she grabbed her hairbrush and ran it through her hair.

"I think it's called 'How Green was my Valley'. It's playing in an hour" Bucky told her.

"How do I look?" Ellie asked turning around.

Bucky smiled as he leaned down and kissed her, "Amazing as always. Let's go"

* * *

"Can you believe this is real?" Bucky asked as they danced to 'In the Mood' by Joe Loss.

Ellie laughed as Bucky twirled her, "No, can we just freeze this moment forever?"

"Let's go for a walk" Bucky suggested.

Ellie nodded as she let him lead her out as the band continued to play.

He put his arm around her as they quietly walked around the building to the docks and the moon shone on the ripples on the water. He cleared his throat, "Ellie I have something to ask you"

"What is it Bucky?" Ellie asked.

Bucky wet his lips to combat the sudden dryness as he reached into his pocket, then pulled a small box out of his pocket, "Your mom… before she started slipping in and out of consciousness, she pulled me into her room and gave me this box. She told me to give it to you when I thought you were ready. Elizabeth Rogers, I am ready when you are and if you will have me, I want to spend the rest of my life with you" Bucky said as he opened the box and Ellie gasped.

"That is Mom's ring" Ellie said as Bucky got onto one knee.

"Marry me?" Bucky asked.

Ellie sobbed, "Yes! Yes"

Bucky slipped the ring on her finger then she threw her arms around his neck. He got to his feet and kissed her, "I love you"

Ellie looked at it in the pale streetlights, "Let's go tell Steve!"

* * *

Ellie threw opened the apartment door, "Stevie!"

"Shhh Bell, he is probably asleep" Bucky told her.

"I'm right here, what's wrong?" Steve asked as he walked over to them.

"Hey brother…in law" Bucky said with a grin.

"You did it!" Steve said with a shout as he hugged Ellie, "I am so happy for you guys"

"Its mom's ring Steve. Why didn't mom give it to you?" Ellie asked.

"Because I wanted you to have it. We just had to wait for Bucky to wise up" Steve told her with a grin.

"Hey man" Bucky said offended.

Ellie laughed as she pulled him down for a kiss, "You know I love you"

"I love you too" Bucky told her.

"So when is the wedding?" Steve asked.

"Steve we just got engaged" Bucky told him.

"Whenever Bucky wants. Could be tomorrow, could be when he gets back" Ellie told him.

Bucky looked at her, "Tomorrow?"

"I leave in two days Buck, you leave in a week for who knows how long" Ellie told him.

"You need time to plan some…party" Bucky told her.

"No, who would come? Us, your mom and Becca?" Ellie told him, "But we can wait until you get out of training"

Bucky pulled her to him, "We are doing this"

"We are… I can't wait to be Ellie Barnes" Ellie said with a smile.


	5. Chapter 5 - Perfect

A/n: Came home from Canada to new followers: FallingDownHoles, KillaD, OfSeashellsandStars, Wolfcathope (thank you for favoriting as well!) as well as my first review for this story!

Thank you PistolHattersButtercup for reviewing and favoriting!

I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

* * *

 _Well I found a woman, stronger than anyone I know  
She shares my dreams, I hope that someday I'll share her home  
I found a love, to carry more than just my secrets  
To carry love, to carry children of our own  
We are still kids, but we're so in love  
Fighting against all odds  
I know we'll be alright this time  
Darling, just hold my hand  
Be my girl, I'll be your man  
I see my future in your eyes_

~ **Perfect by Ed Sheeran**

* * *

It was May of 1943 and Ellie stepped off the subway at the Brooklyn Heights stop. Bucky had been away at basic training for 13 weeks and he hadn't even been able to come home before he was set off for unit training. While in basic training, his master sergeant had discovered how talented Bucky was with a gun. He had quickly risen up the ranks in his first 5 weeks from Private James Barnes to Specialist James Barnes. After his basic training had been completed, he was Corporal James Barnes.

Ellie had taken to helping Steve out in Bucky's absence, sending him money and visiting him as often as possible. Steve thought it was just Ellie helping him, but he did not realize that Bucky had been sending her money. Which she would send Steve, so that he thought it was from her. He had attempted to enlist 4 more times but had been denied each time. With the extra money, he was looking healthier but instead of weighing 95 pounds, he weighed 110. His illnesses were slightly better with more access to medicine as well.

Ellie walked down the street and finally found the house she was looking for. Walking up to the front door, she knocked.

The door opened and Winifred Barnes stood in the doorway drying her hands on a towel, "Ellie! Come on in. Becca, Ellie is here!"

"Hey sis" Becca said as she ran over and hugged her.

"Hey Becca, I just got in town and I thought I would swing by here first to say hi" Ellie told them.

"Have you heard from James lately?" Winifred asked as she went back to her dishes, "He hasn't written in weeks"

Ellie frowned, "That is what I was going to ask you about too. I haven't received a letter in about two weeks"

Winifred shook her head, "I worry about him. They had him rising through the ranks so fast. The same thing happened to his father. Scares me half to death"

"Bucky told me that the Unit Training wasn't going to be as long as basic. So I hope he will be home soon" Ellie told her as she sat at the table with Becca.

"Do you have your dress?" Becca asked.

Ellie nodded, "I got it two months ago" Ellie said as she got into her bag and pulled it out.

"Oh Ellie… where did you get it?" Becca said in awe.

"England. I had to go to England and-"

Winifred frowned, "Why did you have to go to England?"

"For work, it was a short trip but I saw it and I had to have it" Ellie told her as she folded it back up and placed it in her bag.

"Be right back" Becca said as she got up.

"Ellie, not to be nosy but… what is your job?" Winifred asked glancing over at her from the sink where she was scrubbing pots.

"Just a psychologist for the government-"Ellie told her as a knock sounded on the door.

"Could you get that for me?" Winifred asked.

"Yes ma'am" Ellie said as she got up and opened the door, then gasped, "Bucky!"

Bucky dropped his bag and picked her up, swinging her around, "What are you doing here!?"

"I just got into town and I stopped in to check on your mom. You're home!" Ellie said as she kissed him.

"Eww do you have to do that at the front door?" Becca asked as she saw them.

"Shut it squirt" Becky said as he grinned down at her, "God I missed you"

"You look amazing" Ellie said gazing at his tanned skin, "Do you know how long you are home for?"

"Two weeks. I will get my orders in two weeks" Bucky told her as he led her into his family home, "Hey Ma"

Winifred dried her hands off again and hugged him, "Hey baby, let me see you"

"While MRPs can be disgusting, we didn't go without food" Bucky told her as he unzipped his bag, "I also have something for you Ma"

He pulled out a bag of money, "I've been given rank of Sergeant, so I can help out a little more"

"Bucky! No, we can manage" Winifred said.

"No ma let me do this" Bucky told her placing it in her arms.

After dinner, Bucky and Ellie said their goodbyes then grabbed their personal bags, beginning their journey back to the apartment.

Ellie sighed, "So we have two weeks" She said squeezing his hand.

Bucky nodded, "Want to get married tomorrow?" He asked as they walked past the deli on the corner.

"This week for sure, we just need to make sure everyone is available" Ellie told him touching his face, "I am so glad you are home"

Bucky leaned down and kissed her, "Me too. Do you have your key?"

"Yep" Ellie said as she opened the door to their apartment building then led him up the stairs to their apartment. Putting the key in the lock, she opened the door, "Steve! Are you here?"

"Ellie?" Steve said from the couch.

Ellie walked into the sitting area and saw him in just boxers, half asleep on the couch, "Hey Stevie"

"Buck! You're home" Steve said as he sat up.

"Hey punk" Bucky told him frowning as he saw him, "You feeling okay?"

"It's just so hot" Steve told them pulling a thin blanket over his body.

Ellie frowned seeing that she could see his ribs again as she sat on the coffee table in front of the couch, "Have you been eating?"

"I lost my job again" Steve told her shrugging, "I'm fine"

Ellie sighed as she glanced at Bucky leaning against the couch behind him, "Steve, I wish you would have told me I would have sent you more money home"

"I'll get by just fine sis" Steve told her as he looked back at Bucky, "How long are you home for?"

"Two weeks, then I get my orders to where I am going" Bucky told him walking around to sit on the arm rest of the couch.

Ellie took Steve's hand, "Steve, we are getting married this week"

"Really!? That's swell" Steve said as he hugged her.

Ellie smiled hugging her brother back then frowned as she felt more ribs than usual.

"When do you head back to DC?" Steve asked.

"You have me until June 12th. I have to head back then" Ellie told him as Bucky sat next to her.

"So a week after Bucky gets his orders" Steve said.

Ellie nodded as Bucky took her hand and squeezed it.

* * *

May 25, 1943, was a day that Elizabeth Rogers would never forget. She woke up early that morning, not in her own room that she shared with Bucky but at his mother's house. At his mother's persistence, they agreed that even if they were getting married at City Hall, they had to keep with tradition.

Ellie rolled over in Bucky's childhood bed and stared at the dress that hung from his closet door.

Becca's head popped in the room, "Ready for the day?"

Ellie smiled at her, "I've been ready since I was 11"

"Then let's get you ready" Becca told her, "Mom made breakfast"

Steve got out of bed and walked into the living area to see Bucky in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, standing at the window looking out, "Nervous man?"

Bucky turned around, "No…may have taken me awhile to realize it but…it has been a long time coming"

"Yes it has" Steve said nodding as he opened the ice box and saw food inside, "You went to the store?"

"Couldn't sleep" Bucky told him as he sat down at the kitchen table, "Steve, you have to make me a promise"

Steve poured himself a glass of milk, "What is it?"

"If something happens to me over there, make sure she doesn't-"

"Buck don't even talk like that" Steve admonished.

"It's a possibility Steve" Bucky told him as he put his head in his hands, "They could send me to Germany...who knows where they are going to send me. They need snipers everywhere. But promise me, if something does happen you will help her"

Steve bit his lip, "I'll do my best"

Bucky gave him a smile then stood up hugging him "I'm with you until the end of the line pal… don't forget it"

Bucky and Steve walked into City Hall and looked around, "I don't see them"

"Me neither. Just give them time, maybe they're…" Steve said as he saw them walk in behind them, "Buck"

Bucky turned around and laid eyes on her, "Wow"

Ellie walked over to him straightening up his tie, "Wow yourself. You clean up well"

"Only for you" Bucky said as he kissed her, "You look amazing"

"Ready to become Mr. Ellie Rogers?" She asked with a grin.

Bucky laughed as he took her hand, "Only if you are ready to be Mrs. James Barnes"

"Yes I am" Ellie told him as they signed in and were led to the justice of the peace.

"Hello, I am Albert" He said shaking their hands.

"I'm Elizabeth Rogers" Ellie told him.

"James Barnes, sir" Bucky told him.

"Ready to get married?" Albert asked.

"Definitely" Bucky said as Ellie nodded.

"Okay face each other and join hands" Albert told them.

Ellie smiled as she took Bucky's hands.

"James and Elizabeth, you both came here willingly to be joined in the legal state of matrimony. That has been given and provided by the State of New York. The vows you are about to exchange are verbal representation of the love you promise to one another. James, I will begin with you"

Bucky nodded.

"Do you James take Elizabeth to be your lawful wedded wife to have and to hold from this day forward, and do you promise to be faithful to her, to love honor, cherish and respect her as long as you both shall live?"

Bucky smiled, "I do"

"Elizabeth, do you take James, to be your lawful wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward, and do you promise to be faithful to him, to love honor, cherish and respect him as long as you both shall live?"

Ellie sniffed back her tears, "I do"

"Do you have rings?" Albert asked.

Becca handed Ellie, Bucky's ring and Bucky, Ellie's ring.

"James, place that ring on her left ring finger and repeat after me." Albert said, "This ring I give"

Bucky slid it onto her finger, "This ring I give"

"In token and pledge as a sign of my love and devotion" Albert said and Bucky repeated, "with this ring I thee wed"

"With this ring I thee wed" Bucky said as he kissed her ring.

"Elizabeth, the same" Albert said as he had her repeat the lines after him.

"This ring I give in token and pledge as a sign of my love and devotion. With this ring I thee wed" Ellie said as she slid the ring on Bucky's finger.

"Join hands" Albert told them, "Having heard your vows of promise and of faithful love by the authority invested to me by the state of New York, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride"

Bucky grinned, "Hi Ellie Barnes"

"Hello James Barnes" Ellie said as he kissed her.

Becca jumped up and down clapping, "Yeah!"

"Congratulations you two" Albert said.

"Thank you sir" Bucky said shaking his head.

"Blessings for a fruitful and long marriage" Albert said as he left.

Steve walked over to Bucky and they hugged, "Well I guess we are really brothers now"

Bucky laughed, "Yeah we are"

* * *

Ellie, Bucky, Steve, Becca and Mrs. Barnes all sat around the Barnes kitchen table enjoying the dinner that Winifred had prepared for them.

"So honey, what are your plans until you ship out?" Winifred asked.

Bucky looked over at Ellie, whose hand he had yet to let go of, "Well I leave on the 5th so Ellie and I were planning on heading up to Niagara Falls for a honeymoon for a few days. Then we will come back home. We might go camping or something. We will just play it by ear"

Ellie squeezed his hand and he leaned over and kissed her

"Well, I just hope that when you come back, in some months I'll have my first grandbaby" Winifred said.

Ellie gasped as Bucky blushed, "Ma!"

"What? I'm not getting any younger" Winifred told him.

"Ma, I'm shipping out in a little over a week. I'm going to be gone for who knows how long. Let's wait to think about that until after I'm back" Bucky told her.

"Ma'am, whatever God has in his plans for us is what will happen but we have no plans right now" Ellie explained.

"And we want to give you Grandchildren but… yeah just not yet. Let us enjoy being married" Bucky told her.

"I guess I can wait a couple years I guess" Winifred said with a smile.

* * *

That night, Steve stayed at Bucky's Moms house so that they could have the apartment to themselves.

Ellie sighed as she moved closer to Bucky's bare chest and kissed it.

"You feeling ok?" Bucky asked rubbing her arms.

Ellie smiled against his chest then looked up at him, "Never better"

Bucky leaned down and kissed her again then rolled her onto her back.

"Hmmm Bucky?" Ellie said as the broke for air and he started kissing down her neck.

"Yeah baby?"

"What your mom was talking about…we never talked about it" Ellie told him.

Bucky sat back on his heels, "Do you… not want kids?"

"No… I do but… we just never discussed it" Ellie said looking up at him.

"Well" Bucky said with a smile, "If we have a little girl that has your blonde hair and blue eyes… I'm a goner"

Ellie laughed, "Between you and Steve, we are in trouble if we have a little brown haired boy with an attitude the size of the Dodgers stadium"

"But like I told Mom. I think it's best if we wait… I don't want you to be stuck here expecting and I'm out there" Bucky told her.

Ellie's eyes ran over his naked and toned body then reached over to the bedside table, "Well" She said holding up a condom, "That doesn't mean we can't practice"

Bucky growled and leaned down to kiss her neck, "I like the way you think Mrs. Barnes"

Ellie giggled as his scruff tickled her neck then moaned.

* * *

a/n: For those who are interested in seeing her wedding dress and rings:

Wedding dress: albums/k111/SiriuslySarah/1940sweddingdress_

Her rings: albums/k111/SiriuslySarah/9d6556dd495fbbdb465af881152c320e-solitaire-engagement-rings-wedding-band-with-solitaire-engagement_


	6. Chapter 6 - Travelin' Soldier

**a/n: We have reached the First Avenger part of the timeline. Special thanks to my new followers:** NerdyTara82, Elljayde and Mditty123 and PistolHattersButtercup for another review!

* * *

 _I cried_  
 _Never gonna hold the hand of another guy_  
 _Too young for him they told her_  
 _Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier_  
 _Our love will never end_  
 _Waitin' for the soldier to come back again_  
 _Never more to be alone when the letter said_  
 _A soldier's coming home_

 **~ Travelin' Soldier by Dixie Chicks**

* * *

 ***~ June 1943 ~***

The day before Bucky shipped out, he and Ellie came home from their honeymoon. After spending three days in Niagara Falls, they then took a bus to the Adirondacks where they had spent another three days.

Bucky slid the key into the lock and Ellie sighed, "What's wrong?" He asked looking at her before opening the door.

"Back to reality. I wish we would have stayed longer" Ellie told him as he opened the door.

Bucky picked her up and carried her over the threshold, "Well we could have, but we ran out of condoms"

"Eww just what I needed to hear"

Bucky set Ellie down, "I saw you, and I said that to mess with you"

Ellie rolled her eyes then giggled, "But it is true"

"Ugh… don't" Steve said grabbing his jacket as Ellie laughed, "I was just heading out"

"Where to?" Ellie asked as Bucky started raiding the ice box.

"Looking for more work," Steve told her as he kissed her cheek, "I'll see you guys tonight"

Bucky set to making himself a sandwich and Ellie sighed as the door shut behind Steve, "What?"

"How much do you want to bet he is going to another recruitment office?" Ellie asked.

Bucky took a bite of his sandwich and chewed on it, "Probably… he is just going to get the fame refonse fough. Ifs just befause I'm leavin" He said as he swallowed the bite he was chewing, "It will die down after awhile"

"Stop talking with your mouth full" Ellie said cleaning up behind him, "But what if he gets someone careless and-"

Bucky set his sandwich down and placed his hands on her arms, "If it would happen, they'd toss him out as soon as he got to boot camp. He's gonna be fine"

"I hope so" Ellie said as he leaned down and kissed her.

"Hmmm I have more here you know" Bucky said with a grin against her lips.

"God it's like you married me just to have sex with me finally" Ellie told him with a smile.

"Nah, it's just a perk" Bucky said as he picked her up and carried her to their bedroom.

He threw her down on their bed and climbed on the bed with her.

"Don't you need to go check with the Army office?" Ellie asked.

"Hmmm, probably should… but it can wait" Bucky said pulling his shirt off.

* * *

After being rejected by the Army again, Steve had been sitting at the cinema to watch a cartoon when a loud man kept yelling at the news reels. After a verbal altercation, they somehow found themselves outside in the alley behind the cinema.

The man punched Steve and Steve fell then got right back up.

"You just don't know when to give up, do you?" He asked.

"I can do this all day" Steve said as he held up his fists.

The guy sent him right back down to the ground, then found himself immediately punched by someone else.

"Hey! Pick on someone your own size" Bucky said as he kicked the man down the alley.

He sighed as he looked at Steve, "Sometimes, I think you like getting punched"

Steve wiped the blood from his mouth, "I had him on the ropes"

Bucky leaned down and picked up Steve's rejected enlistment form, "How many times is this? Oh, you're from Paramus now? You know it's illegal to lie on the enlistment form. And seriously, Jersey?"

Steve looked at Bucky and finally noticed that he was in his uniform, "You get your orders?"

Bucky smiled, "The one-o-seventh. Sergeant James Barnes. Shipping out for England first thing tomorrow"

"Tomorrow?" Steve asked as he sighed, "I should be going"

Bucky put his arm around him, "Come on, man. My last night! Gotta get you cleaned up"

"Why? Where are we going?" Steve asked.

Bucky hit him in the chest with the paper he picked up on the way to the office, "The future"

Steve read over the article, "The World Exposition of Tomorrow?"

Bucky nodded, "And Ellie is meeting us there"

* * *

Steve and Bucky walked down the steps to the Expo, "I don't see what the problem is. You're about to be the last eligible man in New York. You know, there's three and a half million women here."

Steve sighed, "Well, I'd settle for just one"

Bucky smiled as he saw Ellie standing with one of her friends from school that she had kept in touch with named Bonnie, "Good thing I took care of that"

Bonnie and Ellie saw them and waved.

"Hey, boys!" Ellie yelled.

"What did you tell her about me? Isn't that Bonnie Tyler?" Steve asked frowning.

Bucky patted him on the back, "Only the good stuff"

"Hi baby" Ellie said as Bucky kissed her, "Bonnie, I'm not sure if you remember my brother Steve. Steve, this is Bonnie. Bonnie, this is my brother Steve"

Bonnie smiled at Steve, who gave a shy smile back, "Nice seeing you again Steve"

"You too" Steve said looking around.

"Come on let's go look around" Bucky told them as he guided them where to go.

"Welcome to the Modern Marvels Pavilion and the World of Tomorrow. A greater world. A better world" Came over the speakers.

"Oh, my God! It's starting!" Bonnie said excited, "Howard Stark is supposed to be there!"

"Then let's go" Bucky told her squeezing Ellie's hand as Bonnie led them to the staging area.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Howard Stark!"

Ellie watched as Howard Stark entered the stage and kissed the lady announcer and she had to roll her eyes.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all" Howard said as the helpers on the stage started taking the tires off the car on it, "Yes. Thanks, Mandy. With Stark robotic reversion technology, you'll be able to do just that."

They watched as he turned on the machine and the car started to hover over the stage.

Ellie gasped as Bucky said, "Holy cow"

There was suddenly sparks and the car fell onto the stage, "I did say a few years, didn't I?" This made everyone laugh.

Bucky turned around, "Hey, Steve, what do you say we treat these girls…where'd he go?"

Ellie turned around and sighed; "Probably to the recruitment office over there" Ellie said pointing towards it.

Bucky sighed as he leaned down and kissed her, "I'll go get him. You girls enjoy the show"

Bucky walked over to the recruitment center and saw Steve standing in front of a mirror, which filled his face in on a soldier.

"Come on." Bucky said pulling on his shoulder, "You're kind of missing the point of a double date. We're taking the girls dancing"

"You go ahead. I'll catch up with you" Steve told him glancing back at the office.

Ellie walked up to the front of the building and watched them, hugging her light sweater to her body.

"You're really gonna do this again?" Bucky asked.

"Well, it's a fair. I'm gonna try my luck" Steve told him.

Bucky sighed, "As who? Steve from Ohio? They'll catch you. Or worse, they'll actually take you"

"Look, I know you don't think I can do this-"

Bucky got closer to him, "This isn't a back alley, Steve. It's war!"

"I know it's a war. You don't have to tell me." Steve told him refusing to back down.

"Why are you so keen to fight? Huh? There are so many important jobs" Bucky said at a loss.

"What am I gonna do? Collect scrap metal…

"Yes!" Bucky shouted.

"…in my little red wagon?" Steve asked.

"Why not? " Bucky asked.

Steve sighed, "I'm not gonna sit in a factory, Bucky"

Bucky just shook his head, "I don't…"

"Bucky, come on! There are men laying down their lives. I got no right to do any less than them. That's what you don't understand. This isn't about me" Steve told him.

That just angered Bucky more, "Right. Cause you got nothing to prove"

"Hey, boys! Are we going dancing?" Ellie asked trying to break up their fight.

Bucky turned towards them, **"** Yes, we are!" Bucky looked at Steve, "Don't do anything stupid until I get back"

Steve grinned, "How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you"

Bucky shook his head, "You're a punk"

He walked over and gave Steve a hug.

"Jerk. Be careful" Steve told him.

Bucky nodded, not trusting his voice as he turned around to Ellie, who had tears in our own eyes.

"Don't win the war till I get there!" Steve yelled.

Bucky stopped and shook his head as he saluted Steve, "Come on girls. They're playing our song"

Ellie looked back at Steve as Bucky put his arm around her, "Steve, please don't do this"

"I gotta El," Steve told her as he walked towards the office.

Bucky kissed the side of her head, "Come on babe"

* * *

The day came too quickly for their liking and after they got dressed and Bucky packed his bag. They made their way to the train station.

Ellie stood at the train platform, "Write as much as you can"

"Of course" Bucky told her.

Ellie bit her lip as she put her arms around his neck, "Don't do anything stupid. Please come back to me"

"Ellie, I'm yours until the end of time" Bucky told her, "I love you and only you"

Ellie laid her head on his chest listening to his heartbeat, "I love you too"

"All aboard!"

"Baby I have to go" Bucky told her.

Ellie sniffed back her tears, "I'll see you when you get back. This isn't a goodbye, it's an I'll see you later"

Bucky smiled as he kissed her hard.

Ellie moaned.

Bucky leaned his forehead against hers, "I'll be counting down the days. Keep your brother in line"

Ellie laughed through her sob, "You'll have an easier job defeating the Nazis single handedly"

Bucky laughed, "Probably"

Bucky gave her one last hard kiss then pulled away climbing aboard the train. He glanced back at her, "I'll see you when I get back. I'll see you later Ellie Barnes"

"I love you Bucky Barnes!" Ellie yelled.

Ellie watched as he found a seat on the train at a window and she walked over to the train. Bucky opened the window and leaned out, "I'll save a dance for you at the victory party"

"You better Bucky" Ellie said as the train whistle blew.

"Ellie Belle… you've never looked as beautiful as you do right now" Bucky told her.

Ellie reached up and grabbed his hand, and then the train started moving.

Ellie ran alongside the train as far as she could then Bucky leaned his head out the window, "I love you Belle!"

"Love you…too" Ellie said as the train sped away.

She wiped her eyes, "God I hate trains"

* * *

Ellie walked back to their apartment and saw Steve sitting on the couch, "Why weren't you there to see Bucky off? Not another recruitment office were you?"

"No" Steve told her, "I had to go pick something up and lost track of time"

Ellie walked back to Bucky's room and just stared at the bed, "I think I am going to head back early… to DC"

Steve sighed as he followed her, "I figured but… I won't be here much longer either"

Ellie looked at him, "Why?"

"I went to the recruitment office yesterday. They offered to recruit me for a special project. Not front lines but still helping the Army" Steve told her.

Ellie groaned, "Really Steve?"

"I want to help Ellie. Bucky is off fighting the war, you are helping those who come back…I'm just here. I have to do something" Steve told her as he pulled her into a hug.

"I don't want you killed too" Ellie told him as she cried into his shoulder.

"I'm not going to be on the front lines sis" Steve told her as he pulled her back, "Look at me, do you think they'd put me there?"

"No" Ellie sniffed.

"Buck is going to be fine and so will I" Steve told her, "We are going to come back here after the war and live together like one big family okay?"

Ellie nodded, "Promise?"

"Promise. Maybe between the two of us working for the government we will make enough to get a real house" Steve told her rubbing her arms.

"I'd love a house in the Adirondacks. You should have seen some of the places Bucky and I hiked by. Beautiful log cabins… they looked beautiful and would be amazing to live in" Ellie told him, "We never have had a home Steve… I want a real home"

Steve pulled her back to him, "We will get one Ellie"


	7. Chapter 7- Radioactive

a/n: Thank you to the new followers: Ash1276, RxchelMalfoy and artemis7448, as well as Blackraven777 for favoriting!

* * *

 _I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones_  
 _Enough to make my systems blow_  
 _Welcome to the new age, to the new age_  
 _Welcome to the new age, to the new age_  
 _Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive_  
 _Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive_

~ **Radioactive by Imagine Dragons**

* * *

 ***~ June 1943 ~***

Bucky had been gone for almost entire month and Ellie had yet to hear from him. Every client that came in to speak with her, had experienced horrible trauma that forced them to come stateside. The psychological dramas they were experiencing just made her think of the traumas that he had to be experiencing.

Without realizing what she was doing, Ellie had zoned out in the middle of her office when someone set a pile of files on her desk causing her to jump.

"Barnes, focus"

Ellie looked up at her boss and stood up, "Yes sir, what do you need sir"

"I need you to go through these files. They are prospective candidates for the new project that Colonel Phillips is working on. After you get familiar with these candidates, tomorrow we are sending you to Wisconsin to actively inquire about your top picks. We want to make sure that we will be satisfied with their physical as well as mental abilities. You have two weeks in Wisconsin to interview and observe, before we make our decision on the project. You leave tomorrow morning from here at 0800 hours"

Ellie nodded, "Yes Chief Dooley sir"

As soon as he walked away Ellie sighed.

"Well I see you were assigned to Wisconsin, I am assigned to Jersey"

Ellie turned her chair and looked at the desk behind hers, "Peggy, at least that's not far"

"Read your files, at least you got files" Peggy said as she took a file to the filing cabinet and filed it away, "They would not even give me files on my candidates. There are only two of them. Colonel Phillips is adamant on one of the privates, but Dr. Erskine found someone he believes in"

Ellie flipped through her stack, "Six… there are six here"

"Take off and go study them back at home" Peggy told her.

"You are probably right. Good luck down here" Ellie told her grabbing her purse.

"It will be fun to get back on base and whip some of them into shape" Peggy said with a grin.

Ellie shook her head, "You're so bad. Bye Peggy"

"Bye Elizabeth"

* * *

 **~*~*~* June 1942 * ~*~*~**

Ellie had been at Camp McCoy for early two weeks and was not confident that any of the candidates that had been picked were adequate for Dr. Erskine's experiment.

She was sitting in her tent pouring over her notes about each subject when the tent door opened.

"Barnes"

Ellie stood up when she saw Captain Charles, "Yes sir"

"Is it, or is it not true that you are married to one James Buchanan Barnes?" Captain Charles asked.

Ellie bit her lip as she reached up to touch the rings around her neck, "Yes sir I am"

Captain Charles' face cracked into a smiled for the first time since she had arrived, "Your husband is an amazing marksman with a rifle"

Ellie beamed proud, "Thank you sir"

"Where is James now?" Captain Charles asked.

"Somewhere in England, he was shipped out shortly after he arrived home, sir" Ellie informed him.

"Barnes never spoke about you being involved in the government" The captain mentioned.

"Because Bucky doesn't know exactly what I do sir. I work for a top secret organization within the government. Plus, if he knew that my work was sometimes dangerous, he wouldn't like it" Ellie told him.

"Well he is a lucky man" Captain Charles told her.

"Thank you sir, I appreciate the compliment" Ellie said as Captain Charles decided to leave.

Ellie sighed as she sat down and got back to work.

"Knock knock"

Ellie looked over at the man at the entrance to her tent and frowned, "What are you doing here?"

Howard Stark waltzed in and sat down in one of her patient's chairs, putting his feet up on her desk, "I'm here to bring you home"

"Get your feet off government property. What do you mean bring me home?" Ellie asked him pushing his feet off her desk.

"Erskine made his decision, Colonel -stick up his butt- isn't happy about it but Erskine is for sure that this kid is who he has been looking for" Howard told her, "He is doing the experiment in two days"

"Two days!? I haven't even been able to analyze him yet" Ellie said as she started collecting her things.

"Don't worry about it" Howard said as he saw her tin of cookies that Bucky's mom had sent her and went to grab them, "They sent Stewart to- OW!"

"Hands off my cookies, my Mother-in-law sent those" Ellie told him taking the tin and putting it into her bag.

"I keep forgetting your maaa-rr-ied now" Howard said dragging out the syllables, "So does hubby know about all this?"

Ellie sighed, "No, not even my family. I have enough trouble with my brother thinking he is bigger and tougher than he really is and trying to get himself killed every alley he goes down"

Howard snorted, "Thinks he is a tough guy?"

"Yes and no. Our dad was in the service in the Great War and died right after I was born. He just idolized Dad… didn't even remember him it was just the… thought of him. He was born with all these disabilities though. Didn't stop him from being a punk" Ellie told him as she got her tent packed up, "let me just go get my personal tent packed then I'll be ready to head out"

"10-4" Howard said saluting her, "I'm going to go check out the med wing… see if there are any new single ladies"

"You are disgusting Howard" Ellie said shaking her head as she walked away.

"You sound like Peggy!" Howard called after her.

* * *

After being grounded in Ohio for a day because of bad weather, Ellie and Howard finally made it to New York. They took a taxi to a small store front that had antiques called Brooklyn Antiques.

Ellie looked around frowning, "I don't remember this"

Howard paid the driver and grabbed her bags, "Follow me"

Ellie followed him inside the store.

"Wonderful weather this morning isn't it?" She asked.

"Yes, but I always carry a poncho" Howard told her as he glanced back at Ellie, "She's with me"

Howard led Ellie to the backroom and a bookshelf opened up to reveal a secret area.

Ellie shook her head, "Sometimes working for this organization, really surprises me"

Howard laughed, "I need to check the equipment. Don't you have an apartment here in town?"

"Yeah, my brother, husband and I share it" Ellie told him looking at the room in awe, "Wow"

She followed Howard down the steps to the lab, "So this is where it's going to happen"

"Hopefully if all goes to plan. Subject will be laid on the table, major muscle groups will get the serum then I hit the switch then pod closes around him. I turn the vita-rays on and as long as we don't fry the circuits and the power grid… hopefully we have us a super soldier" Howard said, "And as long as they don't die"

Ellie looked at him, "Die?"

"Stress on the body. Going from a normal human to a super soldier… hell this is literally the first experiment. We don't know what is going to happen. The kid could have a heart attack, stroke… who knows" Howard told her.

"Why would someone sign up to do this?" Ellie asked confused.

"Kid wants to do the best to serve his country" Howard told her checking all the inputs.

Ellie sighed, "Sounds like my idiot brother"

* * *

 ***~*~*~*** _ **June 22, 1943 ***_ **~*~*~***

The next day Ellie arrived at the same Antique shop and said the same code words.

"Agent Barnes"

Ellie stopped in her tracks and saluted, "Colonel Phillips sir"

"At ease. Senator Brandt, I'd like you to meet one of my best agents outside of Agent Carter herself. Only two women I trust in my business, this is Agent Elizabeth Barnes" Colonel Phillips introduced.

"Hello Senator Brandt, pleasure to meet you" Ellie told him as he kissed the back of her hand.

"Pleasure is all mine" The senator said.

"Barnes, when this is over with if the kid survives, I want you down there checking on his mental capabilities. This serum is going into his muscles but we don't know what it will do to his brain" Colonel Phillips told her.

"How old is this guy? You sir and Howard keep calling him a kid. We aren't experimenting on children are we, sir?" Ellie asked.

"The kid isn't really a kid, he just looks like one" Colonel told her as Peggy came into the viewing booth.

"Howard is ready to start" Peggy told them as the speakers squealed.

"Do you hear me? Is this on?" Dr. Erskine asked.

Everyone crowded towards the observation window and Ellie tried to look over the shoulders of the men in front of her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, today we take not another step towards annihilation, but the first step on the path to peace. We begin with a series of micro injections into the subjects major muscle groups. The serum infusion will cause immediate cellular change. And then to stimulate growth, the subject will be saturated with Vita-Rays." He narrated.

Ellie moved down the window and found a spot to watch. Looking down into the lab, she looked at the table.

"Serum infusion beginning in five, four, three, two, one." The doctor said.

Ellie squinted trying to get a better look but the glass was shaped funny on her side, which made the appearance on the floor, obscured slightly. She could make out a skinny blonde lying on the table.

Ellie's heart jumped into her throat, "No" She forced out.

"Now, Mr. Stark."

Ellie watched in horror as Stark lowered a lever, the pod moved upright and enclosing the man inside. As the pod reached height and was about to fully closed, she got a good look at his face, "NO!"

"Agent Barnes!" Colonel Phillips said glancing at her, "What is wrong with you!?"

Dr. Erskine knocked on the capsule that they'd locked Steve in for the procedure to change him, "Steven, can you hear me?"

Ellie was torn between fear and relief when she heard over the speakers, "It's probably too late to go to the bathroom, right?"

Peggy walked over to her, "What's wrong Elizabeth?"

"Why the hell did you pick Steve!?" Ellie looked at her.

Peggy looked at her wide-eyed then gasped, "Oh my god… Steve Rogers is your brother"

Ellie's forehead hit the glass as she watched in horror down below as the light in the pod got brighter.

"I'm so sorry Elizabeth… I didn't know!" Peggy told her.

"That's ten percent. Twenty percent. Thirty. That's 40 %" Howard read off from the controls.

"Vital signs are normal." One of the doctors told them as Peggy took Ellie's hand.

"That's 50 %. Sixty. Seventy" Howard read.

Steve started screaming and Ellie wanted to break the glass and jump down below.

"Steve!" She cried against the glass.

"Steven!" Erskine yelled.

"Shut it down!" Peggy yelled as she ran over to the staircase, "SHUT IT DOWN!"

"Steven!" Erskine yelled as he knocked on the pod.

"Shut it down!" Peggy yelled again.

"Kill the reactor, Mr. Stark! Turn it off! Kill it! Kill the reactor!" **Dr. Erskine** yelled.

"No! Don't! I can do this!" Ellie heard Steve said as she collapsed sobbing.

"Eighty. Ninety. That's 100 %." Howard yelled.

Ellie gasped as everything started overloading and the reactor shut itself down, "Steve!"

Peggy ran over and took her hand, "We're going down"

Ellie followed as Peggy pushed past the guard and opened the door.

They ran down the steps as smoke filled the air.

Peggy pushed them through and froze.

Ellie looked around her to see a man, a muscular man being held up by Howard and Dr. Erskine.

"Steven. Steven" Dr. Erskine said.

"I did it" He said breathless.

Ellie pushed through everyone and started nailing on him, causing Howard to pull her away.

"Barnes!" Howard said shocked.

The familiar blue eyes widened, "Ellie?!"

"Wait you two know each other?" Dr. Erskine asked.

"This asshole is my brother!" Ellie said, "God Steve"

Peggy cleared her throat, "How do you feel?"

"Taller" Steve said staring down at the top of Ellie's head for the first time in his life, "El"

Ellie wiped her tears, "I thought I was watching you die and I didn't even know it was you at first"

"How-" Steve said as there was an explosion and Steve pulled Ellie to the floor with his body on top of hers, "Stay down!"

"Stop him!" Erskine yelled.

Peggy drew a gun out of her stocking and shot at the man.

Ellie poked her head up just in time to see Dr. Erskine get shot and screamed. Steve knelt down next to the doctor and he pointed at Steve's chest then lost consciousness.

Peggy got up and ran after him.

"Steve! No!" Ellie yelled as he ran up the stairs.

"My god" Howard said in shock as he looked around him then helped her up, "Are you okay?"

"I…what the hell just happened?" Ellie said in a daze.

* * *

 ***~*~*** _ **Wednesday, June 23, 1943 ***_ **~*~***

Ellie stood in the background glaring as they took another vial of Steve's blood at the SSR compound the very next day. That night had been a sleepless night in their old apartment and Steve had never came home.

Steve glanced over at her. Since he had came back after chasing the hydra agent, they had yet to be able to talk. Howard and Peggy had pulled him away with help from Dr. Erskine's assistants to do blood workup. Ellie was slightly glad because as upset as she was currently, she knew the conversation would not be cordial.

Steve cleared his throat, "Think you got enough?" He asked rolling his sleeves back down.

"Any hope of reproducing a program is locked in your genetic code. But without Dr. Erskine it would take years" Peggy told him.

"He deserved more than this" Steve said sadly.

"If it could only work once, he'd be proud it was you" Peggy told him looking over his paperwork.

Steve looked over at Ellie, "So… I know you are dying to say something"

"Yeah but I'm holding my tongue before I kill you with it" Ellie told him.

Steve sighed, "Ellie"

"No Steve, why the hell did you think to do this?" Ellie asked, "It could have killed you"

"It was the only way-"

"Jesus Christ Steve! The only thing in life that is important isn't the damn war!" Ellie yelled as she threw her file down on the table, "I was up there and I thought I was watching you die! I know the risks of what could have happened. I was part of the briefing of this project and… oh my god… that's why Phillips sent me to Wisconsin! He knew!"

"So this is what you have been doing?" Steve asked, "Are you really even a psychologist?"

"Yes I am for SSR amongst other things" Ellie told him as she sighed, "I wanted to tell you and Bucky but I couldn't Steve. You see what I deal with. Veils and secrets. We still can't tell Bucky"

Steve sighed, "We'll talk more later"

Ellie shook her head and followed Peggy out to Howard's lab that had the Hydra submarine that Steve had shockingly recovered on his own.

"Speaking modestly, I'm the best mechanical engineer in this country. But I don't know what's inside this thing or how it works. We're not even close to this technology" Howard told the room full of people.

"Then who is?" **Senator Brandt** asked.

"Hydra. I'm sure you've been reading our briefings." Colonel Phillips told him.

"I'm on a number of committees, Colonel" Brandt told him.

Peggy led them up to the group crowded around the sub, "Hydra is the Nazi deep science division. It's led by Johann Schmidt. But he has much bigger ambitions"

"Hydra's practically a cult. They worship Schmidt, they think he's invincible" **Col. Chester Phillips** told them.

"So what are you gonna do about it?" Senator Brandt asked.

"Spoke to the president this morning. As of today the SSR is being retasked" Phillips told him as he walked over to the girls.

Peggy and Ellie stood taller.

"Colonel?" Peggy asked.

"We are taking the fight to Hydra. Pack your bags Agents Carter and Barnes. You too, Stark. You're flying to London tonight"

Steve looked over at Ellie then back at Phillips, "Sir, if you're going after Schmidt, I want in."

"You're an experiment. You're going to Alamogordo" Colonel Phillips told him.

Ellie's eyes widened. She knew Alamogordo was their top secret facility in New Mexico for their bigger experiments.

"The serum worked" Steve defended.

"I asked for an army and all I got was you. You are not enough" Phillips told him as he left the room.

Ellie sighed as Steve tried not to look as if he had been smacked in the face.

 **Senator Brandt** looked at Steve, "With all due respect to the Colonel, I think we may be missing the point. I've seen you in action, Steve. More importantly, the country's seen it" He glanced over at his aide, "Paper"

Senator Brandt's aide showed them the New York Examiner with the headline, _"Nazis in New York - mystery man saves child"_

"The enlistment lines have been around the block since your picture hit the newsstands. You don't take a soldier, a symbol like that, and hide him in a lab. Son, do you want to serve your country on the most important battlefield of the war?" Senator Brandt asked him as he put his hand on Steve's shoulder.

"Sir, that's all I want" Steve told him.

"Then, congratulations. You just got promoted" Senator Brandt told him as he looked at his aide, "File the paperwork, Private Rogers has been promoted to a Captain"

"Captain sir?" Steve asked surprised.

But Senator Brandt had already walked off.

Brandt's aide walked over to them, "It's a USO show, gain attention and become an American hero that everyone knows and loves… you'll get to the front lines"

Steve sighed as the aide left then looked at Peggy, "What do I do?"

"Go with Elizabeth. We have the address of your apartment; I assume that is where the two of you are going?"

Ellie nodded, "if I am leaving tonight I need to freshen up and pack a bag"

Peggy nodded, "I'll pick you up at 1800 hours"

* * *

After a silent car right home, Ellie unlocked the door to their apartment.

As soon as the door shut, which Steve shut hard enough to rattle the frames on the wall as he was still not used to his strength, he walked over to her grabbing her arm lightly, "El"

"Don't El me damnit!" Ellie said as she punched him as hard as she could in his chest, "God Steve… of all the stupid things in the world that you could have signed up for ..."

"Okay then if you want to play it that way, what is your real job? I'm technically part of the SSR now… I assume you work for them" Steve said.

Ellie sighed as she went to the couch and sat down smoothing the wrinkles out of her dress, "Its… kind of hard to explain. I did get hired into the government before I graduated. Colonel Phillips was in charge of the SSR. He pulled me after a couple months and asked me if I was willing to retask then told me about the SSR. Has anyone told you what it stands for?"

"Actually no" Steve said.

"The Strategic Scientific Reserve" Ellie told him, "Roosevelt ordered it to be formed in 1940 because he saw the work that Hitler was doing in Germany and he knew that yes, we didn't have a reason to be up against them yet but it was looming. Howard was pulled in when Hydra tried to kill him over his weapons knowledge"

Ellie sighed, "Johann Schmidt is the leader of Hydra and Peggy actually was sent in to rescue Erskine from Schmidt. Erskine had an idea for a formula to create a super soldier… Schmidt stole the formula before it was ready and… from what Erskine told me, the results weren't what he wanted. Erskine was about to be killed before Peggy saved him"

"So when you are being retasked?" Steve asked.

Ellie sighed as she looked at him, "We have a London office. Hence the reason I got my wedding dress in London. I'm there frequently. Actually… more than I am here"

Steve frowned, "But when we call you-"

"Headquarters is run through a phone company's back room, so they receive the call and transfer it to the London office" Ellie told him.

"Are you going to tell Bucky?" Steve asked.

"Eventually" Ellie told him, "Not now though. He has enough on his mind and I don't know what I'll be involved with over there" Ellie took his hand that was suddenly double hers, "Look Steve… I know you had this grand idea of what Project Rebirth-"

"Project Rebirth?" Steve asked.

"That was the name of your project, anyways I know you thought it would make you into this super soldier and you could join right up with Bucky and be done…but I'm glad that Colonel Phillips isn't letting you… just yet" Ellie told him as she looked at him with tears in her eyes again, "Every night I have nightmares of getting a knock on that door saying that Bucky is gone. I couldn't handle the same visit for you"

Ellie watched Steve and shook her head, "This is all just surreal"

"What is?" Steve asked.

"Have you really truly looked in the mirror? Took a shower? God Steve… your face is nearly the same and your voice but…it's like your head was put on someone's body and its freaking me out" Ellie told him as she took his hand and led him to her and Bucky's room then shut the door behind her.

She reached up and pulled his shirt up over his head, "Look Steve… your ribs aren't showing… you aren't struggling to breathe"

"I will say that is the first thing I noticed. After the pain stopped… I could breathe" Steve told her as he looked down at her, "It's going to take some getting used to though"

Ellie chewed her lip and shook her head, "Can't wait to see what Bucky thinks"

Steve effortlessly lifted her up into a hug, "God… suddenly I can feel all your muscles"

"So I know that you've done some work with Peggy… have you seen some of the stuff she can do?" Ellie said as he set her down.

"Yeah… the general…um… as Bucky would put it badass woman" Steve said.

"Peggy and I had the same training, it's how we met. She just started a year before me" Ellie explained.

"So that's why when Bucky was teaching us how to fight…" Steve said with a laugh.

"Well I did take self defense in college but I'd already started my training at that point so yes" Ellie told him.

Steve pulled her to him, "I love you Ellie… I am sorry that I didn't tell you about this earlier. I just… didn't know how"

Ellie sighed into his body and smiled at the change in his heartbeat, heart arrhythmia was gone. For the first time in Steve's life, he was healthy.


	8. Chapter 8 - Airplanes

_a/n:_ I own nothing you recognize, only Ellie. Everything else is more than likely property of Marvel. Otherwise it's just this teacher imagining what the comics could have been with Steve having a sister.

* * *

A/n2: Thank you to FightingAwkward for following and BlueMango's and Orlakk for favoriting!

* * *

 _Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shootin' stars  
I could really use a wish right now, wish right now, wish right now  
Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shootin' stars  
I could really use a wish right now, wish right now, wish right now_

~ **Airplanes by B.o.B**

* * *

 ***~*~* November 1943 *~*~***

Pulling up to the base they had just been reassigned to in Italy, Ellie looked out the window of the car she sat in and looked around.

"Welcome to our new home sweet home for awhile" Agent Peggy Carter said as the car stopped as she started getting out.

Ellie opened the door and groaned as she climbed out of the vehicle, on base in Italy, and her back muscles screamed at the movement after sitting in the car for hours.

"Are you alright?" Peggy asked glancing over at her.

"Muscles are still sore but…I'll be fine. I'll bounce back" Ellie told her shutting the door.

"I am surprised you are up and walking this soon. It's only been two months" Peggy told her as an aide took their bags, "Thank you sir"

Ellie sighed, "I don't remember much of these last two months honestly" Ellie told her trying to stretch out her back as she glanced at Peggy, "Did Steve know?"

Peggy shook her head, "No, I figured he would worry. I nearly had Phillips contact him when you were brought in, but then you pulled through and you were out of the woods. He couldn't do anything so why worry him?"

"I took one of Hydra's weapons to the back… the doctor said I was lucky I could still walk. That is literally all I remember," Ellie said as they walked up to the side of the stage and caught the part of the USO show.

Ellie looked up to see the man in the middle in the red, white and blue tights parading around with the USO girls singing and dancing around him.

"Oh my goodness, look at his little outfit" Ellie said laughing at Steve.

"We all know this is about trying to win the war. We can't do that without bullets and bandages, tanks and tents. That's where you come in. Every bond you buy will help protect someone you love" Steve said as a man dressed as Hitler came on stage, "Keep our boys armed and ready, and the Germans will think twice about trying to get the drop on us" Steve said as he fake punched the fake Hitler.

"Stalwart and steady and true, forceful and ready to defend, the red, white, and blue. Who'll give the Axis the sack and is smart as a fox? Far as an eagle will soar. Who's making Adolf afraid to step out of his box? He knows what we're fighting for. Who waked the giant that napped in America? We know it's no one but Captain America. Who'll finish what they began? Who'll kick the Krauts to Japan?" The chorus sand and Steve held a motorcycle with two girls on it above his head, "The star-spangled man with a plan!"

Peggy and Ellie stepped back as the USO girls climbed off stage.

"How many of you ready to help me sock old Adolf on the jaw?" Steve asked as he received silence from the crowd, "Okay. Uh… I need a volunteer."

"I already volunteered! How do you think I got here?" A man yelled from the audience causing the soldiers to laugh, "Bring back the girls!"

"I think they only know the one song. But um…let me…I'll…I'll see what I can do" Steve told them.

Ellie bit her lip as Steve's face started to look panicked. As soon as she had come out of her medical induced coma, she had read the letters he had sent her. He had included a few pictures of him dressed up as well as some drawings he had made. At first the letters had been positive, he had been happy to do whatever he could to help his country. As the months went on, he realized he was a glorified show girl. He felt used and that there was so much more that he could do.

"You do that, sweetheart" One of the men in the crowd yelled.

Peggy groaned, "Bloody idiots"

"Nice boots, Tinker Bell!"

Peggy looked over at the USO girls, "Girls! Captain Rogers needs you back on stage!" Peggy yelled.

"Come on, guys. We're all on the same team here" Steve told them from the stage.

"Steve is going to be embarrassed, let's go get something to eat. I need to get off my feet" Ellie told her.

"Are you going to be alright for field work?" Peggy asked as they started walking towards the mess tent.

"Doctor told me I wasn't cleared yet but I can still do the psychological part of my job. A troop was just captured in Azzano, there are survivors so I am here to check their mental welfare" Ellie told her as her back went into a spasm, "I'm going to go find my tent. I need my medication. It needs to work a little before I see Steve. He can read my face a mile away and he will be able to tell something is wrong"

* * *

Peggy walked over to Steve as she saw him sketching in his book in the pouring rain, "Hello Steve"

Steve turned towards her, "Hi"

"Hi" Peggy said folding her jacket over her arm.

Steve frowned, "What are you doing here? Is Ellie here?"

"It was… a long trip and she is resting in her quarters" Peggy told him, "But officially I am not here at all. That was quite a performance"

"Yeah. Uh… I had to improvise a little bit. Crowds I am used to are usually more… swell" Steve told her.

"I understand you are "America's New Hope" Peggy told him.

"Bond sales take a ten percent bump in every state I visit" Steve told her.

"That is a Senator Brand t I hear?" Peggy asked.

"At least he's got me doin' this. Phillips would have had me stuck in a lab" Steve told her dejectedly.

"And these are your only two options? A lab rat or a dancing monkey?" She asked glancing at his drawing, "You were meant for more than this, you know?" Peggy told him.

Steve went to say something then stopped.

"What?" Peggy asked.

"You know for the longest time I dreamed about coming overseas and being on the front lines. Serving my country. I finally get everything I wanted, and I'm wearing tights" Steve sighed.

There was a honk in the distance and another ambulance arrived.

"They look like they've been through hell" Steve commented as a soldier was unloaded.

"These men more than most. Schmidt sent out a force to Azzano. Two hundred men went up against him and less than fifty returned. Your audience contained what was left of the one-oh-seventh. The rest were killed or captured" Peggy told him.

Steve's eyes got large, "The one-oh-seventh? Does Ellie know?"

"What?" Peggy asked confused.

"Come on!" Steve said as he ran to the Colonel's tent, "Colonel Phillips"

"Well, if it isn't the Star-Spangled Man With A Plan. And what is your plan today?" Phillips asked.

"I need the casualty list from Azzano" Steve ordered with an air of attention.

Phillips looked at him, "You don't get to give me orders, son"

"I just need one name. Sergeant James Barnes from the hundred and seventh" Steve told him.

Peggy gasped and the colonel looked at her, "You and I are gonna have a conversation later that you won't enjoy" He told her.

"Please tell me if he's alive, sir. B-A-R…"

"I can spell. I have signed more of these condolence letters today than I would care to count. But the name does sound familiar. I'm sorry" Colonel Phillips said as he put it together, "He was your brother in law?"

Steve ignored him, "What about the others? Are you planning a rescue mission?"

"Yeah! It's called winning the war" Phillips told him.

"But if you know where they are, why not at least…?" Steve asked as Colonel Phillips cut him off.

"They're thirty miles behind the lines. Through the most heavily fortified territory in Europe. We'd lose more men than we'd save. But I don't expect you to understand that, because you're a chorus girl" Colonel Phillips told him, "I am sorry for your loss. If you don't want to tell her, I will"

"I think I understand just fine" Steve told him.

"Well then understand it somewhere else. If I read the posters correctly, you got some place to be in thirty minutes" Phillip said walking away and dismissing them.

"Yes, sir. I do" Steve said marching to his tent.

"If you have something to say, right now is the perfect time to keep it to yourself" Colonel Phillips told Peggy as she stared at the map that Steve had just been looking at it.

Peggy walked back to Steve's tent.

"What do you plan to do? Walk to Austria?" Peggy asked as he changed and packed a bag.

"If that's what it takes" Steve told her, "I have to do this for her"

"You heard the Colonel, your friend is most likely dead" Peggy told him.

"You don't know that" Steve told her.

"Even so, he's devising a strategy. If he detects…" Peggy told him.

"By the time he's done that, it could be too late!" Steve said as he grabbed his bag and walked out to a Jeep, "You told me you thought I was meant for more than this. Did you mean that?"

"Every word" Peggy told him.

"Then you gotta let me go" Steve said climbing into the Jeep.

"I can do more than that" Peggy said, "But we can't tell Elizabeth"

"Yeah she is too emotionally attached to this. I don't want her hurt" Steve said.

"No, Steve… she was hurt…badly and isn't herself yet. She hid it from you so that you wouldn't worry" Peggy told him

* * *

Ellie woke up from her nap and stretched, groaning at the tightness in her back. She forced herself up into sitting position as the flap of her tent ripped open causing her to scream in surprise.

"Barnes, where is Rogers?" Colonel Phillips asked as he entered her tent.

"Rogers? Steve?" Ellie asked confused.

"He missed his performance and he was… I don't know how to tell you this but the 107th was ambushed. Only 50 returned, they were injured. The rest are either dead or captured" Colonel Phillips told her.

"Where?" Ellie asked as she felt her stomach drop.

"Azzano, its 30 miles behind enemy lines. We are planning a rescue mission but it is going to take some time" Colonel Phillips told her.

Ellie put her hands over her face, "Did you tell that to Steve?"

"Yes, he and Carter came…what?" The Colonel asked as she groaned then stood up.

"Because I know my brother, he is going to defy orders and go save my husband!" Ellie said trying not to cry in front of her superior, "And knowing Peggy, she went with him"

"Carter is currently missing too… that would explain it" Colonel Phillips told her.

"Damnit Steve, you are going to get yourself killed. Have the wounded said anything?" Ellie said following him out of her tent.

"They were captured are currently in a factory and they are being put to work for Hydra" Colonel explained, "The 50 who returned, were found by the French about 10 miles out. They were brought to their base camp and treated, the French contacted us"

"Could… could he be with them?" Ellie asked biting her lip, "Bucky… James, I mean"

Colonel Phillips sighed, "After Captain Rogers asked me about him, I looked up the casualty list that we received from France. There are two unknowns that were badly injured and still unconscious but James Barnes wasn't on that list"

"Please…please let me know any news that you hear" Ellie told him, "Sir I'd appreciate it"

Colonel Phillips nodded as an officer ran over to them.

"Sir, a plane was spotted heading into enemy territory. It was one of Starks"

"Now they got Howard into it" Ellie groaned.

Ellie followed Colonel Phillips as fast as she could from his tent as they listen to radio communications.

"Sir the Stark plane started taking fire and it has turned around" The radio transcriber told them.

"Maybe Stark realized what he was getting into" The Colonel said shaking his head, "Give me a report of anything else you hear"

"Yes sir"

Ellie attempted to straighten her back out.

"Barnes, go back to your tent. We will let you know if anything goes on" Colonel Phillips told her, "It's obvious that you are still injured. Do I need to write an honorable discharge?"

Ellie looked at him and grinned, "I am fine sir but… not in the military… no need to be discharged. Just recovering still sir"

"Go rest" Phillips said as his shell cracked a little to show his human side as he gave her a sad smile.

"Yes sir" Ellie said as she walked back to her tent and closed the flap, finally allowing herself to break down.

* * *

By the next morning, Peggy had returned and they had sent two reconnaissance planes in to see if they could see any sign of Steve or other soldiers.

Ellie could barely hold it together as they announced it wasn't successful.

After pulling herself together the best she could, Ellie walked to the communications tent to hear Colonel Phillips dictating, "Senator Brandt, I regret to report that Captain Steven G. Rogers went missing behind enemy lines as the third aerial reconnaissance has proven unfruitful. As a result, I must declare Captain Rogers killed in action. Period."

"The last surveillance flight is back. No sign of activity" She heard Peggy's voice reply.

Ellie wiped the silent tears away as she tried not to sob.

"Go get a cup of coffee, Corporal."

"Yes sir" The other man said as he came out of the tent in front of her, stopped saluted her then continued.

"I can't touch Stark. He's rich and he's the Army's number one weapons contractor. You are neither one." Colonel Phillips told Peggy.

"With respect, sir, I don't regret my actions. And I don't think Captain Rogers did either" Peggy told him.

"What makes you think I give a damn about your opinions? I took a chance with you, Agent Carter. And now America's golden boy and a lot of other good men are dead, cause you had a crush." Colonel Phillips scolded.

Ellie heard noise and yelling in the distance. She dried her tears then walked around the edge of the tent to look out at the edge of the camp road.

Suddenly heads then bodies came over the hill. At the front leading them was her brother, in a helmet and ripped leather jacket. Standing tall with a rifle in his hand, on Steve's left was her husband.

Ellie felt her knees give out as the nerves and anxiety finally crashed over her.

Steve led the men up to Colonel Phillips and saluted him, "Some of these men need medical attention."

A medic started leading some of the wounded to a tent.

Ellie wanted to get up, but her legs were suddenly numb.

"I'd like to surrender myself for disciplinary action." Steve told Phillips.

"That won't be necessary" Phillips told him.

"Yes, sir" Steve said.

"Faith, huh?" Phillips said to Peggy as he walked away.

Phillips spotted Ellie, who was struggling to breathe on the ground, "Agent Barnes are you okay?"

"I'm-"

"Hey! Let's hear it for Captain America!" She heard her husband shout.

Colonel Phillips helped her up, "Let's go see your man"

The soldiers parted and Steve spotted her first. He elbowed Bucky then pointed over towards her.

Bucky looked at her and smiled, "Hey babe"

The tears came flowing again as she hugged him as gently as she could in case he was injured and instead he hugged her as hard as he could causing her to hiss.

"What's wrong?" Bucky asked concerned.

"Don't you worry…I'm fine. Let's go get you looked at" Ellie told him leaning more on him than he was on her.

Bucky leaned down and kissed her, "Are you real?"

Ellie frowned then touched his face, "I'm as real as it gets"

Bucky hugged her gently this time and buried his face in her neck, "God I love you"

"Not as much as I love you" Ellie told him as she took his hand, "I'll show you where to go"

Bucky squeezed her hand and let her lead him to the med tent where a nurse came over to them.

"Ellie, experiencing more pain?"

"Jennifer, I'd like you to meet my husband… James, he was one of the POWs" Ellie told her, "I want you to give him the full workup"

"Yes ma'am, come over here James"

Bucky reluctantly let go of Ellie's hand and Ellie followed them to one of the more private beds. Ironically the one that had held her own body after her scuff up with Hydra.

"There is a chair over there if you want one" Jennifer told her pointing in the direction.

"I'm fine but thank you" Ellie told her as she started to examine Bucky.

After 20 minutes, Bucky could tell Ellie was in pain, "Baby come here"

Ellie looked at him with glassy eyes, "What?"

"Come here" He said as he moved so she could sit next to him.

Ellie gently sat next to him, "How's he looking Jen?"

"Abrasions, broken ribs but they appear to be healing well, concussion… I'm going to draw some blood for a full workup. Were you one of the soldiers in isolation?" Jen asked.

Ellie looked at him as he cleared his throat and nodded.

Jen patted his arm and walked away.

"So… it's obvious you're in pain, what happened?" Bucky asked as he put his arm around her.

Ellie sighed, "Well obviously now you can tell I don't just work in DC"

"Obviously" Bucky said with a frown.

"I work for something called the SSR, the Strategic Scientific Reserve. We are the first line of defense to Hydra" Ellie told him, "Long story short, I went in on a reconnaissance mission with Peggy and…got on the wrong end of one of Hydra's weapons. Guy was a coward and shot me in the back. Thankfully Peggy was close enough to see the weapon light up blue before he shot and it only grazed my left side and back but it was enough that it damaged the muscles on that side of my back pretty good. My left kidney isn't fully operational now but my right kidney is fine so not worries. But until the muscles fully recover and strengthen… I'll be in some pain. But Buck… that's nothing compared to what you went through"

Bucky shrugged as if he didn't want to talk about it as Jennifer came back to draw his blood work.

"Right now there are no tents for the soldiers, we are getting more-"

"He will be with me" Ellie told her, "Are you done?"

Jennifer nodded, "Just have him check in with the Colonel"

"Yes ma'am, thank you" Bucky told her.

"Nice to meet you James" Jennifer told him.

"Let's see if we can find Steve at his tent" Ellie said as they walked out of the tent.

"I can't believe you let him go through with…that" Bucky said holding her hand tight in his, "When he pulled me off the table, I recognized the voice but-"

"The face and the voice didn't meet the body… and no, he did it all on his own. They didn't tell me he was the subject. I think the Colonel knew he was connected to me so they sent me to the Wisconsin base instead of Camp Leigh where Steve was. I knew whoever went through it, could die… you think I'd let him do that?" Ellie asked looking at him.

"No" Bucky shook his head.

"Exactly, the little asshole… did it on his own. I was there and realized it was him AFTER he got the serum injections and went into this… coffin that looked like this huge oven. Scared the crap out of me. I thought I was watching him die" Ellie told him, "Then Peggy and I ran down there after it was over and out steps this… him now…first thing he did with that new body?"

"What?" Bucky asked.

"Saved me" Ellie told him with a laugh, "Someone blew up the lab and he jumped on top of me, nearly crushing me mind you… then ran off. I mean god Buck, he's fast now. Doesn't tire out. Eats twice as much as me. Peggy said it's because his metabolism is like three times ours. It's just weird"

"How long has he been like that?" Bucky asked.

"June… the punk got one of our SSR doctors to enlist him for the project that night of the World Expo" Ellie said shaking her head.

"Are you kidding me?" Bucky said, "I… I can't"

Ellie opened the flap to Steve's tent, "Stevie! Did you miss me!?"

Steve groaned from his spot on his bed.

"Damn, they basically gave you a real room" Ellie said looking around.

"Perks of being Captain America" He said with a grin.

"Hasn't gone to your head much has it Steve?" Bucky asked.

"Shut it Barnes" Steve said with a grin as he rubbed his eyes, "How are you feeling?"

"Alive… and safe for the first time since September" Bucky told him as he helped Ellie sit down on Steve's bed.

"You didn't want to talk about it coming back. What happened?" Steve asked.

"We were ambushed at the beginning of September. They took us to this factory and forced us to help them with their weapons. A lot of men died, trying to fight back. I was trying to organize… revolutions I guess you'd call them… so they…took a lot out on me" Bucky told them as he sat down next to Ellie as she squeezed his hand, "Eventually I got sick… I lost track of how long it was into everything but Morita said I had pneumonia and it was either push through it or die. So the last clear thing I remember was working on this one weapon and… I must have passed out, probably from the fever"

Ellie laid her head on his shoulder and sniffed.

"When I woke up, I was strapped to a table and they were injecting things into me. It was like fire going into my veins… and I passed out again. I do remember seeing a paper saying that it was October 5th before I passed out" Bucky told them, "After that it's hazy… I wasn't sure what was real or was in my head. It literally was like they pulled me out of my body and stuff me back in wrong then pulled me out again. I have this constant headache. All I remember is the injections, the beatings and something with electric. I think I was zapped a couple times"

Steve bit his lip, "I was talking to Phillips… from what he has heard, you were one of seven taken into isolation… you were the only one to come out"

Bucky put his head in his hands, "I just wanted to get home. Whenever I was conscious I'd be literally screaming "Let me go home!"… that's all I really remember"

"I talked to Phillips and he said that you have a choice. You can be discharged, honorably, or you can have two weeks R&R or longer if you feel that you need it" Steve told him.

Bucky frowned, "I want to stay with my men. If they don't get discharged I don't want to be"

Steve looked at Ellie, "He told me to tell you that if he chose London, you can go to London with him. Many of the soldiers are heading to London for hospitals and rest. He said that you probably need more rest anyways… Peggy said that you were injured before I left. What happened?"

"Peggy and I went in to what we thought was just some small outer cell of Hydra's. We went in just as a strictly reconnaissance mission, it was just the two of us. Howard flew us in and dropped us about a mile out. The scouts told us that it was abandoned so the SSR sent us in. What they didn't realized that there was a hidden basement" Ellie told Steve, "We got ambushed and the Hydra thug… he shot me with some new weapon of theirs. If it wasn't for Peggy's quick thinking as she saw it light up in blue…she kicked him and his aim hit my left side and part of my back. My kidney was damaged, my muscles and basically shattered my lower ribs on that side"

Ellie stood up and pulled her top out of her skirt, pulling it up to show the scars that now littered her body.

"Oh god" Bucky said as his fingers ran over her skin.

"I'm okay Buck" Ellie told him looking back at him over her shoulder.

"No El, what you don't realize… that weapon that you were hit by… it's not a normal weapon" Steve said glancing at Bucky.

"Ellie baby… if that weapon hits you on point… you disappear. It literally vaporizes people. No trace left" Bucky told her as she stared at him in shock, "Every man I saw hit with it, was gone before they could have their last word"

"Maybe it was a different weapon?" Ellie asked.

"No, I think God was on your side sis" Steve told her.

Bucky leaned his head forward and rested it on her side, "Does it hurt?"

"No, in fact the nerves are dead. I feel nothing from here to here" Ellie told him pointing to the area, "My muscles are trying to recover but they are struggling with it so it hurts when I move certain ways and I occasionally will have deep kidney pain but they have me on pain medication for it"

"I never thought you would be in this too" Bucky told her sadly.

Ellie sat down next to him and pulled his forehead to hers, "You think I'd let you and Steve have all the fun without me? We are the Three Musketeers. Remember?"

Bucky kissed her then sighed as he looked at Steve, "When can we go to London?"

"In the morning" Steve told him, "How about you guys take my tent and I'll take yours Ellie. You guys should have the real bed"

Ellie smirked, "So Stevie… how do they carry this around from show to show? You have to carry this mattress on your back?"

Steve just rolled his eyes as he grabbed his bag, "Goodnight" Steve said as he kissed her forehead, "Love you kiddo. Glad to have you back man."

Ellie looked over at Bucky as the tent closed, "You need sleep"

Bucky gave her a small smile, "Yeah… good luck with that"

Ellie got up and tied the flap on the tent shut, then stood up unbuttoning her blouse.

"Let me" Bucky said as he walked over and worked the buttons slowly down to reveal a white tank top underneath.

Ellie moaned as he leaned in and kissed her neck then breathed in.

"God I missed you" Bucky told her inhaling her scent.

Ellie let her blouse fall to the ground then let him run his hands down her back to the skirt to slide the zipper down so that her skirt met her blouse on the floor.

"Damn" Bucky said as he saw her in just the tank top, panties and garter that was holding up her hose.

"Like what you see Mr. Barnes?" Ellie asked with a grin.

"Very much, and I'd love to… re-explore" Bucky said he pulled her to him, "But… you need to get to bed"

"Me? You do more than me" Ellie told him as she pulled the shirt over his head, "it's going to be cold tonight… I wouldn't mind keeping warm by body heat"

Bucky pulled up the covers and Ellie laid down. Bucky quickly climbed in with her and pulled her to him.

Ellie ran her fingers over his own scars and kissed each individual one then looked up at him, "Get some sleep"

But that night, neither of them got much sleep. Their sleep was ruled by nightmares and pain instead. Bucky ended up getting up in the middle of the night and walking to Ellie's tent to tell Steve, the whole truth about everything. Even the details that he did not want to burden Ellie with.


	9. Chapter 9 - That's the way it is

**a/n: Again I own nothing Marvel related. Only Ellie.**

 **a/n2: Thank you for the favorite Moonlight1620 and for the follow Little Magpie and Laura Mayron Shannone. Also warning, a rating change :)  
**

* * *

 **When you want it the most  
There's no easy way out  
When you're ready to go  
And your heart's left in doubt  
Don't give up on your faith  
Love comes to those who believe it  
And that's the way it is**

 _~ That's the way it is by Celine Deon_

* * *

 ***~*~* November 1943 *~*~***

One week after Bucky had returned, Bucky, Ellie and all the soldiers that Bucky was close to were sitting around in an English bar enjoying spirits and the freedom that they now had.

Bucky reached over and grabbed Ellie's hand, running his thumb over the back of it as one of the men made an offensive joke and she rolled her eyes.

Bucky grinned as he took another sip of his whiskey as he listened to his men talk.

Ellie shook her head, "That's an interesting group over there" She said as she tilted her head back to the group behind them sitting at tables, from her spot on a bar stool next to him.

"They sure are" Bucky told her as he leaned over and kissed her.

One of the soldiers whistled at them and Bucky made a gesture at him that made Ellie swat at him. Bucky just laughed as Steve walked past them nursing his own drink.

Steve walked over to the table of Bucky's best men. Private Timothy Dugan aka Du m Dum looked at Steve as he sat down at their table, "Wow the national symbol, Captain America wants to talk to us simpletons"

Steve shook his head, "Not like that sir"

Dum Dum held out his hand, "Private Timothy Dugan but you can call me Dum Dum. I was our troops transport specialist"

"Cause he is pretty Dum Dum. Private Gabriel Jones sir, I'm the communications specialist of our group" Jones introduced.

"Lieutenant James Falsworth, I am the tactics man. You can call me Monty" The British man to his left told him.

"Corporal James Morita, Medic. I go by Jim"

Steve shook his hand and then looked at the remaining soldier.

"Jacques Dernier, I's…. make things… go boom" Dernier said.

"He's a demolitions man" Jones explained.

Steve nodded, "I have something to ask you. I am looking to put together a team to go out and defeat Hydra. My greatest friend is Sergeant Barnes and he recommended you all"

"So, let's get this straight" Dugan said setting down his beer.

"We barely got out of there alive, and you want us to go back?" Jones asked.

Steve nodded, "Pretty much"

"Sounds rather fun, actually" Falsworth told him.

Jim belched, "I'm in."

Jones started talking to Dernier in French, and then Dernier laughed and shook his hand, "We're in"

"Hell, I'll always fight. But you got to do one thing for me" Dugan told him raising his glass.

"What's that?" Steve asked.

Ellie grinned into her drink as she guessed what he was about it say, as he gulped down his mug of beer.

"Open a tab" Dugan suggested slamming the mug to the table.

Steve chuckled as he got up.

"Well, that was easy" Jim said with a laugh.

Steve walked over to the bar, "Another round"

"Where are they putting all this stuff?" The bar tender asked surprised.

After delivering their drinks to them, Steve walked over to the bar counter where Bucky and Ellie were sitting.

"See I told you, there are all idiots" Bucky told him taking a drink of his whiskey as the guys sang in the background as the alcohol set in.

"How about you? You ready to follow Captain America into the jaws of death?" Steve asked him glancing at Ellie.

Bucky laughed, "Hell, no. That little guy from Brooklyn who was too dumb not to run away from a fight. I'm following him. But you're keeping the outfit, right?"

Ellie laughed.

"You know what? It's kind of growing on me" Steve told him glancing at the poster behind them that notified people the tour was canceled.

All the guys stopped singing and Steve and Bucky leaned back looking at the door as Peggy walked in the bar wearing a red dress.

She stopped in front of them, "Captain"

Steve stood up, "Agent Carter"

Ellie shook her head as Bucky Barnes turned on the good old Barnes charms, "Ma'am"

Ellie tried not to snort as Peggy didn't even look at Bucky, but eyed Steve, "Howard has some equipment for you to try. Tomorrow morning?"

"Sounds good" said Steve.

Peggy looked around, "I see your top squad is prepping for duty."

Bucky frowned, "You don't like music?"

Peggy never took her eyes off Steve as she said, "I do, actually. I might even, when this is all over, go dancing."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Bucky asked.

"The right partner. 0800, Captain" Peggy told him as she walked off.

"Yes, ma'am. I'll be there" Steve said.

Ellie laughed at the look on Bucky's face, "I'm invisible! I'm … I'm turning into you. It's like some horrible dream"

Steve patted his back, "Don't take it so hard. Maybe she's got a friend"

Ellie looked at him, "Really Steve?"

"Ummm aren't you her friend?" Steve asked with a grin.

"Not the point!" Ellie huffed as she walked away causing both of her boys to laugh.

* * *

The very next day found Ellie sitting in her office at SSR headquarters and she heard Howard and Steve.

"Fondue is just cheese and bread, my friend" Howard told Steve.

"Really? I didn't think…" Steve trailed off.

"Nor should you, pal. The moment you think you know what's goin' on in a woman's head, it's the moment your goose is well and truly cooked. Me, I concentrate on work. Which at the moment is about making sure you and your men do not get killed. Carbon polymer." He said, "Should withstand your average German bayonet. Although Hydra's not going to attack you with a pocket knife. I hear you're uh… kinda attached?"

Ellie moved her chair back and looked out into the room.

"It's handier than you might think" Steve said about his shield.

"I took the liberty of coming up with some options." Howard said showing Steve multiple prototypes, "This one's fun. She's been fitted with electrical relays. It'll allow you to…"

Steve bent down and picked up a shiny round shield, "What about this one?"

"No! No! That's just a prototype" Howard said trying to take it.

Ellie snorted, "Good luck trying to get it back now Stark" Ellie mumbled as she remembered how Steve always had been determined to keep things he liked.

"What's it made of?" Steve said running his hand over it.

"Vibranium. It's stronger than steel and a third of the weight. It's completely vibration absorbent" Howard told him.

Ellie listened closer, she had never even heard of the metal before.

"How come it's not a standard issue?" Steve asked.

"That's the rarest metal on earth. What you're holding there? That's all we've got" Howard told him.

Steve ran his hands over it and Peggy walked up to the men, "You quite finished, Mr. Stark? I'm sure the Captain has some unfinished business"

Steve looked at her with a grin and held up the shield, "What do you think?"

Ellie gasped as Peggy picked up a gun off the table and shot at the shield, "Yes. I think it works"

Peggy put the gun down and marched out of the lab.

Ellie shot up from her seat as Steve said, "I had some ideas about the uniform" He said as he held out a paper that probably held the drawing he had made of his uniform last night.

Howard took it, "Whatever you want, pal."

Ellie ran out of the room and after Peggy, "Peggy! Wait up!"

Peggy sighed and stopped, looking back at her, "Elizabeth I am not in the mood currently"

"Well that's obvious, without that new shield Steve would be up in the med wing. What is wrong?" Ellie asked.

"Men" She said frustrated as she growled and marched off.

Ellie rolled her eyes and Steve walked up next to her, "What's wrong with Peggy?" He asked.

"Not a clue. Hate to say it but despite being a woman myself, I am shit at understanding my fellow gender thanks to you two" Ellie told him shaking her head and walking away back to her office.

"That wasn't our fault!" Steve defended.

Ellie poked her head back out, "Yes it was"

Howard walked over to him, "Has she ever lost an argument?"

Steve looked at him, "You think she'd let us win?"

Howard just laughed.

* * *

Ellie unlocked the hotel room that the SSR had reserved for their two week R&R and walked in quietly when she noticed the lights were all off and it was quiet.

She quietly shut the door behind her and slipped her shoes off.

"You are late"

Ellie jumped, "Shoot Buck, I thought you were asleep. Sorry three more soldiers came in tonight"

The lamp beside the bed came on and Bucky looked at her from the bed and her mouth went dry as she saw his naked chest.

"Aren't you cold? I'm freezing" Ellie said as she pulled her shirt out of her skirt, "It's snowing. What time is it? These short sun hours are messing with my head"

Bucky grinned from the bed and threw the covers off himself to reveal that he was totally naked, "I can warm you up"

Ellie grinned as she started unbuttoning her blouse.

"No, let me" Bucky said as he stood up and walked over to her unbuttoning her blouse, slowly button by button. He pushed it off her shoulders, kissing as the fabric slid down her shoulders.

Ellie moaned as he pulled her mouth up to his, "Buck, it's been too long"

"Can…hmmm can you… make love?" Bucky asked concerned as he ran his hands over her back.

Ellie rolled her eyes, "I'm not a china doll and I think it's adorable that after all this time you still call it making love"

Bucky kissed her hard, "Because I love you… and that's all I ever want to do with you"

Ellie let him unzip her skirt and slip it from her body, then pull her tank top from her body. Leaving her only in her tank top and panties.

"So beautiful" Bucky said as he picked her up and laid her on the bed, "I have an idea"

Ellie moaned as he palmed her breast after removing her restricting bra, "What is that?"

Bucky looked into her eyes, "Let's have a baby"

Ellie sat up on her elbows, "What?"

"Let's start trying" Bucky told her.

"Bucky, you are going to be out doing… lord knows what missions searching for Hydra… I'm going to be doing undercover work" Ellie told him.

"I know, but if it happens… you can stop the field work" Bucky told her.

"Seriously?" Ellie said shaking her head as she pushed him off her.

"What?" Bucky asked.

"Where the hell did this come from? We decided that we were going to wait until after the war" Ellie told him sitting up so her legs were dangling off the edge of the bed.

"Well when I was lying on that table… constantly being pulled back from death… it changes your perspective" Bucky told her looking at his hands.

Ellie sighed as she crawled over to his side of the bed, "Bucky" Ellie said as she sat next to him.

Bucky looked at her with tear filled eyes for the first time since he got back, "El… I was dead. Three times. Then they pulled me back using some drug each time"

Ellie gasped covering her mouth, "God Bucky"

"Each time all I could think about was you. What if…what would I leave you with?" Bucky asked, "Debt? No real home?"

Ellie swallowed hard, "Are you sure?"

Bucky nodded, "I don't want you to resent me if you have to quit field work"

Ellie smiled at him, "Never, I want to be the mother of your babies James Barnes. Just didn't think it was this soon"

"El, we never know what tomorrow is going to bring. I haven't been very… spiritual in a long time but there was some reason that I came back each time. One of the times… I was so out of it or something; it was almost like a dream world. I… I saw your Ma" Bucky told her.

Ellie grabbed his hand, "Really?"

"She was wearing that pink flowered dress that she always loved to wear. I was sitting on the steps of your old apartment and she walked out, beautiful as she ever was" Bucky told her with a smile, "She looked at me and sat down beside me then went 'James Barnes, you aren't supposed to be here yet'. I don't recall what I told her but it was some smartass comment about being on the wrong end of the war. Made her laugh but she placed her hand on my arm then told me that I was meant for a long life. A tough life but a happy life in the end. That she would watch over us until it was time but El, in her arms was a baby"

Ellie squeezed his hand tighter.

"She told me it wasn't his time yet but when he was born, he was going to move mountains and would be perfect in every way" Bucky told her, "He was beautiful… I want that… I want him. I just, I'm not sure if I am going to make it home El… and I don't want to leave you. I just… if I knew you'd always have a piece of me-"

"We can try" Ellie told him as she pulled him down into a kiss and laid back on the bed, "But I'm… I'm not sure if my body is recovered enough… Buck… one of my ovaries was damaged" She told him ashamed, "I… was afraid to tell you"

Bucky kissed her tears away, "Don't ever be scared to tell me anything. Well… if it happens it happens. It was all a hallucination anyways"

Ellie put her arms around his neck, "I want it though"

Bucky kissed her softly, "Then let's go for it"

Bucky leaned in to kiss her collarbone, "I want to do this"

She groaned, "Yes."

He rolled them over until he was on top of her. Then pulled down her panties. He spread her legs and saw she was already wet, "You're beautiful."

His tongue flicked out against her folds. She groaned and rolled her hips into him. He took her clit into his mouth and sucked it like it was the sweetest piece of candy he had ever tasted. All the while, his fingers dipped down lower. He slid two fingers into her, pumping in and out, curling them. Ellie cried out as he touched the spot deep inside of her.

He picked up the pace of his fingers, wanting nothing more than to watch her fall apart. She once accused him of enjoying getting her off more than actually experiencing an orgasm for himself. Maybe it was true. There was nothing like watching her fall apart underneath him. Watching her mouth fall open and her eyes roll back in complete ecstasy as she reached her breaking point. The way his name fell from her lips and moans that came with it. Yes, he loved getting his wife off.

Her thighs began to shake on either side of his head; her back arched as she cried out his name. Slowly, he pulled away from her and she whined at the loss of contact.

"Fuck," she whispered, "Don't stop"

"Such language from a pretty-" Bucky said as Ellie pushed herself up and grabbed onto the back of his neck. She brought him to her lips, kissing him roughly

She ran her fingers through his hair, gripping it tightly as they kissed.

Bucky pulled her by her thighs so that their hips aligned, "Ready?" Bucky asked.

Ellie nodded, closing her eyes as Bucky filled her.

"Oh my _God_ ," Ellie moaned, "Move!"

Bucky gazed down at her, eyes closed in bliss as he moved in and out of her. Her tight, heat around him was almost overwhelming as his heart raced in his chest. The sounds she made as her hands gripped his shoulders, her nails cutting into his flesh. Bucky did everything he could to memorize this moment. From the flush on her cheeks to the freckles that he had missed throughout the years.

He felt himself getting closer, "El… I…"

"Finish when you need to," Ellie told him, her voice tight with her approaching climax, "I'm losing…"

Bucky closed his eyes as he felt Ellie squeezing him as she moaned into his neck as he fell apart, falling on top of her.

Ellie giggled.

"Are you seriously giggling right now?" Bucky asked.

"That was fun" Ellie said pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes, "Keep growing your hair out if you can… I love it a little long like this"

Bucky kissed her forehead, "Whatever you want angel"

Ellie ran her fingers through his hair, "You haven't called me that in years"

Bucky nuzzled into her neck, "Never felt more right, you are my angel Ellie Barnes"


	10. Chapter 10 - Life Changes

a/n: Thank you for favoriting: x3sunnydaay, tiacardi, Alayna Lily as well as the follow: Kitty Mischief! Please review if you read this. Even if it's a little "MORE SOON"! I struggled writing this chapter.

A/N2: Again I own nothing Marvel related. Only Ellie.

* * *

Ain't it funny how life changes  
You wake up, ain't nothing the same and life changes  
You can't stop it, just hop on the train and  
You never know what's gonna happen  
You make your plans and you hear god laughing  
Life changes, and I wouldn't change it for the world, the world, oh no  
And I wouldn't change it for the world, the world, oh no

 **~ Life Changes by Thomas Rhett**

* * *

 ***~*~* April 30** **th** **, 1945 *~*~***

Over the last year and a half, Steve, Bucky and their team called the Howling Commandoes stormed Hydra base after Hydra base, slowly debilitating the organization. Their team worked perfectly together. Steve and his new Vibranium shield that acted as a boomerang at times. Bucky as the sniper. Dernier as the demolition expert, and Jim Morita to mop them up whenever they got into a scuffle. Steve was the lead commander and strategist with Monty's assistance. Jones monitored airways to try to get a heads up about Hydra's happenings. Dum Dum organized their transportation and extractions.

Peggy and Ellie worked mostly behind the scenes now that the Howling Commandoes were on point in the fight. They gathered the Intel and gave it to Steve so that he could make the decisions for the team.

"Steve, radio chatter states that Dr. Zola is heading to Berlin tomorrow" Peggy told him bringing the notes to him that Jones had made.

Steve poured over the information and took it over to the map, "Dugan what do you think?"

Dum Dum looked at the route the train will take, "We will have Howard drop us off here. We will walk up the mountain. This pass would probably be the best spot. We zip line in onto the train, but it will be fast, not a big window"

Monty looked over their crew, "How many do you think we can get down?"

"Three tops" Dum Dum told him.

"Steve, Bucky and Falsworth" Monty said, "Steve and Bucky take over the train. Falsworth will figure out the radio and radio us for extraction"

"10-4" Falsworth said.

Monty frowned looking around, "Where is Barnes?"

* * *

Ellie moaned as Bucky stood behind her kissing her neck as she poured over the map in front of her, "Bucky… stopppp"

"I just love you so much" Bucky told her his arms around her from behind.

Ellie faced him, "Stop being so demanding"

"Can't help it, you look so sexy" Bucky told her pulling her to him.

"Buck, someone could walk in any second" Ellie moaned as he nipped her neck and ran his hands down her sides.

"Ellie" Bucky groaned as he kissed her hard again, lifting her up onto the table to be closer to his height.

"Ellie do you…. Ah!" Steve yelled as he saw them quickly turning around.

"Sorry Steve" Ellie said as she jumped down and licked her lips.

"Not sorry, not sorry at all" Bucky said with a grin through the lipstick that now stained his lips.

Steve sighed rolling his eyes, "We have Intel. Zola is on the move tomorrow"

"Thanks for bursting the bubble Punk" Bucky said pouting as he gave her a quick kiss then turned to follow Steve.

Ellie grinned, "You can make it up to me tonight!" She yelled after them.

"God Ellie, don't traumatize me" Steve said pushing a laughing Bucky out of her tent.

As soon as they were clear of the tent, Ellie sat down fighting back the tiredness and nausea that seemed to always be around her lately and sat on her bed, closing her eyes.

* * *

 ***~*~* May 1, 1945 ~ Germany *~*~***

"Did it have to be so damn cold today?" Bucky asked shivering.

"It's the coldest day on record for this time of year according to the paper this morning" Jones told them.

Bucky stood out watching the tracks and looking over the mountains, "Remember when I made you ride the Cyclone at Coney Island?"

"Yeah, and I threw up?" Steve asked.

"This isn't payback is it?" Bucky asked.

"Now why would I do that?" Steve asked with a grin as he looked up at the zip line.

"We were right. Dr. Zola's on the train" Jones told them listening to the radio, "Hydra dispatcher gave him permission to open up the throttle."

Bucky and Steve walked closer to them.

"Wherever he's going, they must need him bad"

Steve glanced at Bucky then put his helmet on. All the men scrambled into position as the train came into view through Falsworth's binoculars.

"Let's get going, because they're moving like the devil" Falsworth told them.

Steve attached the handlebar to the zip line, "We only got about a 10-second window. You miss that window; we're bugs on a windshield."

"Mind the gap" Falsworth told Bucky and Jones.

"Better get moving, bugs!" Dugan told them.

"Maintenant!" Dernier yelled.

Steve launched first then Bucky and Jones followed.

They landed on the top of the train then walked to the middle, finding the ladder then Bucky and Steve climbed down.

Steve opened the door and then climbed into, what seemed to be an ammunitions room. Steve held his shield in front of him with his Glock in his right hand as he walked to the next car. As soon as he made it into the next car, the door shut between him and Bucky.

He glanced through the door desperately and saw Bucky against the door of the other car. Bucky turned around and started firing at an unseen person.

Steve heard a weapon firing up behind him and turned around, shooting at the person holding Hydra's newest weapon then he moved to hide behind some boxes. He could hear Bucky shooting in the next car.

Steve jumped up and grabbed the apparatus on the roof and flew through the car, kicking the Hydra guard over and hitting him with his shield. Steve picked up the Hydra weapon and hit the door with it so he could get out of this car.

Steve glanced through the window of the car which Bucky was in and saw him pinned down behind boxes marked 'Biologische Waffen'. Bucky's gun jammed and he backed himself against the wall, reading himself for death. Steve reloaded his weapon, hitting the button next to him, opening the door.

Bucky looked at him terrified. Steve motioned his weapon to him and threw it. Bucky caught it and Steve ran in, slamming his shield into one of the boxes causing it to fly through the car.

Bucky used the distraction to shoot the Hydra operative.

"I had him on the ropes" Bucky told Steve as they walked over to each other.

"I know you did" Steve said as he saw the operative that he had just battled with the new Hydra weapon coming through from the other car, "Get down!"

Steve threw himself in front of Bucky, shield first and took the brunt of the blue force that came out of the gun. It blew a large hole in the side of the train car.

The blast sent Steve into the other side of the train car's wall, leaving him dazed.

Bucky grabbed the shield and stood up, shooting at the operative.

The blue force hit the shield, throwing Bucky out of the hole in the side of the train.

Steve scrambled onto his feet and threw his shield at the operative, knocking him out again.

Steve pulled the mask off his face and looked out of the hole in the train, "Bucky!"

Bucky was hanging off the side of the train, holding only onto a metal handlebar. Steve climbed out onto the side of the train and attempted to reach him.

"Hang on! Grab my hand!" Steve yelled as Bucky tried to make it closer to him.

The side closest to Steve separated from the train.

"NO!" Steve yelled as he heard it starting to let go.

Bucky looked at him terrified, "Tell her I love her"

The bar separated from the train and Steve stared in shock as Bucky's screams rattled in his brain as he fell.

The train raced farther down the tracks and Steve in shock, stayed on the outside of the train as he lost sight of Bucky's body.

Steve rested his head on the side of the train and let tears fall from his eyes.

* * *

 ***~*~* May 1, 1945 ~ London*~*~***

Peggy was sitting in her office at SSR going over Intel when Howard came to the door, "Howard what's wrong?" She asked seeing his face.

"Did you hear?" Howard asked.

"Hear what?" Peggy asked standing up.

"They got Zola but… it came at a cost" Howard told her sadly, "They just called for an extraction and a… search and rescue team. Pegs, Barnes was blasted off the train"

Peggy gasped and closed her eyes, "Oh Ellie"

Howard nodded sadly, "Jones radioed, Steve doesn't want her to know. He wants to tell her"

"Who else knows?" Peggy asked following him out of her office.

"Just us, Phillips and the guy that took the call" Howard told her.

Peggy nodded as she glanced at Ellie's door.

* * *

 ***~*~* May 2, 1945 *~*~***

Steve walked into SSR and Peggy had to resist the urge to go and hug him. The poor man was a mess visibly. His hair was messy, eyes were red and swollen. He cleared his throat, "Where is she? Does she know?"

Peggy shook her head, "No, she's in her office"

Steve nodded as he marched out as Dugan and Jones came in with Zola between them.

"Where should he go Peg?" Dugan asked.

Peggy looked at them, marched over to him and spat in his face, "Hell for all I care, but Phillips wants him in the interrogation room"

Steve walked down the stairs and stared at Ellie's closed office door. He closed his eyes and took a large breath then went over and knocked on the door.

"It's open!"

Steve opened the door to see her talking with someone, "Um… I'm need to speak with you in private"

"Steve! I'm sorry Jared, we will have to continue this another day" Ellie said.

'Jared' saluted Steve then walked out.

Steve closed the door behind him.

"Can you believe it Steve? Hilter is dead! So did you get Zola?" Ellie asked as she walked back over to her desk.

"El" Steve said his voice breaking.

Ellie looked at him, "Steve what's wrong? Oh god, it's not Bucky is it? Is he hurt?"

Steve looked up at the ceiling then sat on the floor against the wall behind her desk, "I… we were under attack" Steve told her as she sat down, "He… they hit my shield with one of their weapons and it blasted a hole in the side of the train. Buck picked my shield up… took the hit full force and it threw him out the train."

Ellie felt her breath stop.

"He managed to catch himself on the handrail, but before I could get to him…god El, I'm so sorry" Steve cried.

Tears fell from Ellie's eyes as she got down on the floor with Steve and climbed into his lap as they held onto each other.

* * *

Later that night Steve sat next to Ellie in her London apartment. She hadn't said anything since he had told her. She just as if she were a marionette, let him walk her from her office to a car outside SSR and to her apartment. She had turned down food and water when he had asked her.

It was now nearly 8pm and Steve cleared his throat, "Do you want to head to bed?"

Ellie shook her head and glanced over at her bedroom door, "Not now… I think… I think I'll sleep out here"

Steve took her hand, "Ellie I am sorry"

Ellie sighed, "Steve…it's not your fault. It's damn Hydra" Ellie said squeezing his hand, "But… Bucky had a feeling something was going to happen. When he came back, he didn't think he was going to make it back home. I just didn't think it was going to be like this"

"How are we going to go on without Buck?" Steve asked, "He's been with us forever"

"We are going to pull up our bootstraps and keep going. He wouldn't want us to wallow. Plus we will always have a piece of Bucky with us" Ellie told him with a sad smile, "We were waiting… to tell you. I'm pregnant"

Steve stared at her, "What?"

Ellie laughed, "Yeah… we had a suspicion of it but… with my injuries we weren't sure it was even possible. But I was sick all the time in March and the beginning of last month. It's why I haven't been in the field. I asked to stay behind the desk when we started having the suspicions. Then came the exhaustion but… I can feel the baby now"

"Oh Ellie" Steve said as he hugged her.

Ellie rubbed Steve's back, "See… we may not have him. God has a bigger plan for him but we will have a part of him Steve."

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Steve's hand laid on her belly and he felt a slight swell.

"I think…I think I am going to go back home for a month or so" Ellie told him as she cleared her throat, "Just to spend time with Bucky's family. I don't… I don't want them to get a letter telling them"

Steve nodded, "Winnie would like that"

Ellie placed her hand over his, "You have to help me Steve… I… I don't know if I can do this on my own"

Steve nodded, "Bucky always told me that he would be with me until the end of the line… El, you don't have to worry about me not being there for you. I will always be there for you"

Ellie sniffed back the tears then pulled him close.


	11. Chapter 11 - Gone

a/n: Thank you for the reviews PistolHattersButtercup and KittyMischief! Also thank you for the favorites: IndiaRose3, 2, KittyMischief, dolphingirlrrg and x3sunnydaay. Thanks for following the story Lara Barnes. This was another difficult chapter. Hope you like it and remember to review!

* * *

 _Time is passing so slowly now_  
 _Guess that's my life without you_  
 _and maybe I could change my every day_  
 _But baby I don't want to_

 _~ **Gone by NSYNC**_

* * *

 ***~*~* May 5th, 1945- London *~*~***

Pulling her coat closer to her, Peggy left SSR in search of Steve. He had only a few hours prior seen Ellie off to the train station as she made her way to the airport. As soon as Peggy left the security of the SSR, she encountered the destruction above. Overnight, London had been hit hard by bomb and missile attacks. Slowly the Allies were winning but Axis forces were trying to remain steadfast in the wake of Hitler's death.

"Ma'am, you must get indoors!" A Private yelled as he ran over to her, gun out. He then saw her uniform under her coat, "I apologize ma'am" He said saluting her.

"Is the bar still standing?" Peggy asked in her authoritative voice.

"Yes ma'am but it was hit hard. It is closed" He told her standing at attention.

"You are dismissed" Peggy said as she continued to walk towards it.

As she walked closer, she remembered the walk that she and Ellie had made to arrive at this very same bar, less than a year ago. It seemed almost as if it were another lifetime ago. Steve and Bucky were happy to be reunited as brothers. Ellie had her husband back. They were all happy as Ellie, Bucky and Steve enjoyed themselves and where she had the courage to flirt with Steve for the first time.

She heard a radio as she got closer to the bar, " _Blackout is still in effect throughout the London area. Please wait for the all-clear. Your attention, please. All citizens shall remain indoors until further notice. Blackout is still in effect throughout the London area"_

Her feet crunched on stray pieces of the buildings around her as Peggy made it to the bar. She was surprised to find the once strong walls, crumbled in and debris littering the establishment that once had housed the majority of the 107. If she closed her eyes she could almost hear them laughing and enjoying themselves once more. Grabbing onto the wall, that once held a window; she carefully walked through and glanced around to see if she could see Steve. Chairs and tables were in various states of being destroyed.

Stepping over a large portion of wall, she walked into the room where the Commandoes had sat prior and found Steve sitting with a bottle in front of him and a glass. The bottle in front of him was nearly empty.

She paused watching him for a moment until he looked back at her, sniffed wiping his nose, then poured himself another glass.

"Dr. Erskine said that… the serum wouldn't just affect my muscles, it would affect my cells" He told her as he filled his glass, "Create a protective system of regeneration and healing. Which means um…I can't get drunk. Did you know that?"

Peggy picked a chair out from under the still standing bar, "Your metabolism burns four times faster than the average person. He thought it could be one of the side effects." She said as she sat down across from him, "It wasn't your fault"

"Did you read the reports" Steve asked sniffing.

"Yes" Peggy said.

Steve scoffed, "Then you know that's not true"

"You did everything you could. Did you believe in your friend? Did you respect him?" Peggy asked Steve.

Steve looked up at her with swollen red eyes.

"Then stop blaming yourself. Allow Barnes the dignity of his choice. He damn well must have thought you were worth it" Peggy told him.

"I'm goin' after Schmidt. I'm not gonna stop till all of Hydra is dead or captured" Steve told her looking at the table, "For Bucky and my sister"

"You won't be alone" Peggy told him as she reached out and touched his hand.

"Ellie can't be included when she gets back. What makes this even worse… she is expecting" Steve told her as he looked at her.

"Oh Steve" Peggy said as she took his hand in hers.

"I will kill Schmidt myself" Steve told her as his fist clenched into hers.

* * *

 ***~*~* May 6th, 1945- New York *~*~***

Ellie swallowed hard as the cab that she was in, pulled up in front of the Barnes' house, "Thank you sir" She said as she paid the driver.

"Need help with your bag ma'am?" He asked.

"I got them, but I appreciate the gesture" Ellie told him pulling her bag out of the backseat.

"Have a great day" He said as she shut the door.

Ellie felt as if her legs had turned to lead as she watched him drive away. She turned around and looked up at the house and sighed as she walked up the stairs to the front door and knocked.

The curtain next to the door opened then the door itself, "Ellie!"

"Ellie!" Becca yelled as she threw herself onto Ellie, "What are you doing here?"

"I… I came for a visit" Ellie told her with a forced smile.

"Come in, Momma! Guess who it is" Becca yelled taking Ellie's bag.

"Who? Ellie! Is Bucky here?" Winifred asked as she saw her.

Ellie held back tears as Winifred hugged her, "No Ma'am"

"None of this ma'am business, its Mom or Momma or Ma, your choice. Well Rebecca let her in now. What are you doing home? Did they send you home because we are close to winnin'?" She asked hopefully.

"Well the Axis forces are surrendering left and right so hopefully soon" Ellie told her, "I have some… news. So I decided to fly home to tell you"

Winifred's face lit up, "Are you expecting?"

"Let's sit down" Ellie told her.

Becca looked at Ellie, who forced another smile as they walked into the sitting room.

Becca sat down next to Ellie on the couch and Winifred sat in her chair.

"First, yes… I am expecting" Ellie told them.

Winifred squealed and jumped out of her chair, pushing Becca to the side away from Ellie as she sat down in between them, pulling her into a hug, "Oh I am so happy! What did James say?"

"Well we haven't had anything official but we've suspected it for a couple months. He… was excited" Ellie said trying not to tear up.

Becca frowned as she sat down on the coffee table in front of the couch, "Was?"

The tears finally escaped from her eyes and she nodded.

"Oh god" Becca said as her face went into her hands.

"How long ago?" Winifred asked squeezing Ellie's hands.

Ellie laughed sadly as she wiped away her tears, "It seems like weeks ago… but it was only four days ago"

"What happened?" Becca asked looking up with her own tear filled eyes.

"He and Steve went to get one of Germany's top scientists. They were… on a special mission. While they were fighting against the Germans… a hole was blown into the side of the train they were on. Bucky was thrown out of it and Steve tried to save him… but couldn't get to him in time" Ellie told her as she blinked back another round of tears, "They sent a team into the ravine…where he fell but… the train was traveling so fast and…"

"They didn't find him?" Becca asked looking at her mother.

Ellie shook her head, "No, two men nearly died searching from the conditions. Where they were it is still very deep cold because they don't get much sunlight during the day. Steve…Steve is so torn up about it. He went on the second search and came back with frost bite. Thankfully… he heals fast so he will be alright. We wanted so bad to bring him back, I am so sorry Winifred"

Winifred shook her head, "What did I say, call me Ma"

Ellie bit her lip, "But I'm…I'm not your daughter in law anymore" She said as she started crying again.

"Oh Ellie… not only are you still my daughter for the rest of your life… but you are carrying a piece of my son with you. With you, my son still lives" Winifred said hugging her and they cried together.

After a few minutes, Winifred pulled back wiping her eyes, "We… we may not have his body but that doesn't mean we can't have services. We will bury him next to his father's plot, if you are okay with that"

Ellie nodded.

"Were you able to discuss names or anything like that before… it happened?" Winifred asked.

"Yes, he wanted to go with the theme of naming a boy after a past president" Ellie told her with a watery chuckle.

Winifred put her hand to her face, "He didn't!"

Ellie laughed, "He did"

Becca rolled her red eyes, "Did he say which one?"

"Oh yes, Ulysses Grant… because Steve's middle name is Grant" Ellie told them as she looked at Winifred, "And Ma, you'll never guess what he was going to nickname him"

Winifred shook her head, "I could just imagine"

"Lyss… because having the name Ulysses wasn't bad enough!" Ellie said.

All three women laughed.

* * *

 ***~*~* May 6th, 1945- London *~*~***

Steve sat at a table with all of SSR and his team listening to Phillips as he pointed locations out at the map in front of him.

"Johann Schmidt belongs in a bug house. He thinks he's a God." Phillips said as he turned around from the map, "He's willing to blow up half the world to prove it, starting with the USA"

Howard walked over and sat down at the table next to Monty.

"Schmidt's working with powers beyond our capabilities. He gets across the Atlantic, he will wipe out the entire eastern sea board in an hour" Howard told them.

Steve stared at the intel Peggy had collected, and then threw it onto the table in disgust.

"How much time we got?" Jones asked.

"According to my new best friend, under twenty four hours." Phillips told them.

"Where is he now?" Dernier asked.

"Hydra's last base is here" Phillips said showing them a picture of the base, "In the Alps. Five hundred feet below the surface"

He threw the picture onto the table in front of Morita.

"So, what are we supposed to do? I mean, it's not like we can just knock on the front door." Morita asked.

"Why not?" Steve asked and they all looked at him as he spoke up for the first time, "That's exactly what we're gonna do."

After the meeting was dismissed, Peggy pulled Steve to the side, "Are you trying to get yourself killed? To join him?"

"No, but I want the people who killed him dead" Steve told her as he felt his gut clench, "Go big or go home"

"And get yourself killed in the process?! What would that do to Ellie?" Peggy asked.

"Ellie is a big girl, she is fine. If it happens, she will be fine" Steve told her.

"Really? Losing her husband and her brother in less than a week from each other?" Peggy said as she shook her head, "You really don't know a bloody thing about women"

"Steve, come over here. I want to show you the modifications I made on your bike" Howard told him.

Steve nodded at Peggy then went to follow Howard to his lab.

* * *

 ***~*~* May 6th, 1945- New York *~*~***

Ellie wasn't sure what made her feel the need to go to the building that she was in. She craved the familiar feeling that this building gave her. The comfort and protection. She walked inside and looked around, glad that she was the only person in the room.

Ellie found the first space to sit and sat down staring at the mural in front of her. She bowed her head and prayed for guidance. She sat with her head down for the majority of the time, as tears rolled down her face.

"My child, are you in need to assistance?"

Ellie looked up, "Hello sir" She said she saw the Priest that she, Steve and Bucky had grown up with.

"Elizabeth?" He asked confused.

"Hello Father Mitchell" Ellie said wiping her eyes.

"My child, what is wrong?" He asked sitting in the pew next to her

"Bucky… James Barnes… and I are married… were married" Ellie told him fiddling with her handkerchief.

Father Mitchell nodded, "Winifred was so proud. What happened?"

"He's gone" Ellie told him as she started crying again.

"Oh Elizabeth, I am so sorry" Father Mitchell told her.

Ellie wiped her tears, "I don't know what to do without him Father. We are having a baby"

Father Mitchell sighed, "It will not be easy but you have an amazing support system behind you. Does Winnie know?"

Ellie nodded, "Both she and Rebecca. Steve knows but he is still overseas. He was with Bucky when he died. Poor Steve feels so much guilt"

"That would be Steve" Father Mitchell said, "How long ago did James pass?"

"Five days ago, I just got in from England" Ellie told him.

"Are they sending him home? We can have services-"

"They never found his body" Ellie told him shaking her head, "he is somewhere lost in Soviet Union in the Mountains. He's cold… how do I live without him?"

"Oh my child… I wish I knew what to tell you" Father Mitchell told her, "We will have a memorial service for him, as part of Mass next Sunday. A celebration of his life"

"Thank you Father" Ellie said.

"Now go home my child" Father Mitchell told her.

Ellie stood up and gave him a sad smile as she turned back towards him, "I don't have a home anymore Father. Other than Steve. He and my baby are all I have left" She gathered her coat closer to her and went out into the Brooklyn streets.


	12. Chapter 12 - Baby I Would

a/n: Anything you recognize is my creative version of Marvel property. Ellie is all mine

a/n2: Thank you for favoriting BTTWYA, .Mikealson, XcutepoisonX and . Also Legallyblondeangel for the follow. PistolHattersButtercup and KittyMischief, by your reviews… I hope this chapter is a little better for you both.

* * *

 _Would I walk through fire just to be you, be with you baby_  
 _Would I cross an ocean just to hold you, yea_  
 _Would I give up all I have to see you smile, to see you smile_  
 _Would I walk through hell and not think twice_

 _~ **Baby I Would by O-Town**_

* * *

 ***~*~* May 8th, 1945- Osterreich (Alps)*~*~***

"Are you sure about this Rogers?" Dum Dum asked as he looked around the forest, holding his gun at the ready, and then looked at Steve.

"Yes, I think this is going to work" Steve told them as he climbed aboard this new motorcycle, fastening his shield to his back.

Steve started the motorcycle and drove off down the dirt road. After about four kilometers, a group of Hydra motorcyclists joined him. They shot at him, and thankfully, their shots bounced off his shield. Rounding a corner, he looked down at the controls Howard had told him about, flipping a switch, then hitting a button, a line shot out attaching itself to the trees on each side of him. Clothes lining some of the motorcycles behind him.

He hit another button and flames shot out of the back of his motorcycle. Two more cycles pulled out in front of him and Steve sped up to go in between them. He pulled the pin on one of their grenades and drove off, one of them exploding behind him.

Steve moved his shield to the front of his motorcycle as the bunker ahead of him started firing at him. He fired back as a tank came out and blew it up with one shot. Driving up the front of the bunker, he flew through the air landing hard but continuing as he swerved through people shooting at him.

Hitting the last button, he jumped off the motorcycle, holding his shield. He threw the shield as someone charged him and his motorcycle hit the entrance to the base, blowing up.

He fought and knocked out at least two people before two men with flame throwers surrounded him with flames. When the flames stopped, he was surrounded by Hydra soldiers. They tied his hands behind his body and led him into the base.

"Arrogance may not be a uniquely American trait, but I must say you do it better than anyone" Schmidt said as he walked over to him, "But there are limits to what even you can do, Captain. Or did Erskine tell you otherwise?

Steve stared at him as he stood across from, "He told me you were insane."

"Ah. He resented my genius and tried to deny me what was rightfully mine. But he gave you everything. So, what made you so special?" Schmidt asked him.

"Nothin'. I'm just a kid from Brooklyn" Steve said with a cocky grin.

Schmidt punched him in the jaw, slapped him then punched him in the stomach, knocking him to his knees, coughing and breathing heavily, "I can do this all day"

"Oh, of course you can. Of course. But unfortunately I am on a tight schedule" Schmidt said as he took out his pistol and aimed it at his face.

There was noise outside the window they were next to.

"So am I!" Steve said pulling the two soldiers holding him, in front of him as Schmidt shot, causing them both to disappear.

The Commandos crashed through the windows of the lab, shooting.

Falsworth saw the shield lying on the ground and picked it up, "Rogers! You might need this!"

"Thanks!" Steve said as he ran through the door and looked around before deciding to go towards the right.

Through his comms he heard Morita say, "We're in! Assault team, go!"

Then Phillips reply, "Move out!"

He ran down the hallway and turned another corner to see Schmidt in front of him. He put his shield in front of him to block Schmidt's shot. Schmidt ran further away from him so Steve threw his shield and it bounced off the wall toward Schmidt.

As he went to go around the turn, he was confronted by a Hydra soldier with a flame thrower. He ducked into a doorway trying not to get scorched.

A machine gun sounded and the man with the flame thrower blew up so that Steve could come out. He saw Peggy standing with the machine gun that had just saved him.

"You're late" Steve told her as he got close to her.

"Weren't you about to…"

"Right" Steve said as he ran off grabbing his shield and going through a door.

Steve came out into the docks as Schmidt started moving in his plane. Steve ran past some soldiers, knocking a few out, running as fast as he could but was unable to catch the plane taking off.

A car roared up next to him, "Get in!" Phillips yelled.

Steve jumped in the passenger seat and Phillip drove as fast as he could after the plane.

Steve pulled himself up so that he was straddling the door, "Keep it steady!"

"Wait!" Peggy yelled pulling on his uniform so she could kiss him, "Go get him"

Steve looked at Phillip.

"I'm not kissing you" Phillips told him.

Steve strapped his shield to his back and climbed out to the front of the car. The propeller hit his shield, forcing him face down on the hood.

Just before they reached the edge of the runway, Steve jumped onto the landing gear. Steve glanced back to see that Phillips had prevented them from falling off the edge with an evasive move. He rode the landing gear as it settled inside the plane.

Once inside the plane, he saw bombs with one labeled 'New York', "Ellie" Steve said in shock.

He hid in the rafters as Hydra soldiers came through the area he was in. He kicked one over and jumped down. He fought three of them and one tried to run away. Grabbing one of their knives, he threw it, hitting the soldier running.

Injured he ran over to the bomb marked 'Chicago' and hit a button on the panel causing it to open up and hopefully land in the ocean. The soldier flew out of the open hatch.

Steve hit two more soldiers and threw another out of the open hatch.

A soldier climbed into the bomb labeled New York and Steve ran over as another soldier jumped onto it. The bomb dropped and the Hydra soldier steering the plane tried to shake Steve and his fellow soldier off. The plane began to ascend and the soldier he was fighting flew off into the propeller.

Steve held on and opened the window, ejecting the pilot. Steve climbed inside and flew the bomb back over to Schmidt's plane. Crashing it into the rear of the plane, he got out and grabbed his shield.

He opened a door to see a glowing blue light and a chair. Behind him he heard the sound of a Hydra weapon and turned around shielding himself.

"You don't give up, do you?" Schmidt asked.

"Nope!" Steve said running at him.

They fought going back and forth until Steve rammed Schmidt into the pilot controls causing the plane to start to plummet. They continued to fight as they were thrown around in the air.

Schmidt reached the controls and turned autopilot on.

"You could have the power of the gods! Yet you wear a flag on your chest and think you fight a battle of nations!" Schmidt yelled shooting at him again, "I have seen the future, Captain! There are no flags!"

"Not my future!" Steve yelled as he jumped to his shield and flung it at Schmidt hitting him and throwing him into the cube's console.

It lit up blue and Schmidt walked over to it, "What have you done?" He asked as he picked up the cube.

The cube lit up and sent a stream of energy into the top of the plane, projecting pictures of space.

Suddenly the energy started to engulf Schmidt and he slowly disappeared into a burst of light.

As the light dissipated, the cube hit the ground, eating away at the metal to fall through out of the plane.

Steve picked up his shield and took off his helmet as he sat down in the pilot's chair. He looked over the controls and saw the guidance was aimed right at New York City. Looking out the windows in front of him, he weighed his options.

He keyed the radio knowing that Morita's plan was to take over Hydra's control tower to monitor their radio, "Come in. This is Captain Rogers. Do you read me?"

"Captain Rogers, what is your…" Morita said as Peggy came on the radio.

"Steve, is that you? Are you alright?" Peggy asked sitting in the chair Morita vacated.

"Peggy! Schmidt's dead." Steve told her messing with the controls.

"What about the plane?" Peggy asked.

"That's a little bit tougher to explain" Steve told her.

"Give me your coordinates, I'll find you a safe landing site" Peggy told him.

"There's not going to be a safe landing" Steve told her.

Phillips looked down and motioned for Morita to follow him.

"But I can try and force it down" Steve told her.

"I'll get Howard on the line, he'll know what to do" Peggy told him.

"There's not enough time. This thing's moving too fast and it's heading for New York" Steve said, "I gotta put her in the water. I can't let it get to New York and to Ellie"

"Please, don't do this. We have time. We can work it out" Peggy begged him.

"Right now I'm in the middle of nowhere. If I wait any longer a lot of people are gonna die. Peggy, this is my choice. Peg… tell Ellie that I am sorry" Steve told her as he put his compass with her picture in it on the controls as he steered the plane down, "Peggy?"

"I'm here" Peggy said.

"I'm gonna need a rain check on that dance" Steve told her as he cleared the clouds and could see the ice below.

"Alright. A week, next Saturday, at the Stork Club" Peggy said with tears in her eyes.

"You got it" Steve told her.

"Eight o'clock on the dot. Don't you dare be late. Understood?" Peggy told him.

"You know, I still don't know how to dance. Buck, he never taught me" Steve told her.

"I'll show you how. Just be there" Peggy whispered.

"We'll have the band play somethin' slow. I'd hate to step on your…" Steve said as the line went to static.

"Steve? Steve? Steve?" Peggy cried.

* * *

In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, near Iceland, the German plane started heating up the ice beneath it.

Steve had been knocked out and had slid from the pilot's chair. In his unconscious state, he looked above him to see a light with a person standing in front of it.

"Hey Punk"

"Buck?" Steve asked squinting.

Bucky nodded as he sat down next to Steve, "I'm here"

"How?" Steve asked confused.

"I told you I'd be with you til the end of the line… well this is it" Bucky told him.

"We can't do this to her" Steve told him.

"She's tough. Ellie will get through this. Our baby will help her" Bucky told him.

"Is… it painful?" Steve asked, "Dying?"

Bucky shook his head, "Just like falling asleep"

The plane melted through the ice and was immersed in the water below.

Steve gasped in water and with Bucky by his side, went to sleep.

* * *

 ***~*~* May 9th, 1945-England*~*~***

Howard looked at Peggy as she came through the door, "I was just heading out. I'm flying to New York. I don't want her to find out from someone else"

Peggy nodded, "She is in Brooklyn. Probably at the Barnes home"

Howard hugged Peggy, "I'm sorry Peg"

"He died doing what he always wanted to do. Saving people" Peggy told him.

* * *

 ***~*~* May 10th, 1945- Brooklyn*~*~***

"Thanks Jarvis" Howard said as his butler drove him through the streets of Brooklyn, New York, "It hasn't gotten out about Steve and I just want his sister to hear it from me before she finds out"

"Yes Mr. Stark, I agree. It will be quite the shock" Jarvis said as he turned the corner and went down a street, "This is… here this is the address you gave me"

Howard sighed as he looked up at the house, "Here goes nothing"

Howard climbed out of the car and pulled his sunglasses over his face, walking up the steps, knocking on the door.

He put his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels.

The door opened and a young woman answered.

"Hello" She said.

"Is this the Barnes residence?" He asked.

Her eyes widened, "you're Howard Stark"

"Hello… is Ellie with you guys by any chance?" Howard asked.

"Yeah, she is taking a nap. Come in" The girl said.

Howard entered the house and looked around seeing pictures of Barnes, Ellie and Steve growing up.

"I'm Becca by the way, did you know my brother?" Becca asked.

Howard nodded, "I'm sorry for your loss. He was a great man. Um… where is the room she is napping in. I'll wake her up"

Becca led him to the bedroom and opened it for him.

"Thank you" Howard said keeping the door open.

Ellie was lying on her back in a tank top and a pair of men's shorts, with her hand lying on her belly. Before he left, Peggy told him Ellie's news. Looking at her, he could see the swell of her stomach.

As if she could tell someone was staring at her, she opened her eyes, "Steve?"

"No… it's Howard"

Ellie sat up rubbing her eyes, "Howard, what are you doing here? Did Steve send you here to get me now that we won?"

"No, but I came here on my own. Ellie, Schmidt didn't surrender when Germany did. He was planning on bombing here in New York, Chicago and other cities here in the USA" Howard told her.

"You stopped him right?" Ellie asked.

"Yes, actually Steve did… but to stop him he had to take over the plane midflight. There was nowhere to land" Howard told her, "So he landed it in the water… somewhere in the Arctic Ocean"

Ellie's brain was still sleepy and it took her awhile to process what he said, "You guys were able to find him in time…right?"

"Steve didn't give us his coordinates before he crash landed" Howard told her, "I'm organizing a team to search the area that we think he may have crashed in"

Ellie let out a gut wrenching sob that made Bucky's sister come running.

"What happened?" Becca asked.

Ellie sobbed, "Steve's dead"

"No" Becca said shaking her head, "No… he can't"

"I'm sorry…he said that as he put her down. Tell Ellie I am sorry" Howard told her.

Ellie sobbed against Becca as she sat next to her, "Why?"

"He saved so many lives. Just with the bomb that was aimed for here alone" Howard told her.

Ellie sat up and looked at him shocked, "Oh my god… he sacrificed himself for me"

Howard nodded.

* * *

 ***~*~* July 4th, 1945- Brooklyn*~*~***

Peggy Carter stepped out of the taxi and thanked the driver. She walked up the steps and knocked on the door.

The door opened, "Hello"

"Hello, you must be Mrs. Barnes, Peggy Carter ma'am. Is Elizabeth home?" Peggy asked.

Winifred gave her a sad smile, "Yes but… she really isn't in the mood for visitors"

Peggy mentally figured how far along Ellie would be. At the beginning of May, she was about 18 weeks from what Ellie figured. That would put her nearly 30 weeks along. She would definitely be showing by now.

"I know… I know it was Steve's birthday today. I had to see her" Peggy explained.

"Come in" Winifred told her.

"Thank you ma'am. My condolences to you as well" Peggy told her.

"Thank you" Winifred said giving her a small smile as she led her to the bedroom and she knocked, "Ellie honey, you have a visitor"

"I'm not taking people today"

"Elizabeth, it's me" Peggy told her.

There was a squeak of springs then the door unlocked.

Peggy tried not to gasp as she saw Ellie. Her blond hair lay limp and straight on her head. Her face held a dark and sunken appearance. Her eyes were dull and what Peggy noticed the most was her flat belly.

"Peg" Ellie said as she threw her arms around her.

"Oh Ellie" Peggy said hugging her back.

Ellie let her go then walked over to the bed and sat down.

Peggy walked into the room and sat down next to her, "What happened besides the obvious?"

"Three days after Howard told me that Steve died… I was in church, in the middle of services and I had… this indescribable pain" Ellie told her, "Next thing I know, I was waking up in the hospital. I lost the baby. Doctor said it was from the stress. I know I was supposed to go back to work but… I couldn't bear leaving this room. Right here is my last remaining reminder of Bucky"

Peggy pulled her to her rubbing her back, "It will be alright"

"Peg, will you train me?" Ellie asked.

"For what?" Peggy asked.

"Everything… you can do so much more than me" Ellie told her.

"I know who to ask" Peggy told her.

* * *

a/n: And we have reached the "beginning" of Ellie's journey on her own. Please read and review, tell me what you think and what do you think she will do. Thank you for reading!


	13. Chapter 13 - Double Agent

a/n: Again the only thing I own is Ellie. The rest is my pure imagination taking over Marvel characters.

a/n2: Thank you for following nataliaivette18, fatjack36 and AlyssaMcgrath! As well as the reviews fatjack36 and StarMistress97

* * *

 **On the edge of sleep,**  
 **I heard voices behind the door**  
 **The known and the nameless,**  
 **Familiar and faceless**  
 **My angels and my demons at war**  
 **Which one will lose - depends on what I choose**  
 **Or maybe which voice I ignore**

 **~ _Double Agent by Rush_**

* * *

 ***~*~* June 18th, 1949- California *~*~***

Inside a lab in the state of California, a scientist and doctor by the name of Martin Reinstein stared over his work. His lab assistants had long since left for the day, but he felt as if his experiment was on the verge of a breakthrough, so he was unable to leave. His notes on his theory and experiment were pages and pages of scratched out words, formulas and sentences. Along with words scribbled over top of other words. His assistant that transcribed his work had told him two days prior that he needed to lay off the coffee and get more sleep, that she could no longer understand what the notes meant.

"Wait" Reinstein said as he looked at one page then the next, "No…"

He went over to the desk where his previous major project notes were and opened up the file folder from his past. Putting his notes next to the notes from the past, he compared them. Frowning, he glanced over at the mouse in its cage next to him. Then the realization hit him.

"Erskine you genius" He said throwing his notes to the table.

He ran over to his phone and picked it up, "Maria get Stark on the phone"

"Sir its 2 in the morning" Maria said on the other end of the line.

"He will want to be woken up for this"

* * *

Later that week, Howard Stark stood in the same lab looking over the papers that Dr. Reinstein had shown him.

"So you think you can recreate it?" Howard asked looking over his notes as if trying to decipher code within the chicken scratch.

Reinstein paced as he waved papers as he paced.

"Yes and no. Erskine created the super soldier serum and when Schmidt stole it, he put a safe guard in it" Reinstein told him as he walked over to his desk and searched through the numerous papers for his specific notes, "Since I started looking over it, I couldn't figure out why this was coded this way. It makes sense. He did pretesting on Captain Rogers before administering the serum"

"Yeah, before he was shipped off to Camp Lehigh" Howard told him nodding glancing at the mouse that was running on its wheel faster than a typical mouse would.

"He was able to extract Steve's DNA" Dr. Reinstein told him handing him one of his pages of notes.

"DNA?" Howard asked confused reading over the notes on the page but most of it just looked like scribbles to him.

"It is what is thought to be a brand new medical breakthrough" Dr. Reinstein told him, "But what if it's not? What if Erskine discovered it all those years ago and kept it to himself"

"What is DNA?" Howard asked, "A chemical?"

"No, every person's genetic makeup is made of unique nucleic acid. It is the substance that is responsible for our transformations, our growing. It has been known as the transforming principle since 1944" Dr. Reinstein told him as he found a new piece of paper inside of a book, "I need to talk to Oswald Avery and… I need some new equipment"

* * *

 ***~*~* June 20th, 1949- New Jersey *~*~***

Howard Stark pulled his car up to the gates of Camp Lehigh and entered his code. The gates pulled open and he parked his car next to the mess hall on his usual parking place.

A Military Police officer looked over at him and he tipped his hat to him.

"Good day Mr. Stark" He said.

Howard opened the door to the ammunition's bunker and looked around for Peggy. He spotted Phillips talking to a secretary and walked over to him, "Chester, have you seen Peg?"

Colonel Phillips looked at him, "Downstairs, what do you need Stark?"

"Come with me" Howard told him flashing a file with CLASSIFIED stamped on it.

They walked over to the bookshelf and opened it, entering and going to the elevator. The lift took them down to the basement floor where Peggy was sitting at her desk with papers all around her.

"Peg, stop what you are doing" Howard told her as he walked over to her desk.

Peggy looked at him as she continued with what she was doing, "Starting a top secret government organization isn't easy Stark. I have a lot of work I am still trying to process through"

"This is bigger" Howard told her as he leaned on her desk and looked at Colonel Phillips, "Remember Reinstein?"

Colonel Phillips frowned, "Dr. Reinstein, Erskine's lab assistant?"

"He thinks he has done it" Howard told them.

Peggy froze and looked at him as she dropped the files that she was organizing, "Done what?"

"Figured out the Super Soldier serum" Howard told her with a smile.

"Well I'll be" Colonel Phillips said with a rare smile, "Where is he?"

"California. I came out here to get my old equipment and we hope that using them and machines he can create we can replicate it. But, there is a downside" Howard told them as he set a file down in front of them.

"What is that?" Peggy asked grabbing the file and opening it to see copies of Reinstein's theory.

"I may be totally butchering this but in Erskine's notes there was always a code in the serum. Reinstein thinks he has finally cracked it, but he doesn't know for sure" Howard told them, "Have you ever heard of DNA?"

They both shook their heads.

Howard grinned as he held his arms out, "Welcome to the future my friends and Erskine was a man before his time. He cracked it, something that is unique to each one of us in our own cells. He used it to code the serum to Steve and to Steve alone"

Peggy's face fell, "But Steve is dead"

"But we have his DNA in his blood" Howard told her.

"No we don't. I dumped his blood years ago to keep him safe" Peggy told him.

"That isn't the only blood we have… we have a blood relative that from what Reinstein has seen… has half of his DNA" Howard told her.

"Barnes? You think that Elizabeth Barnes is going to help us at all?" Colonel Phillips asked Howard shaking his head, "Who even knows where she is. She dropped off the edge of existence after Rogers died. We know she was pregnant. She probably took that baby and ran off to live somewhere off the grid"

"I do" Peggy told them.

Phillips and Howard looked at her.

Peggy sighed as she sat down, "After Steve's death… she lost the baby. She went… it wasn't healthy. I went to visit her for Steve's birthday and she didn't leave the house, she didn't bathe or eat. She asked me to train her"

"Did you?" Phillips asked.

Peggy nodded, "Until I could no longer. She was strong and I had nothing left to teach her. She was excelling and was interested in areas that were above me. Then I put her in contact with some of my friends in MI5"

Phillips frowned, "So the UK has her now"

Peggy shook her head, "I do not know. I have not even heard from her in nearly three years"

Phillips shook his head, "So there goes that"

"Is there anyone you can contact in MI5?" Howard asked Peggy.

Peggy bit her lip, "I know someone who would probably know how to get a hold of her" She said as she looked at Howard.

"The Barnes" Howard said nodding, "My car is out front"

Peggy grabbed her jacket, "Let's go"

* * *

 ***~*~* June 20th, 1949- Brooklyn *~*~***

Howard pulled up to the house that was once owned by the Barnes family, "Hopefully they have not moved"

"Well I will go see" Peggy said as she climbed out of the car and walked up the front stairs.

Knocking on the door, she heard footsteps inside and the door opened. Peggy stared at the man in front of her, "Um… hello, is Mrs. Barnes home?"

The man frowned, "This isn't the Barnes residence anymore"

"Scott, who is it?" A woman asked coming behind him to the door, "Peggy?"

Peggy smiled, "Hello Becca" She greeted as Howard got out of his car.

"Come on in" Becca told her with a smile, "What are you doing here?"

"Becca, this is Howard-"

"Howard Stark, we met way back when" Becca told her giving Howard a smile, "Hello Mr. Stark"

"Howard is fine, Becca" Howard said as they followed Becca into the house.

"I'm not one to beat around the bush so I will ask you what we came to ask you, do you happen to know where Elizabeth is?" Peggy asked.

Becca looked at her placing her hand on her expanding belly, "You don't?" Becca asked confused, "I figured you guys kept in touch"

Peggy shook her head, "No I haven't spoke with her in three years"

"Last I heard, she was overseas. I haven't seen her since she left with you. She calls on holidays and birthdays. She is supposed to come back soon though" Becca said rubbing her belly, "She said she wanted to see the baby"

"Congratulations by the way" Peggy told her.

"Thank you. What do you guys want of Ellie?" Becca asked to the point.

Peggy glanced at Becca's husband.

Becca sighed as she glanced at Scott, "Let's go for a walk"

Scott frowned as he stood.

"I'm fine Scott. Remember how I told you that my brother and Steve were involved in some stuff during the war?" Becca told him as he nodded, "They were part of it. Peggy could kill someone with her heels probably and Howard Stark is well… Howard Stark. We'll be back. I will be fine"

They walked a short way to a small café and sat down outside of it at a table.

"Becca, we have created a new organization called Shield" Howard told her trusting her.

"Shield? Really?" Becca said looking at Peggy, "Was that your doing?"

Red spread across Peggy's cheeks causing Howard to laugh, "It's an acronym for the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division" Peggy told her.

Becca grinned a smile that Peggy had once seen on Bucky's face, "Still makes it seem like you tried really hard to spell out SHIELD"

"Anyways… we are continuing the work of the SSR. Which was disbanded after the war and absorbed into the CIA" Peggy told her, "But there are still small cells of the people we were fighting against in the war out there"

"We are trying to do a new project, but we need Ellie's help for it" Howard told her, "Only her… expertise will help with this"

Becca sighed, "If she comes home, I will tell her that you guys are looking for her… but I'll warn you… she isn't the same as she was. Bucky knew something was going to happen; he had a feeling from what she said that… he wasn't going to make it. It was a shock to her but…when Steve died…. Then the baby. She couldn't take it. She… she wasn't Ellie anymore"

"No she couldn't" Peggy told her, "She had me train her and then she went overseas to learn more"

"She came home two years ago. Said that she was following a lead on something and came home to see me. It was right after the wedding. I nearly didn't recognize her" Becca told them, "She chopped her hair off and she had lost a lot of weight… it wasn't like she had been starving herself but… she was strong and lean"

Howard looked at Peggy, "Let's walk her back then we will be out of your hair"

After the short walk back, they said their goodbyes to Becca and told her if Ellie came home to tell her they were looking for her.

Climbing into his car, Peggy looked over at Howard, "Do you think she is deep dark?"

Howard nodded starting his car, "Sure sounds like it to me. It will be nearly impossible to get her out if so"

* * *

 ***~*~* August 2nd, 1949- California *~*~***

Peggy looked over Dr. Reinstein's notes, "Doctor, you really think this would work?"

"Yes I do Director Carter" Reinstein told her looking at she and Howard, "I think if we have her cooperation and administer the serum, we draw her blood and reverse engineer it… we can separate the serum from her markers"

Peggy set down the file, "But we still don't know where she is to know whether we have her consent. I put some feelers out in MI5… nothing was returned"

Howard pushed himself off the wall, "She is a ghost now. Deep cover"

Peggy nodded, "MI5 says they lost her over two years ago. She went to go on a mission and never returned. They think she was killed"

Howard frowned, "Do you think Hydra got her? We know they are small and spread out for those who still exist but… do you think?"

"No, she wouldn't have gone willingly" Peggy told him shaking her head, "She was distraught but… no. If anything, they were the ones that got her"

Howard looked at them with a sigh, "Well… anyone up for lunch?"

"You go ahead and go, I want to work on some more of this" Dr. Reinstein told them as he turned back around to one of his mice.

Peggy nodded as she took Howard's arm and he led her out of Reinstein's lab.

"Hello Mr. Jarvis, are you joining us for lunch?" Peggy asked when she saw him waiting outside of the lab with the car.

"I'd be delighted" Jarvis said opening the door for her.

Peggy went to get inside the car, and paused looking around.

"What is wrong Miss Carter?" Jarvis asked.

"Have you ever felt like you were being watched?" Peggy asked.

"Peg, its probably someone who spotted me and my looks. You are fine. This car is bulletproof if you were wondering" Howard told her.

"Reassuring" Peggy said with a quick glance around as she climbed in.

"This place is amazing Peg, you are going to love it" Howard said as he opened the door for her, "Plus the waitresses are hot"

Howard flashed a smile at the hostesses as he saw her, "Hello there Amy"

"Hello Mr. Stark, your table is ready" The hostess said as they arrived at the restaurant and she started to grab four menus.

Howard frowned, "What table? I didn't call ahead"

Peggy grabbed his arm, "Something is not right"

"This way" The hostess said leading them to a table at the far end of the restaurant away from everyone.

"Thank you" Peggy said as Jarvis pulled out her chair and she looked around, "Is someone joining us?"

"I am sorry I thought you said four in your party" Amy, the hostess said, "What would you like to drink today?"

"Whiskey on the rocks" Howard told her.

"And you sir?" She asked Jarvis.

"Just water please" Jarvis said.

"Same for me" Peggy told her looking around.

"I will have one of my waitresses bring your drinks around" Amy told her.

"Just not Pauline…" Howard told her.

Amy put on a fake smile, "Yes Mr. Stark" She said as she walked away with the extra menu.

Peggy glanced around.

"Peg, calm it down. Nothing is wrong. Just relax" Howard told her looking at his menu.

Peggy sighed as she looked at the appetizers.

Someone slid into the chair next to Howard and grabbed his menu.

"Hey! I was-"

"Excuse me we… Ellie!" Peggy said as Ellie took her sunglasses off.

"Hey Pegs" Ellie said as she looked between Peggy and Howard, "Becca said you guys were looking for me?"

"Where have you been?" Howard asked, "People thought you were dead"

"Around" Ellie said as she looked over at Jarvis, "Hello Jarvis… I am Ellie Barnes"

"I have heard of you ma'am. Pleasure to meet you at last" Jarvis said shaking her hand.

"You went deep dark didn't you?" Peggy asked.

Ellie nodded, "I have been sending you guys' information without you even knowing it about Hydra. It is still there, just they went deep"

"Shit" Howard said as he leaned back, "How deep?"

Ellie shook her head, "Siberia deep" Ellie told him, "They are working on a big project but it's very top secret and I have barely heard murmurs of it. It is all depending on the Soviets and a weapon. They found it in the Alps. The mumblings I have been able to hear about it, it is almost as if the weapon can think. It is fighting back against them"

Howard looked at her then at Peggy, "Speaking of projects, we have one and we need to know if you are interested"

Ellie looked at him, "I'm not part of the SSR anymore"

"SSR is gone. Howard, Phillips and I founded SHIELD" Peggy said as Ellie gave her a look and she rolled her eyes, "Yes I know, we formed SHIELD and we brought in some of the top scientists around the world in to work for us. Dr. Erskine's lab assistant kept researching his work and he thinks he discovered how to recreate it"

Ellie sat back, "Really?"

"Yes" Howard said, "But we've ran into an issue"

"What? Turning people red and scary again?" Ellie asked.

"No, after Schmidt, he coded it to your brother" Howard told her, "So that if someone stole it…"

"It wouldn't work" Ellie said as Howard nodded.

"But he was a brilliant scientist… he discovered something that scientists are only starting to figure out now. DNA" Howard told her, "You see, each person has a… chemical makeup to their body. When you are born, you have half your mothers and half your fathers. In turn, each sibling is genetically similar"

"So I have part of Steve's DNA?" Ellie asked.

"Precisely" Peggy told her.

"So you need me for this new serum" Ellie said biting her lip.

"Only if you'd be willing" Howard told her.

"I wouldn't turn big and muscular and grow like a foot taller like Steve would I?" Ellie asked.

"Dr. Reinstein would know for sure, but I think you'd get stronger but… not larger" Peggy said with a sad smile, "Steve was just so small… that it just enhanced him"

Howard looked at her, "It was my creation that caused the change in him"

Peggy looked at Howard.

Howard looked at the table, "I never told anyone but Erskine, that's why I was part of the project. I discovered a chemical called nitramene and it admitted vita radiation… that is what the vita-rays Steve was immersed in came from"

"Nitramene? Nitramene?" Jarvis said, "The explosive bomb you created is what caused Mr. Rogers to change?"

"It worked didn't it" Howard told him.

"I'll talk to the doctor on one condition" Ellie told them.

"What?" Howard asked.

"I am starving" Ellie said, "The food I have been eating lately hasn't been the greatest"

Peggy laughed, "We can swing that"

* * *

a/n: Please remember to review so I know what you think. Will it be possible? Super Soldier Ellie? Will she be Misses America? Let me know what you think! Thank you for reading!


	14. Chapter 14 - In My Blood

a/n: Again all I own is Ellie. Anything recognizable is a product of Marvel!

a.n2: Thank you Starmisstress97 for the favorite and janeysf03for the follow! Longest chapter so far!

* * *

 **Help me, it's like the walls are caving in  
Sometimes I feel like giving up  
No medicine is strong enough  
Someone help me  
I'm crawling in my skin  
Sometimes I feel like giving up  
But I just can't  
It isn't in my blood**

 _ **~ In my Blood by Shawn Mendes**_

* * *

 ***~*~* August 3rd, 1949- California *~*~***

Ellie stepped out of the car that Jarvis piloted, "So this guy was Erskine's lab assistant?"

"Yes, his name is Dr. Reinstein. He worked alongside Reinstein for three years, he was there for Project Rebirth and when Erskine died, he inherited his work. He made it his personal mission to recreate Project Rebirth… for good. In Steve's memory" Howard told her as he opened the lab door for her and Peggy.

Peggy and Howard led her down to the lab where a short man with bright red curly hair was standing at a table with papers spread across it.

Ellie looked around at various experiments and mice in cages, that were running faster than any New York mouse that she had ever seen.

He turned around, "Howard, Peggy"

"Dr. Reinstein, I would like you to meet Elizabeth Barnes" Peggy introduced as he walked over to them.

"Hello Doc" Ellie said as she shook his hand.

"Have a seat Ellie and I will explain everything" Dr. Reinstein told her.

Ellie sat down in the chair and he sat down on a stool and moved it over to her.

"Alright, let me explain the process. I had Erskine's notes and I believe we can take your blood and replicate the serum" Dr. Reinstein told her, "So what I am going to do today is take about 5 vials of your blood. We will wait a week while I code the serum to your blood and next week I will take a pint of your blood just in case something happens, we will have your own blood to transfuse you with"

Ellie nodded.

"We aren't going to do the Vita-Rays as Erskine used with Steve but I have discovered with my rats that if I do slight electrical charges after administering the serum, it strengthens them and their capabilities" Dr. Reinstein told her pointing at the rat in the very large cage next to them that was running on his wheel so fast that he was a blur.

"Will I be that fast?" Ellie asked looking at him.

"Every case is different. Just as Erskine said to Steve, it strengthens what is within" Dr. Reinstein told her, "Hold your arm out please"

Ellie sat back on the chair and rolled her sleeve up. Dr. Reinstein banded her arm then grabbed a syringe.

"We are calling this Project Phoenix" Dr. Reinstein told them.

Ellie laughed, "Of course"

Peggy looked at her and she smiled, "That was my code name for MI5, the Phoenix. It started as a joke; I was rising from the ashes for my life that was destroyed and it just stuck" Ellie told her.

Ellie looked at the blood flowing from her arm, "Did Steve have to give this much?"

Dr. Reinstein looked at her, "No, but he was very weak so we didn't want to stress his body"

Ellie nodded.

"All done" Dr. Reinstein said as he put cotton on the puncture wound.

Ellie held it on, "So Doc… when are we doing this?"

"I should have it ready by September 1st" Dr. Reinstein told her, "If it's ready prior we will do it then but I don't want to rush it"

"Just keep us updated doctor" Peggy told him.

"They will be staying with me until then so feel free to come by or call if needed" Howard told him.

* * *

 ***~*~* August 23rd, 1949- California *~*~***

Ellie sat in her bedroom at Howard's mansion and looked at the notes that one of her colleagues sent her.

Peggy knocked on the door to her bedroom as she looked in through the open door, "Ellie, dinner is ready"

"I'll be down shortly… hey Peggy" Ellie called out and Peggy turned around, "Has SHIELD heard any Intel on a man in the Soviet Union with a metal arm?" Ellie asked her as she looked up from her notes.

Peggy frowned, "No, why?" She asked walking over to her.

Ellie showed her the papers, "A man with a red star printed on his left arm ambushed three soldiers at a base in Germany three days ago. From witness statements, it was effortless. He was talented with a knife and in hand to hand combat. They were dead in mere minutes"

Peggy read over the accounts, "No…maybe this is the first time they have used him. Seems to me he was pretty sloppy. He left witnesses," She told her, "Look this soldier said that he was able to get close enough for the man to look at him and when he saw him, he froze and said something indistinguishable then 'I'm sorry… I didn't want to' then ran. Sounds more like blackmail to me. Maybe the Soviets have something on him"

She handed the papers back to Ellie, "You really should come to work with us. You'd be invaluable with the information you have been obtaining through your sources"

"I prefer field work" Ellie told her as she put the file away, "Keeps me busy"

"And less to think about" Peggy said.

Ellie nodded.

Peggy patted her leg, "Let's go get some food. Morita and Dugan stopped by"

"Lord, there might be nothing left between the two of them. It's…like having Steve and Bucky here" Ellie said as she stood up from the bed.

Peggy put her arm through Ellie's, "They did eat a lot"

"I never knew if Steve was because we never really had a lot of food before or because the serum" Ellie said as they walked out of the bedroom, "Guess I am about to find out"

They walked down the steps, arm in arm, and were immediately spotted.

"Well look that the cat dragged in, two beauties" Dum Dum Dugan yelled as he saw them.

"Hey Dugan" Ellie said as he gave her a hug.

"You look great Ellie" Dugan told her with a sad smile, "Poor Barnes would have to be beating men off with his rifle. You grew into a beautiful woman"

"I wasn't a kid Dum Dum" Ellie said with a laugh, "I am 30 years old"

"You don't look it one bit" Morita told her as he walked over and gave her a light hug.

* * *

 ***~*~* August 23rd, 1949- California *~*~***

Peggy and Ellie walked into Dr. Reinstein's building, "Ready for this?" Peggy asked.

"Well I'm ready to eat… so yeah" Ellie said with a laugh as they walked into Dr. Reinstein's personal lab and looked around, "Should I be jealous of Steve? He got this huge reception"

Phillips chuckled from his spot on a stool next to the chair, "Sorry Barnes, unless this is a success we are keeping this one low key. The American people would be slightly worried if we were creating Super Soldiers when we were not in an active war"

Ellie looked at Dr. Reinstein, "How do you want me Doc?"

"Take your shirt off and lie on this table" Dr. Reinstein told her, "And just relax"

Ellie climbed onto the table and handed her shirt to one of his assistants so that she was lying on the table in just her bra and a pair of shorts, "Peggy come here please"

Peggy walked over and Ellie took off her wedding rings, "Watch them for me"

"Colonel Phillips, Agent Carter and Mr. Stark, please follow me. I will show you to the reception room and we have some light refreshments set up" One of his assistants told them.

Ellie watched them as they walked away, "It's hot in here or is it just me?" She asked Dr. Reinstein.

"Slightly, air is on the fritz. This is what we are going to do Ellie; I want to protect your eyes and your muscles in your throat. Steve screamed and with the electrical currents, I just want to be proactive. So I have this spray with a chemical that is safe but will numb any pain in those areas" Dr. Reinstein told her.

Ellie nodded as he got a bottle out.

"I couldn't flavor it, so it probably tastes really horrid" Dr. Reinstein told her, "Say Ah"

Ellie opened her mouth and he sprayed it coating her throat. She gagged and coughed, "god that was horrid" She said as her voice trailed off.

"Good means it got to the vocal cords" Dr. Reinstein told her, "Look straight up"

Ellie looked at the ceiling and tried not to blink as he sprayed both of her eyes.

"Okay close your eyes" He told her.

Ellie closed her eyes.

"You may experience some vision issues; essentially I would love if you were temporarily blind if that means it reaches your retinas" Dr. Reinstein told her as she heard him walking around and messing with things, "Try opening your eyes. Any difference?"

"Everything is blurry" Ellie told him.

"Don't squint, I'm going to spray each eye one more time" Dr. Reinstein told her, "I want the muscles relaxed as much as possible with the procedure"

Ellie closed her eyes again after he sprayed them then opened them to see nothing when he told her to, "I see nothing"

"Not shapes or light?" He asked fiddling with something, "I am going to shine a light in your eye… tell me if you see anything"

"No, I felt a slight pinch maybe…" Ellie told him.

"Your eyes are trying to fight the numbing agent" Dr. Reinstein told her, "It will be fine. Hopefully you will have the enhanced metabolism like Steve and your body will fight off the numbing agent as soon as it spreads through your body. Open wide once more" He said as he sprayed her throat again.

"We are ready sir" Someone said on her right.

"Agent Carter, Colonel Phillips and Mr. Stark, just in time. There will be no radiation but I still advise you all to stand back. We are going to attach the electrodes now" Dr. Reinstein told her.

Ellie felt hands pushing things onto her arms, legs and torso. They turned her over and applied some onto her back as well.

"Alright Ellie, we are going to start the process" Dr. Reinstein told her, "Go ahead Peter"

Ellie heard something power up then wrap around her arms legs and belly.

"Serum administration in 5…4…3…2…1"

Ellie's eyes squeezed shut as suddenly fire coursed through her veins in a slow burn. The weights came off her body and Dr. Reinstein told them to turn on the power.

The next thing Ellie felt was light zapping. Until Dr. Reinstein said to turn it up to 50% then it felt as if thousands of needles were hitting her body at the same time. She gritted her teeth and if she was able to scream she would have at 80%. At 100%, a scream tore from her throat and all at the same time, every piece of glass exploded as the lights went out in the lab.

"Ellie!" Peggy yelled, "Is she on fire!?"

Ellie's eyes shot open and she at first saw bright light on her body.

In her hands were bright yellowish orange orbs, as if she were holding two light bulbs powered by her hands. Looking past her hands, she could see the outline of three people against the wall. One was holding the other smaller one as it tried to get to her.

"Ellie," Dr. Reinstein said and she looked at him with sparkling blue eyes, "Ellie, the serum must have given you some kind of powers. Try to will the light away from your hands… is it hurting?"

Ellie cleared her throat and a foreign voice came out of her mouth, "It's warm"

"Close your eyes and focus the energy away from your body"

Ellie closed her eyes and pushed the energy coursing through her body away from her.

"Good" Dr. Reinstein said, "Just try to relax and breathe"

Suddenly the lights burned brighter as the electricity spiked and Ellie passed out.

* * *

When Ellie reopened her eyes, she realized that she was still in the lab. Howard was on one side of her and Peggy holding her hand, which had her wedding rings back on it, on the other.

"Ellie, you are awake" Peggy said squeezing her hand, "How are you feeling?"

"Actually amazing. My body doesn't hurt for the first time in ages. I wonder if I have Steve's healing now" Ellie told her as she took a breath and inventoried her body, "My back doesn't hurt anymore"

"Ellie, do you remember what happened?" Howard asked walking closer to her.

"Oh the light…oh…the light" Ellie said staring at her hands as if the energy was still there.

"When you tried to… return the light… it essentially drained your own energy" Howard told her as he sat next to her, "you've been asleep for over a day"

"Shit" Ellie said as she looked around and everything was suddenly much clearer, "I think it improved my vision too. Everything is… weirdly clear. I mean I can see… everything. It's almost overwhelming"

"What else do you notice?" Peggy asked.

"It's like my brain is… sped up" Ellie told her, "I'm remembering things I forgot and...what happened to my voice?"

"Dr. Reinstein is hoping that goes back to normal but… Ellie when you screamed… all the glass in this room shattered" Peggy told her.

Ellie gripped the table and felt it move beneath her as if her hand were going through butter, "Did Steve have all these?"

Peggy shook her head, "No. He had enhanced senses, stamina, speed, healing and strength but… he couldn't manipulate light or shatter things with his scream"

"We are going to have to train you up" Howard said, "We will go to my property and test out what you have"

* * *

 ***~*~* December 29th, 1949- Malibu, California *~*~***

Ellie stood in front of Peggy in one of Howard's tank tops and a pair of shorts, her hands out next to her.

"Try it again" Peggy told her.

Ellie closed her eyes and focused drawing all the lights and energy around her into her hands and threw them as if the light in her hands were balls. Ellie grinned as she ran past Peggy and ran up the wall to grab the ball of energy then threw it back to the light in came from. She started falling from the wall and flipped, landing on her feet crouched.

She looked at Peggy, "How was that?"

"Scary" Peggy said with a grin.

Ellie shook her hands and Peggy frowned, "your hands are hurting you again?"

"It only lasts a few minutes now" Ellie told her as the lights went out again, "Damnit"

Ellie felt her eyes focusing into night vision mode as she mentally called it.

"Ellie!" Howard yelled.

"Sorry! Go to the breaker box and flip the breaker!" Ellie yelled trying not to scream out too loud and shatter any of the glass.

The lights came on a few minutes later and Ellie practiced manipulating light from one source to another as Howard walked into the room a few minutes later dazed.

"What's wrong Howard?" Peggy asked confused at the look on his face.

"One minute I was in the kitchen making a sandwich" Howard said pointing towards the kitchen, "The lights went out… then I was in the basement at the breaker box" Howard said confused.

Ellie and Peggy looked at each other.

"Wait what?" Peggy asked, "You don't remember Ellie telling you to flip the breaker?"

"No, did she?" Howard asked looking at Ellie.

"Yeah I did" Ellie said confused.

Peggy bit her lip, "Wait… Ellie tell him to do something"

Ellie looked at Howard and crossed her arms over her chest, "Howard jump up and down" Ellie told him.

Howard looked at her, "Why would you tell me to do something? I don't get it"

"No… yell it" Peggy suggested, "Not loud enough to break the glass though"

Ellie cleared her throat, "Howard jump up and down!"

Howard's eyes got wide and glassy then he started jumping up and down.

"What the hell!" Ellie said in shock as she yelled, "Stop!"

Howard shook his head, "What was that?!"

Peggy frowned as she looked at Ellie, "I think we just discovered a new ability"

Ellie groaned as she held her head, "God my head hurts"

Howard barely got to her in time to catch her as she passed out.

Ellie groaned as she opened her eyes and found herself in bed. She stretched and got up to find Peggy and Howard.

Thanks to her super hearing she heard Peggy stirring her tea in the kitchen, "I'm worried Howard"

"Me too Peg… her stability is getting worse, not better" Howard said, "I talked to Dr. Reinstein… we need to have a talk with Ellie. We can't keep her locked up here forever"

"What did Reinstein say?" Peggy asked as Ellie sat on the steps.

"Zola before we captured him, was doing research into cryogenics" Howard told her and Peggy must have given him a confused look, "You literally freeze a person to reduce damage. Then at some point you… defrost them"

"You think it's that extreme that we need to… freeze her?" Peggy asked.

"Dr. Reinstein is out of answers Peg" Howard told her his voice sounded dejected, "It's the last thing I want for her but… until we come up with answers we might have to"

Ellie laid her head on the wall and cried at the helplessness that she felt. Wishing that she could just be with Steve and Bucky again.

Peggy walked over to the stairs and Ellie opened her eyes as her footsteps got closer. She also noticed that the lights were blinking, "You heard?" Peggy asked sadly.

Ellie nodded, "Give me time… I can control this. If I can't… kill me so I am back with my husband and my brother"

"We aren't going to kill you Ellie" Peggy told her as she took her hands in hers.

Ellie looked up at her with tear filled eyes, "I literally have nothing else to lose Peg. All I have is you and Howard now"

Howard walked over to her, "We can do this Ellie. You know what, we need out of this house. How about we head to New York? You can see your family and we can be there for the New Year"

"Sounds like fun doesn't it?" Peggy asked.

Ellie gave her a fake smile, "Yeah"

* * *

*~ ***~* December 30th, 1949- Brooklyn *~*~***

Paying the cab driver, Ellie stepped out of the cab and he drove away. Ellie looked up at the house of her only remaining family and for the first time since she married into the family, she was terrified to enter it.

She sat down on the front steps and sighed looking out into the night. Thanks to her enhanced sight, she could see birds flying around and animal scurrying around. She squeezed her eyes shut when the street lights started flickering, willing herself to try to calm down.

The door behind her opened, "Can I help… Ellie?"

Ellie smiled at her, "Hey Becca"

"What are you doing on the steps? Did you knock and we didn't hear it?" Becca asked pulling her sweater around her tighter.

"Let's go inside, I don't want you to catch a cold" Ellie said as she got up and followed Becca into the house and listened, "Where is Scott and Jamie?"

"At his mother's house for the night. How did you know they weren't here?" Becca asked confused.

Ellie sighed, "Do I look different?"

"A little… more muscular and… lean I guess but no not really" Becca told her.

"Let's sit" Ellie said as she led Becca to the sitting room and they both sat down, "Remember how I told you Steve got a… drug to make him into Captain America" Ellie told her.

Becca nodded.

"They tried to recreate it on me" Ellie told her with a sigh, "But there were… issues with it. Not good things either"

"What's wrong?" Becca asked as she took her hand, "Did it hurt you?"

"No but… I'm…not right" Ellie told her as she took her hand away from Becca, "I can mess with light. Like…"

Ellie held her hand out to the lamp by the couch and willed the light into her hand, "Like that"

Becca's eyes were wide in the light that shone on her face.

"I have Steve's speed, strength… I can have increased stamina with some things, I heal fast like he did and my reflexes are amazing but… I can see in the dark now. I manipulate light and… I can yell or I shatter glass" Ellie told her as she willed the light back into the lamp and prayed it went back in without exploding.

"So what can you do?" Becca asked.

"I'm trying my best to keep sane at this point. Best part of it is my back is healed. No pain" Ellie told her as Becca took her hand again, "Sometimes I hate being… religious. Believing in something higher"

"Why?" Becca asked.

"I thought of ending it… I asked Peggy to kill me. I have a feeling this" Ellie said as she held up her hand and energy pulse around it, "Its killing me anyways"

"Did you know that your eyes glow when you do that?" Becca asked.

"Howard says they sparkle" Ellie told her with a sigh as she put her head in her hands, "I don't know what to do"

"What would Bucky tell you?" Becca asked.

"Well he probably would ask me what the hell I said yes for in the first place. Then he would tell me to Buck up… then laugh at his own little joke" Ellie told her.

"Exactly. Unless you are a danger to yourself or others, learn to control it. Push yourself" Becca told her as she took her hand and squeezed it, "I believe in you"

Ellie gave her a tearful smile.

* * *

 ***~*~* December 31st, 1949- New York City *~*~***

Ellie pulled her coat in closer to her as she, Howard, Mr. and Mrs. Jarvis and Peggy found a spot to watch the ball drop in Time Square from the top of the hotel they were on.

"You alright?" Peggy asked sitting next to her.

"Yeah, just… with all these lights… my body literally feels as if it were humming" Ellie told her.

Peggy patted her hand as Howard handed out champagne flutes filled with champagne.

"We have… two minutes until midnight. Let's make a quick toast. Here is to a better 1950 and 50s in general. Has to be better than the 40s" Howard said, "Cheers"

Ellie took a sip.

"Alcohol does nothing for you either?" Peggy inquired.

"Another Steve thing?" Ellie asked as Peggy nodded and she sighed, "Nope… I think I drank a whole bottle with dinner… not even a buzz"

"Steve… after Bucky passed, he drank almost an entire bottle of Scotch" Peggy told her, "Just made him more depressed because he couldn't get drunk. Do you regret saying yes?"

"Right now, yes. When I get control and start helping people? I hope not" Ellie told her as the ball on the top of the pole lit up and started dropping.

Ellie sighed as she watched it. Everyone around her was joyful and ready to ring in the 1950s but Ellie was dreading her future.

Suddenly her head felt as if it was going to explode and the lit ball flared and flickered.

Peggy screamed to Howard, "We need to get her off this roof!"

Ellie fell to her knees grabbing her head, "My head!"

Millions of people gasped as the ball exploded and the lights of Time Square all went dark.

Howard looked at Peggy and helped Ellie stand up.

* * *

 ***~*~* January 1st, 1950- New York City *~*~***

Ellie pulled her coat closer to her body as she walked down the road leading to her destination. It had been awhile since she had visited but she knew exactly how to find it as her footsteps led her to the exact place.

Dropping to her knees, her gloved hand dusted the snow from the stone.

 ** _James 'Bucky' Barnes_**

 _March 10_ _th_ _, 1917- May 1_ _st_ _, 1945_

Ellie ran her fingers over the spot next to his name.

 ** _Elizabeth Barnes_**

 _August 1_ _st_ _, 1919-_

Tears fell from her eyes, "Hey Buck"

She knew that his body was not lying under where she was kneeling but she felt his presence with her.

"Looks like I might be joining you sooner than either of us thought" Ellie told him, "They are putting me in something called Cryo-freeze in two days. You'd be pissed but… I pulled a Steve… and it's not working. People got hurt Buck… I blew up the Time Square ball"

She sat down and leaned against the tombstone, "Is it bad of me to say… I hope that my body doesn't take the cold and I can join you? I want to be with you so bad. I am tired of my body hurting, of my heart hurting"

From her spot on the ground, she saw the flowers and other decorations that littered the tombstone on the right of Bucky's, "I miss you and Stevie" She said as she stared at the little Captain America bear that sat under Steve's stone, "The Three Musketeers aren't really a team without all three"

She sat there until her body could no longer take the cold then kissed the stone, "See you soon baby"

She got up and looked at Steve's stone, "Love you Steve"

* * *

 ***~*~* January 3rd, 1950- Secret Lab in the USA *~*~***

Ellie sat in a chair in one of Dr. Reinstein's secret labs with her arms crossed over her body.

"Are you sure?" Peggy asked Ellie.

Ellie nodded, "Until we find a way to stabilize me, yes. I need to be put under Peg. I know Howard… he is going to work hard on this" Ellie grasped the chain around her neck that held Bucky's dog tags and her wedding rings.

Dr. Reinstein walked over to Ellie and sat next to her.

"This is what we are going to do Ellie. I am going to administer glycol and sodium phosphate as a cyroprotectant" Dr. Reinstein told her, "Ellie… you do understand the risks don't you?"

"There is a very good chance I'm not waking up… I know" Ellie told him with a sad smile, "I got nothing left to lose Doc"

Peggy squeezed her hand, "I will see you in a couple of years okay?"

Ellie lay down on the table and closed her eyes as Dr. Reinstein put the IV in her arm.

She looked up at him, "Thank you Doc"

The table she was on raised up and Ellie looked at it as the pod started closing around her, 'Steve's pod… only fitting' was her last thought as the pod closed and she closed her eyes as the cold hit.

* * *

a/n: So where does she go from here? What do you think? Longest chapter to date. Thank you for reading and reviewing (please?! lol)


	15. Chapter 15 - To Love You More

a/n: Anything you recognize, it is property of Marvel. Ellie is purely of my own imagination.

a/n2: Thank you for the favorites: DarkDust27 and lizzy-marie0623 as well as moonlight, Marie3021, Aquila88, for the follow!

Starmistress97, PistolHattersButtercup and Fatjack36, thank you for the reviews. Hoping this chapter answers some questions!

* * *

 _Take me back in the arms I love_  
 _Need me like you did before_  
 _Touch me once again_  
 _And remember when_  
 _There was no one that you wanted more_

 **~ To Love You More by Celine Dion**

* * *

 ***~*~* March 25, 1987- Secret Lab in the USA *~*~***

The next time Ellie Barnes opened her eyes, she was lying on the same bed shivering. She tried to clear her throat and croaked out, "It didn't work" She heard her rough voice say as she looked up at the lab's blurred ceiling.

"Ellie… it did" A voice said at the end of her bed.

Blinking, she tried to make her eyes focus and saw a man standing in front of her. He looked familiar but she couldn't place his name as he came around to the side of her bed.

"Ellie… it's me, its Howard" He told her as he took her hand in his own.

"No!" Ellie said taking in his gray hair and mustache.

She looked around to not only see him, but an elderly gentleman, "No, you are too old"

"Ellie, you've been asleep for 37 years" Howard told her calmly.

"What?" Ellie asked shocked as she tried to sit up.

"Take your time. Your body is still trying to wake up" The elderly gentleman told her taking her hand in his and holding her wrist as he looked at his watch.

Ellie looked at him, "Dr. Reinstein?"

He smiled, "Welcome to 1987"

Ellie looked around, "So I am 68 years old in a 30 year old's body?"

Howard nodded, "Essentially. We tried to figure out how to cure you for the longest time Ellie but technology and medicine didn't advance as fast as we thought it would"

"But you think you've figured it out?" Ellie asked them.

Dr. Reinstein nodded, "We now have drugs called mood stabilizers which held control impulses in the brain. I am hoping that it stabilizes your body. I've already given them to you in the IV"

Ellie looked at her hand that currently had an IV in it, "Where is Peggy?"

"She doesn't know…that we woke you up yet at least" Howard told her, "She is currently working with another SHIELD agent"

"SHIELD… SHIELD… the agency that you and Peggy created right?" Ellie asked as she felt like her brain had been through a blender.

Howard looked at Dr. Reinstein then back at Ellie, "Yes, are you having memory issues?"

"Just a little foggy in spots I guess" Ellie said as she sighed, "So… what are we going to do now that I am awake?"

Dr. Reinstein looked at the IV bag, "well you have one entire bag of the stabilizers in you and part of another. How about you try your powers… see if it helps"

"I'm still kind of cold. I don't know if that will affect them at all" Ellie told them rubbing her hands together. As she separated them tendrils of light, as if she had created a cat's cradle, interweaved through her fingers. "Well that's a no"

"You can create light" Howard said in awe.

"No, I am still pulling it from the lights above but… I feel more controlled. Doc, I think it worked" Ellie told him with a smile.

"We will do some more tests and trials before we know for sure, but it does look promising" Dr. Reinstein told her returning her smile.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 12, 1987- Virginia *~*~***

In the two weeks since she had awoken, she had secretly stayed at Howard's house to recover. It was also to mentally re-acclimatize her to the current world. It was so weird to think of, but Howard's teenage son had helped her. She and Howard had not explained the situation to him so Anthony thought she had amnesia after a field incident.

* * *

 _Howard led Ellie into his house, with Jarvis following, "I have your room ready for you, its upstairs… I will warn you that it is within hearing distance of Anthony's room"_

" _I can't believe you are a father" Ellie said in disbelief as he led her up the stairs._

" _I can't still believe it either. I don't know how to be a father… now that he is a teenager… it's even worse" Howard told her, "Here I'll introduce you"_

 _Howard walked over to a door with the sign on it that said 'KEEP OUT. DANGER. EXPLOSIVES IN USE'_

" _Explosive personality?" Ellie joked._

 _Jarvis gave her a look, "No ma'am… he has had explosives in there prior to today. I will take these bags to your room"_

" _Okay then" Ellie said as Howard knocked, "Thank you Jarvis"_

" _It's been a pleasure again ma'am" Jarvis said as he walked further down the hall._

 _Howard knocked louder to be heard over the music._

 _Ellie frowned, "That is music now?"_

" _Rock music" Howard told her as the door opened and a young boy appeared wearing headphones on his ears, "Can you turn that racket off? I want to talk to you"_

 _Anthony rolled his eyes and turned around, slamming the door behind him._

 _Howard opened it and led Ellie into the room, "Excuse the mess"_

" _This is my room I can… well hello"_

 _Ellie wanted to laugh as his attitude changed within seconds._

" _Hello gorgeous, I am Tony" He said as he took Ellie's hand in his and kissed the back of it, "Pleasure to meet you Miss-"_

" _Ms. Ellie" Howard told him, "She was married Anthony and is recently widowed"_

" _You must have married young. It's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Ellie" Tony said._

" _Agent Ellie as well, so try anything and she could put you on the floor" Howard warned him._

" _You are an agent at SHIELD?" Tony said surprised, "Wow"_

" _She is staying down the hall in the purple room, so try to keep it down. She is having some… issues and just wants to relax" Howard told him._

" _Scouts honor, I'll stay quiet. If I bother you sweetheart, just let me know. If you need anything, just ask" Tony said with a grin._

 _Ellie tried not to laugh, "Thank you…Tony"_

 _Howard shut the door behind them and he shook his head, "Sorry about that"_

" _He's cute…reminds me of you so much" Ellie told him._

" _He is nothing like me" Howard told her as he led her down the hall._

" _Really? Ladies man, smooth talker? Nope nothing like you were at all" Ellie said with a grin, "How did Maria even rein you in?"_

" _Funny" Howard said as he opened her room's door, "Here is your room… Maria decorated it"_

" _Definitely… purple" Ellie said as she walked in and sat on the bed, "So how did you and Maria meet?"_

" _She was actually dating one of my employees at Stark industries. She and his bodyguard got into it and I stepped in…and helped her win against him" Howard told her, "She puts up with me. I…I could be a much better husband"_

" _Never too late to change" Ellie told him with a sad smile, "There are so many things that I did that I know always annoyed Bucky… I wish… I wish things should have been different"_

* * *

With a sigh, Ellie put the map down on the passenger seat next to her, she pulled down the street that Howard told her the house that she was looking for was on. Once she found the address and pulled into the driveway, Ellie put the car she was driving into park in front of a beautiful two story house. She climbed out of the car, pulling at the offending denim restricting her legs, wondering why something so constricting had became so popular.

Walking up to the front door, she had started to knock when the door opened. She had heard footsteps coming towards the door so she had anticipated it.

A man stood on the other side with a cane in one hand and the door handle in the other, "Hello"

"Hello sir, I was wondering if this was Peggy Carter's residence." Ellie asked.

The man looked at her wide-eyed, "Howard did it. What is your code name?"

"Phoenix" Ellie told him with a smile, "You must be Peggy's husband"

"Daniel, who is it?" Peggy's voice asked from somewhere in the house. It hadn't really changed much at least.

"Honey, you better get down here" He said, "Come on in. I'm Daniel, Daniel Sousa"

"I remember Peggy mentioning you" Ellie told him shaking his hand.

Footsteps came down the stairs, faster than she anticipated for a 60-some- year old.

Ellie grinned as Peggy appeared in an outfit that 1940s Peggy would never be caught dead in with graying hair, "What the hell are you wearing Miss Union Jack?"

Peggy froze on the foot of the stairs, "Elizabeth?"

"Hey Peg" Ellie said.

Peggy ran over and hugged her. Ellie held her close and held back the tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

Peggy stood back and held her face in her, now slightly wrinkled hands, "Howard did it… oh lord… you haven't aged a day"

"Yeah I'm not sure whether it totally is awful being technically 67 in a 30 year old's body… when I don't think or feel 67" Ellie told her as she looked around, "You had kids"

Peggy smiled, "Yes I did. This is my son, Ulysses"

Ellie looked at her, "Please tell me you didn't name your son that god awful name that Bucky wanted to name the baby!"

Peggy laughed as Daniel rolled his eyes and walked over to their couch sitting down, "No, who would do that to a child? No, he is Daniel Junior, we call him DJ. This is my Lizzie"

"Lizzie?" Ellie asked.

Peggy nodded with a sad smile, "I tried to get them to wake you up for her birth. I wanted you to be her Godmother and be there for the baptism but Howard said no. I was being selfish. They figured it out?"

Ellie nodded as she held up her hands and in between them light pulsed flowing as if golden water was held between.

Daniel looked at her, "You are enhanced"

Ellie looked at Peggy.

"I never told him that part. He only knows about Steve" Peggy told her.

"Well Daniel, yes I am. I have all my brothers… super powers... abilities what have you but I also have… what did Howard call it… photokinesis? The ability to control light and manipulate it. I also have enhanced vision and can see in the dark. I can shatter glass with my voice… so I guess I am an opera singer!" Ellie said with a grin.

"What the hell did they give you?" Peggy asked with a laugh, "You are happy"

"Mood stabilizers, hey are you saying I was a bitch?" Ellie asked.

Peggy sighed, "Howard has you hanging out with Anthony doesn't he?" Peggy asked.

Ellie shrugged, "Tony is a cute kid. Smart but a wise ass. He is catching me up. Guess I missed a lot. Of course all Tony really wants to show me is the technology aspect and… Nintendo"

Peggy laughed; "Sound like him" Peggy said as she led her to their sitting room, "How did he take it when he found out who you were?"

"Howard told him basically that I was a friend of his and I'd been living under a rock and I needed his help getting caught up with the world. Tony thinks that I am an amnesiac. When he showed me his computer and I asked where the rest of it was" Ellie told them and Daniel laughed, "Seriously… I'm screwed as far as technology… its everywhere. I forgot to hook up to my IV one night and the next day I woke up and poor Howard's TV was fried, his…VCR, which is amazing. Steve and Bucky would love the fact you can watch pictures at home now, whenever you want. We went to see Snow White one time. Big tough Bucky suddenly was a sap for Snow White"

"I remember Steve mentioning it. You guys went to Time Square to see it" Peggy said.

Ellie smiled sadly as the memories started flowing and with a head shake as she was suddenly thrust back into the future, "Yeah, Steve's favorite was-"

"Wizard of Oz" Peggy said with a smile.

Ellie nodded, "Even before he could see colors"

"Steve was color blind?" Daniel asked.

Ellie looked over at him, "Until he became Captain America, the serum fixed his vision. Steve was a mess before he became Captain America. Asthma, heart issues, if someone sneezed on him… he'd get pneumonia. It was the depression so we couldn't afford medicine. Mom always joked that she wished bubbles could go around him"

"Until you talk like that, I forgot you were really from that time. You don't look it at all" Daniel told her.

"Well they always told Steve he'd age slow… that will probably be me as well" Ellie told them.

"So what are you going to do? Now that you are… awake?" Peggy asked.

"I already told Howard, there was no way that I was going to be able to live with them much longer. So I bought a cabin up in the Adirondack Mountains where Bucky and I spent our honeymoon. Turns out that between Bucky's back pay and benefits, plus my own… I'm a millionaire. So I bought it outright" Ellie told her, "It's on 7 acres and it's on this beautiful pond. It's a private lake so I have privacy. It has 3 bedrooms, so you guys are free to come visit whenever you want. Steve and I always wanted a real home... it's my way of having one. I have a feeling I am going to get bored fast so… I'll be doing something for SHIELD I'm sure. My favorite part of the house, outside of the wood fired heater… it has something called a dish washer"

Peggy laughed, "Amazing invention isn't it?"

"My goodness yes! I always hated doing dishes and I'd make Bucky and Steve do it for me" Ellie told her with a laugh.

Peggy took her hand, "I'm so glad you are back… I feel as if no time has passed again"

Ellie smiled, "I know, although you don't look your age at all. What are you…. 65?"

"66, I know… old" Peggy said as they laughed.

* * *

 ***~*~* May 27, 1987- Brooklyn, NY *~*~***

Ellie looked around amazed how Brooklyn had changed since the late 1940s. Clutching an address in her hand, she glanced down at it. She navigated the now classic Harley Davidson motorcycle that once belonged to Steve through the streets and parked it next to a modest home.

She took the helmet off and sighed as she stared at the home.

Taking a breath, she put the kickstand down then walked up the driveway and rang the doorbell.

The door opened, "Hello…oh my lord" The woman said as she saw her.

"Hey Becca" Ellie said.

Becca open the screen door and stepped out onto the front stoop, "How?"

"Science?! Let's go inside and I'll explain more" Ellie told her.

Becca opened the door for her and led her inside. They sat down in her sitting room and Becca just stared at her, "I can't… I can't believe it"

"Yeah, I meant to say goodbye and tell you what was happening but… I didn't expect to be…asleep for 37 years" Ellie told her as she looked up at her, "Have you heard of Cryogenics?"

Becca nodded.

"Well then yeah… my powers… I couldn't control them so… they froze me" Ellie told her.

"And it worked?" Becca asked.

"Well I'm awake. I can control them a little better with this drug cocktail they have me on" Ellie told her showing her the tendrils of light between her fingers.

"You look like your could be your own daughter" Becca said amazed, "You haven't aged at all"

"Yeah, its little weird thinking I am 30 still… when I am 67" Ellie told her, "SHIELD gave me a new identity…I'm buying a house up near where Bucky and I had our honeymoon. I have a new chance at life"

"Are you still going to do your old job?" Becca asked.

Ellie shrugged, "I… I haven't really decided. I'm learning things about the current age so that I could but… I am not active yet"

"So… what is your new name?" Becca asked.

"Liz, not completely different but Liz Barnes. With the birth date of when I went under" Ellie told her, "When I get settled upstate you should come visit. I'd love it"

"I will have to" Becca told her with a smile.

* * *

 ***~*~* June 14, 1987- Tupper Lake, NY *~*~***

Ellie rolled over in her bed and instead of rolling over to empty space like she was used to, there was a body next to her. Opening her eyes, she found a pair of gray-blue eyes staring down at her, "Buck?"

"Hey baby" Bucky said with a smile pulling her closer.

"What… what are you doing here?" Ellie asked confused as she looked around her new home, "Am I dead?"

"No… it's our anniversary… I don't want you to spend it alone" Bucky told her.

Ellie ran her hand over his face, "How… how are you so…"

"Solid? I've been a guardian angel and the big guy thought I deserved a special favor. One night only" Bucky told her.

Ellie sat up in disbelief.

Bucky grinned, "How can I convince you?"

"Tell me something only you would know" Ellie said.

"Well… you have a spot under your ear right here" Bucky said as he leaned over and kissed it then nipped, which instantly made her moan, "Is an instant turn on for you"

"Oh god… Buck" Ellie said as she pulled his face down to hers and straddled his lap, "I… I don't know how but… thank you God"

"El… I am so sorry how things went down" Bucky said as he ran his hands up and down her back, "When I went on that mission with Steve… I didn't think it would be the end. Then the baby… I wish I could have prevented that. He deserved to be born to this world"

"He?" Ellie asked.

Bucky smiled, "It was a boy… I was able to meet him before he moved on. He was so perfect"

Ellie laid her head on his shoulder and the tears started falling, "All I have wanted to be was a mother… now I will never get that chance"

"Why not?"

Ellie looked at him, "What do you mean? You are in heaven and I am down here"

"El…angel…I don't want you to put your life on hold because I am gone. You deserve the world. If I can't give it to you, there is someone out there that can. You have the second chance Angel… you are 30 years old when you should be nearly 70 years old. You are going to be a great mother" Bucky told her.

"But I don't want it to be without you" Ellie cried.

"I know baby but… if it's meant to be, it would be" Bucky told her, "But… I do want to give you one last thing"

"What is that?" Ellie asked.

"Me… one last time" Bucky told her as he rolled her onto her back.

Ellie felt his fingertips slide up her forearm, around her elbow and down the inside of her arm until his hand was in hers as he pinned it over her head.

"Can you-" Ellie said as he silenced her with a kiss.

"Yes… I'm yours… flesh and blood for one night only" Bucky told her as she felt his fingers slide down under the crotch of her panties under her nightdress and enter her.

Ellie gasped as her body tingled for the first time since the serum, in a way that was heightened from what she had ever felt before.

His mouth continued to cover hers, muffling her gasp. She felt him smile through their kiss as he pushed his fingers deeper into her. Her head lolled back, and throaty "God," came from deep within her throat.

"Nah, not a God… just a really special angel for my Angel girl" Bucky said as he let go of her hand and she grasped his shoulders as he bent down, pushing her panties completely down to her ankles. She kicked them aside before wrapping a leg around his waist.

She looked into his eyes, as she felt him slide against her, searching for entrance. His face was flushed and he was gasping with each thrust until he finally drove himself deep within her with a long, low moan.

"Buck" Ellie gasped.

"Angel are you ready to go to heaven?" Bucky asked.

Ellie laughed and sobbed at the same time.

"That was bad" Bucky said as he grabbed her other leg and wrapped it around his waist, going deeper and deeper inside her.

She had no idea how long they were there, how long Bucky thrust into her, how many times her heels dug into his behind, pushing him further and further in so that she felt, at the height of it, as if she was going to split in two before she burst. She was aware, more than she ever had been before, of him moving inside her - in and out, in and out - and how every time he pulled out her she felt empty until finally, with a deep thrust he buried his face in her neck and groaned in release. She felt him shudder as he ground his hips into hers and thrusted again and again until he was finally still, the only sign of life his rapid breathing.

Tears fell from her eyes and she bit her lip trying not to sob into hysterics.

"Shhh," he replied, lifting his head to look at her, "It's going to be alright"

Ellie let him pull her close and she rested her head on his chest.

"So…I've seen your powers from a far" Bucky said as he pointed towards the ceiling, "Can I see?"

Ellie held her hand out and a ball of light danced between her fingertips.

"Wow, so just the serum brought this on?" Bucky asked.

"Yeah and some electricity" Ellie said settling back onto his chest.

Bucky ran his hand up and down her arm, "Angel… you need to go back to sleep"

"I don't want to… you will be gone when I wake up" Ellie said.

"I'm always here. You just can't see me" Bucky told her as he kissed her, "I'm in the wind in your hair and the sun on your face. Anything to see you smile"

"I love you so much Buck" Ellie told him.

"I know… I wish we had longer but I am glad we had this time" Bucky told her, "I love you so much Angel"

Ellie lost the battle with her eye lids then immediately opened them again to find herself, dressed again in an empty bed and sighed as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

'I don't want you to put your life on hold' She heard Bucky's voice whisper in her mind.

She pushed herself out of bed and pulled her robe close to her, walking downstairs to make herself a cup of tea.

* * *

Emotionally exhausted after her dream from the night before, Ellie was sitting on her back porch reading a book when she heard tires against gravel. Marking her page, she stood up and looked towards her driveway to see a town car. Attempting to look through the car, she saw two people in the backseat and smiled. Glad for the distraction, she opened the back door and walked back into her bedroom, then downstairs to open the door before they even emerged from their car.

"About time you guys got out here!" Ellie grinned as she saw Howard and Peggy, "You didn't bring Maria or Daniel?"

"Unfortunately this isn't a social call Ellie" Howard told her sadly holding up a file.

"Well damn, come on in" Ellie told them opening the screen door.

Howard held the door open for Peggy.

"This is such a cute little house" Peggy told her looking around, "I love the touches"

"They have an amazing antiques store about a half hour away… its weird to think of my tastes as antiques but… it feels more like home but I got one of those VCR players too" Ellie said as Howard laughed, "So if it's not a social call, what's up?"

"I'm not sure if you watch the news but President Reagan went to Berlin and made a big speech to basically Gorbachev to tear down the wall. It has just fueled the revolution" Howard told her.

"Okay Howard, you are going to have to catch me up. Who is Gorbachev?" Ellie asked pointing for them to have a seat.

They both sat on her couch as she sat in the rocking chair and started to read the file.

"Shit… I forgot, sorry. Mikhail Gorbachec is the leader of the Soviet Union. In Berlin, they put a wall around the entire city separating East and West Berlin. West Berlin is still Soviet, while East Berlin is heavily German" Howard told her, "it's heavily militarized and guarded"

Ellie rolled her eyes, "it always comes back to Berlin and Germany and the Soviets doesn't it?"

"Seems that way" Peggy told her, "What we need you to do, is use not only your abilities but you are our best spy. We need you to infiltrate in the area to get a feel for tensions. We also have a feeling that the KGB is recruiting from that area. They have a program called the Red Room… they take young women and recruit them to become spies. We are hoping to either steal recruits away from them or eliminate them if needed"

"Sounds so… cold" Ellie said with a frown.

"It is called the Cold War" Howard told her.

"Alright, when do I leave?" Ellie asked as Bucky's voice echoed in her head again.

* * *

A/n3: So we have been introduced to Tony! He now knows her. And she will be infiltrating the Red Room… who will come in next chapter?! Also… I have written two chapters in the last week… so I might have an extra chapter to post… if I had the motivation ;) Thank you for reading! Please review so I know how you guys are liking it!


	16. Chapter 16 - Heaven

a/n: SURPRISE! So I am sitting here watching The Martian (side note: if you haven't watched it before. Must do! Seb's part is really small but it's a great movie!) and I thought that I would be nice and post a new chapter. I have anxiously been awaiting being able to post this chapter. SO please tell me what you think of it! Enjoy!

* * *

 _Everybody's talking about heaven like they just can't wait to go_  
 _Saying how it's gonna be so good, so beautiful_  
 _Lying next to you, in this bed with you, I ain't convinced_  
 _'Cause, I don't know how, I don't know how heaven, heaven_  
 _Could be better than this_

 ** _~Heaven by Kane Brown_**

* * *

 ***~*~* July 21, 1987- Murmansk, Soviet Union *~*~***

Ellie sat in a park in Murmanski, a city in the Northwestern edge of the Soviet Union, observing a group of women that she suspected during her stakeouts of being in the trafficking ring that was a feeder to the Red Room.

A man walked up to one of the girls and spoke to her, then grabbed the woman's arm, dragging her away as the other woman hit and tried to pull her friend away from the man.

Ellie stood up, gauging the situation and whether to jump in. Following them into an alley, she knew enough Russian to know that the situation was escalating quickly and the man did not have good intentions as he knocked the friend over and she fell, hitting her head then did not move.

"Hey!" Ellie yelled.

"Obratite vnimaniye na svoyu biznes-ledi" The man yelled as he put his hand on the girl's neck.

Ellie ran at him, jumped and kicked at the man's body causing him to release the woman. The man turned around and grabbed Ellie's neck, lifting her off the ground.

Ellie grabbed at the man's arm and kicked at him, trying to get him to release her. Attempting to pull energy from the sign at the corner, she tried to shock him but was unsuccessful, when he did not drop her. Suddenly the man was lifted off the ground and thrown against a dumpster.

Gasping for air as she coughed, Ellie looked at her savior through watery eyes. He had long blonde hair, was muscular and wore clothing from the 1960s. He definitely appeared that he was in the wrong place.

"The lady obviously was not interested in your affections, I see that you need to leave her alone" His voice boomed.

The man stood up and realized he was no match, then took off.

Her savior walked over to her and held out his hand. Taking it, she flew into his chest as he pulled her up.

"God you are strong" Ellie rasped.

"As are you, are you one of these so called, 'enhanced' individuals? I saw power flow through your hands" The man asked.

"Not enough to do anything. Are you? Is that how you are so strong?" Ellie asked him.

The man grinned, "No for I am Thor, son of Odin. The prince of Asgard. Here to Midgard on a quest"

Ellie looked at him, "You are joking right? Thor? God of Thunder? I think the oxygen was depleted from my brain more than I thought"

Thor put his hand out and something flew to it, "I do not joke"

"That's… a real hammer. My god, you are real" Ellie said in shock.

"Yes, I believe I am" Thor said as he held it out for her to look at.

"What is this quest?" Ellie asked as she ran her finger over the cool metal, "I am Ellie Barnes by the way"

"Hello Miss Ellie" Thor said, "My quest is to find an item my father hid here on Midgard, long ago believing it to be safe but our gatekeeper, Heimdall… no longer senses it. So I am on a quest to find it"

"Can I buy you dinner to thank you?" Ellie asked, "or do you not have to eat?"

"I would be glad to have sustenance Miss Ellie" Thor said.

They walked to a local restaurant and sat down.

"Are you the only… Asgardian here?" Ellie asked after they ordered food.

"No, there are others but I am the only royal Asgardian. My father trusted me on this mission" Thor said, "Are you the only… one here of your family?"

"Yes…my parents both died long ago, my brother Steve and my husband Bucky as well. It's just me" Ellie told her with a sad smile, "I…I am special in a way that I…in a special place in the fact that I am really 68 years old. Things happened and now I am here. Just trying to re…reinvent myself I guess"

"Fortunes will smile on you again Miss Ellie" Thor said, "I believe things will be looking up for you soon. You are destined for greatness"

"Not sure about that but I appreciate the thoughts. I am still trying to figure out my place here"

* * *

 **~*~*~ August 1, 1987- Bucharest, Romania *~*~***

Ellie walked through the streets of Bucharest, Romania. Her intelligence operative that she had here through SHIELD was supposed to be meeting her in the market. He had contacted her to say that he had some information about the Red Room.

Walking through the market, she walked over to the produce stand.

A man walked up next to her and picked up an orange, "Do you like oranges?"

"I am partial to apples myself" Ellie told him as she looked at him.

"Patru mere pentru această tinere doamnă, vă rog" He told the vendor as he paid for four apples.

"Multumesc" Ellie said.

They left the market and walked towards an area less traveled and crowded.

"Liz, I believe what you are looking for can be found at the Opera Center. There is a ballet appearance tonight. Many of the ballerinas could be what you are looking for" He told her.

"Thank you Peter. What can I do for your assistance?" Ellie asked.

"Get these son of a bitches" Peter told her as he kissed the back of her hand then walked away.

Later that night, dressed in a nice dress. Ellie walked into the opera center and found her seat. Swan Lake was playing tonight and Ellie smiled as the music started playing over the speakers. She closed her eyes and let it take her back to 1937 to when Steve and Bucky had taken her downtown to see Swan Lake all those years ago.

" _I think this is our stop" Bucky said as the subway stopped._

 _Ellie and Steve stood up and followed him out of the subway car. As Ellie walked up the stairs, she started tripping and Bucky quickly caught her._

" _You alright?" Bucky asked._

" _Just a clutz, thank you" Ellie said as he tucked her arm into his own._

" _Can't have a beautiful lady like yourself ruin her outfit before the big performance, can we?" Bucky asked._

 _Ellie smiled as they walked out of the subway towards the theater where the performance was going to be held. Steve slowed and looked at the window front of an art store that they were passing and Bucky looked over at her, his arm still in hers._

" _You look beautiful today by the way" Bucky told her._

 _Ellie blushed, "Stop, this is one of momma's old dresses that I just threw on"_

" _But you do, Steve and I will have our hands full telling all those threatening non-gentleman to back off" Bucky told her._

 _Ellie glanced at him, "Are you included in those gentleman?"_

" _Takes one to know one sweetheart" Bucky told her with a wink as Steve caught up._

" _If they… are still open when we are done… I need to go to that store" Steve gasped pointing at the art supply store._

" _Steve, we could have slowed down. You need not to have run" Ellie told him._

" _I did yell out, you didn't hear me" Steve said taking her other arm._

 _As they reached the theater, Bucky held the door open for them._

" _Thank you sir" Ellie said as she entered._

 _The sheer beauty of the theater overwhelmed her senses. From the murals, to the lights, to the music wafting through the speakers._

" _This is amazing" Ellie said in awe._

 _Bucky took her arm again and led them to the usher._

" _This way sirs and madam" The usher said after checking their tickets._

 _After finding their seats, Bucky helped her take her coat off then they sat down looking down at the stage from the balcony below._

 _A smaller performance group was dancing on the stage currently before the professionals were to take over._

 _Ellie closed her eyes and listened as the music played._

" _Merry Christmas Ellie" Bucky said kissing the back of her hand._

" _Yeah sis, Merry Christmas" Steve said looking on the walls, "Look at these murals"_

 _Bucky just laughed and looked at her._

Looking back, Ellie was surprised at the time, that she did not realize Bucky's affections for her. Subconsciously she wished she had, so that they would have had more time together.

"But we do"

Ellie glanced into the open seat next to her, to see something that had been plaguing her for the last few months. At first it was only in dreams, but now… he was here in a seat next to her, "Bucky go away, you aren't real"

"But I am always here with you Angel" Bucky told her with a smile.

"That's the problem. You aren't really" Ellie said as she reached to touch him and he disappeared.

Ellie sighed as she closed her eyes and willed her brain to cooperate, 'I'm not going crazy' She thought as the lights dimmed and Swan Lake started.

* * *

 **~*~*~ August 19, 1987- Bucharest, Romania *~*~***

Ellie picked the lock on the house of a possible feeder of the Red Room and slipped inside, quietly shutting the door behind her. After the ballet, she had received a good amount of intelligence that the women that had not been deemed important enough to the organization and sequential ballerinas, where housed in this house.

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she noticed that it was very disorganized in the house. It was as if multiple people lived in the home but no one truly cared for it.

She crept closer into the main area and saw a young girl on a mattress on the floor. The girl appeared no older than 14 or 15 at most. As she got closer, the girl's red head rose up from the mattress and she jumped up ready for battle.

"Vin in pace (I come in peace)" Ellie said in Romanian with her hands up in front of her.

The girl smiled, "Funny American, we do not. Acum ia-o (Now take her)"

Ellie jumped as someone grabbed her from behind and she flipped, slipping from his grasp. They battled for a few minutes as women went running after he yelled, "Наталья! Возьмите остальных и вернитесь на домашнюю базу. Я буду обращаться с глупой американской женщиной" (Natalia! Take the others and go back to home base. I will handle the stupid American woman)"

Ellie saw an opportunity of his distraction and flipped him over onto the ground and straddled his hips, holding his legs down with her feet and his arms with her hands. Her hair created a curtain around them, restricting his vision but helping her night vision come in more, so that she could see the mask around his eyes and face in more detail. She felt the metal arm under her right hand shift in spots as if it was fighting with itself not to throw her off, "What was that about a stupid American woman?"

Through her enhanced hearing, she could hear the man's breathe catch and a muffled whisper, "Ellie"

Her left arm left his right and her left leg reclaimed the arm as she leaned forward putting her arm on his throat, "How do you know that?"

"I… I don't know" He said speaking English, "I…I know you…your smell… its Chantilly"

Ellie jumped back and listened around them to hear no one else in the house. All the women had escaped. She used her powers and turned the lights in the room on.

In front of her was a man, who was now sitting up. He had goggles covering his eyes and a mask over his mouth. He was wearing an all black uniform and had a metal left arm instead of a natural flesh arm that was on his right. His hair hung towards his shoulders and was dirty and untamed.

"How did you do that?" He asked jumping to his own feet defensively.

"No…" Ellie said as the realization hit her, "No! They… how? Снимите маски! (Take off the mask!)"

His back went straighter as he reached back and sheathed his knife onto his back, and then unfastened the mask covering his eyes.

"Oh god" Ellie said falling to her knees as she saw the familiar blue eyes staring back at her.

His eyes were cold and lifeless as he stared at her confused, "You are not my handler. How are you making orders?" He asked in Russian.

"You have no idea who I am, do you?" Ellie asked as she held herself back from reaching up to touch his face.

He cocked his head to the side, "Ellie…and you mean something" He said replying English, "Were you in a past mission?"

Ellie forced herself to stand up and she slowly walked over to him, reaching up to unfasten the mask from his face. It fell to the ground with a loud thud, "What did they do to you? How… how did you survive? You haven't aged hardly at all" Not able to stop herself, she laid her hand on his cheek. She tried not to sob as her skin made contact with his.

He inhaled and closed his eyes as if he was savoring her touch, "They are real"

"What is real?" Ellie asked glad that he hadn't have disappeared when she touched him, which meant that he in fact was real as well.

"You… the dreams" He said as he opened his eyes, "They… when they let me dream…I dream of you. I… I am not Yakov in my dreams. I… you call me-"

"Bucky" Ellie said as a tear fell down her face.

His eyes widened, "You know that name?"

Ellie reached into her suit and pulled out her necklace that held not only her wedding rings but his dog tags, "yes I do Buck. Look"

He walked closer to her and held them in his hand, "James B Barnes…32557038" His breathing increased and he looked at her, "Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes 32557038" Bucky said as he touched the rings next to the dog tags, "Your wedding rings…oh god" He collapsed to his knees.

Ellie fell to the ground next to him as he held his head, "Bucky… Bucky" She said as the lights began to blink, "Fuck it" She said waving her hand and it stopped, then she held her hand out in front of him with a ball of light within it.

Bucky moved back as if she were going to hurt him, "What the hell! Ellie!"

"Do you know who I am?" Ellie asked him slowly.

"My wife and how the hell are you holding a fireball?" Bucky asked in shock looking at her face.

"Well now that you remember me, you are going to be mad at me… great" Ellie said sheepishly as she bit her lip, "I did a stupid and reckless thing"

Bucky shook his head, "Sounds like someone…you're related to him" He said racking his brain.

"Steve, my brother. Your best friend. I got the same… enhancements as he did but… more" Ellie told him.

Bucky groaned as he looked up at her, "Really Ellie? You got the serum too?"

"I thought you were dead and Steve was dead and-"

Bucky looked at her shocked, "Steve…Steve's dead?"

Ellie nodded, "God Buck… what did they do to you? I assume it was the Soviets… your arm just screams Soviet Union with the red star"

Bucky's right arm came up and rubbed the metal, "I don't remember… I just remember a lot of pain"

A newspaper was on the floor next to them and Bucky picked it up, his eyes wide, "Ellie… what day is it?"

"I think it's a Wednesday but we are in August I know for sure" Ellie said.

"This paper says 1987… how are we in 1987?" Bucky asked confused as he looked at her, "You definitely don't look 60 years old. You look… older but not that much older"

"Neither do you honey" Ellie told him, "I don't know how you made it here but… I…the me being stupid again. I doubt you remember Howard but after I got these enhancements… I went unstable. In fact I blew up the New Years ball on Time Square but that's another story for another day. They thought they would try to do an experimental thing that… was just science fiction until it happened to me, they froze me" Ellie told him, "I just woke up a few months ago but now they have the medicine to help me"

"The cold" Bucky said with a frown as he looked at her, "I hate the cold"

"Steve said when you fell, it was into a ravine in the Arctic Circle. Do you remember being found? We sent search parties and they didn't find… you" Ellie said.

Bucky shook his head then jumped up, "We have to get out of here! They will find us"

"Who?" Ellie asked as he pulled her up.

"Hydra" Bucky said as he pulled her out of the door.

"Where are we going to go?" Ellie asked as he pulled her against the side of the building as people walked past.

"I remember an abandoned house… three streets down" Bucky said looking at her, "Can you run?"

Ellie grinned, "You lead"

Bucky started to run and she easily followed. They dodged behind cars and buildings, through doors and out the other sides of buildings before they made it to a house.

"Hold on" Ellie said as she closed her eyes and only heard Bucky's breathing, "There is no one here"

Bucky picked the lock and they walked inside. Ellie held her hand out and willed the street light into her palm, "that's just so weird" Bucky said as Ellie checked the house then transferred the light to a lamp, "What else can you do?"

"Same as Steve. I'm strong-"

"Really strong, I couldn't believe you were holding me down" Bucky told her.

"I can run fast, I have great balance and reflexes and I heal fast… but I have enhanced vision… I can see in the dark, shapes and outlines. I can manipulate light and… I… we don't even know what to call it but I have this scream that can shatter glass and if I tell someone to do something… usually they do it without realizing it" Ellie told him.

"And the SSR gave you this?" Bucky asked.

Ellie nodded, "They were trying to recreate Steve's and they got me instead"

Bucky walked over to her and touched her face, "I can't believe you're real"

Ellie grinned, "I am real… and I can't wait to bring you home. I bought a house… a log cabin actually, in the Adirondack's"

Bucky smiled, "Where we had our honeymoon right?"

"True" Ellie told him with a smile.

Bucky leaned down and kissed her and Ellie wept into his kiss as she threw her arms around his neck.

"God I missed you" Bucky gasped into her mouth, "I didn't remember anything but I knew you were missing. That I was missing you"

Ellie's left hand pulled on the back of his neck and in the next moment he lifted her onto the counter top that was behind them and she pulled him back to her, crashing her body against his.

Her hands thread themselves into his hair, while his grabbed her hips and pulled her forward, without ever leaving more than an inch between their lips.

He pulled himself away from her lips and started kissing down her neck. She groaned and tugged him even further down. "Gosh, your hair is _long_ " Ellie moaned.

He grinned against her neck then lightly bit it, "Like it?"

"It's longer than mine. I was stupid to cut mine" Ellie told him.

"I do miss your curls," Bucky said as he pulled at the top of her shirt and groaned when it wouldn't move as far as he wanted.

Ellie grinned as she jumped off the countertop and flirted with the zipper, "Show me yours and I'll show you mine"

Bucky just stared at her confused.

"Sorry, I stayed with Howard and his son Tony for over a month and I picked up some stuff from him" Ellie told him.

Bucky's hand froze on his top's closures, "Son… our baby? Where's our baby?"

Ellie let out a breath, "I'm so sorry Buck… our baby didn't… I lost it… after Steve died. You both dying on me in less than two weeks… I couldn't take it"

"I'm so sorry you had to deal with that all alone" Bucky told her as he swallowed hard.

Ellie looked at him, "I'm not alone anymore. When it gets to daylight, we are going to find a way to cut your hair and shave you. I'll go out and find clothes… we will go deep cover and make it back home. They'll never find you"

Bucky kissed her hard again then reached down unfastening the vest from his chest. It fell to the ground leaving him shirtless and she couldn't help but gasp, "I know… its bad" Bucky said.

Ellie ran her fingers over the angry scars across the left side of his chest, "Why did they do this to you?"

"Because they are crazy, sick people" Bucky told her as he pulled on her suit, "How do I get this off you!?"

Ellie grinned as she unsnapped the zipper and slowly pulled it down, stepping out in just her panties and bra.

He pulled her back up onto the countertop and pulled one of her legs around his waist. Pushing her panties to the side, she gasped as he slid one finger home.

Her forehead hit his chest at the overwhelming feeling of emotions that crashed over her. He added a second finger and her back arched a gasp rolling from her lips.

"I still got it" Bucky said as she kissed him hard.

Ellie moaned as she fumbled with the opening on his pants. He reached down and quickly removed them, toeing his boots off, kicking them to the side. Raising her hips, she let him pull her panties down her hips.

In one quick move, he pulled her hips towards him, she wrapped her legs around him and he was home.

Bucky groaned as she sighed at the familiar feeling of being completely full and loved.

"God baby, you feel amazing" Bucky moaned.

That night, neither got much sleep. They eventually ventured further into the house and found a bed. Thanks to Ellie's version of the serum, she did not tired out and was surprisingly able to go six rounds with Bucky before he passed out.

Ellie stretched, welcoming the familiar and too long since it had been felt, feeling of soreness. She leaned down and laid a light kiss on his lips, "I'm going to run out and get you more clothes so we can go. Rest. I'll be back. I love you"

"I love you too" Bucky mumbled as he snuggled back into the pillow she had been using.

Ellie walked downstairs and slipped her suit back on and her boots. Without locking it, she slipped out of the house and snuck into a store that had yet to open. Grabbing them both clothes and food, she laid money on the counter to cover it then walked back to the house.

She opened the house back up, slipping inside and locking it behind her. She set the bags on the counter then moved back into the bedroom, "Bucky I'm… Bucky?"

He was not lying in the bed so she searched throughout the house. Not a trace that he was ever there was in the house.

Collapsing onto the ground, she stared at the bed that they had just shared that night. The bed looked like it had not been touched.

"It was real… it happened… it was real… it happened" Ellie said as she ran around the house looking for any trace she could find. When she found none, she slid down against a wall breathing heavily, "No… no… it was real, I didn't imagine him. He's real I didn't imagine him. I could touch him, I held him… he was real"

* * *

 ***~*~* September 5, 1987- New York *~*~***

"You need to put me back under!" Ellie screamed, "Why aren't you following what I say!"

"Ellie calm down and stop yelling, you are going to short out every electronic in a one mile area if you don't stop" Howard told her holding her shoulders.

"I can't trust my brain! I see him… I feel him" Ellie told him falling to the ground grabbing her head, "I can't Howard! I can't live like this"

"Ellie calm down" Ghost Bucky told her.

"SHUT UP BUCKY! You aren't real!" Ellie yelled back.

"Ellie it's just the part of your brain that controls your memories is… essentially on fire. It's hard wired itself to your optical lobe. You are seeing your memories" Dr. Reinstein told her.

"But it felt real!" Ellie groaned pulling at her hair, "He is right there next to you"

"Stop, stop Ellie!" Howard yelled grabbing her hands.

"Put me back under, please!" Ellie begged.

Howard looked at her sadly, "Is this really what you want?"

Tears fell from her face, "Yes… I… I can't live without him. This is just torture" Ellie told him, "I close my eyes and he is there. I open my eyes now, and he is there. It felt so real. I haven't slept in four days Howard… I can't do this"

Howard sighed, "Okay… if it's what you really want"

Ellie nodded, "Yes"

Howard looked at Dr. Reinstein, "Can we do it again?"

Dr. Reinstein nodded sadly, "I don't want to though. Ellie, do you realize that when you go under again… I'm 84 years old. I will teach Howard how to operate this but… I will probably be gone by the time we wake you again. If we can"

"I understand. Thank you Dr. Reinstein. Howard, don't wake me unless you find a way to reverse this" Ellie told him.

"Ellie, I don't think that's possible" Howard told her.

"Then it's not, but promise me" Ellie told him.

Howard sighed and leaned forward kissing her forehead, "I promise"

Dr. Reinstein laid her back on the table then went to get the IVs. He prepped her hand then looked at her, "Final chance"

"I don't trust my head… do it" Ellie told him, "Please"

Dr. Reinstein put the needle into her vein then turned the IV on. Ellie breathed slow as they raised the pod and started the freezing process, "Sleep well little Phoenix"

* * *

a/n: So what do you think? Were you expecting Thor? Please review! Thanks!


	17. Chapter 17 - Show Me the Meaning

**a/n: Just a reminder, I posted a bonus chapter Sunday and didn't get a ton of response about it, despite it being a big chapter so if you missed Chapter 16- Heaven, go check it out. We take a jump in the timeline and we are now going into Steve's story. I didn't want to go exactly by the Avengers movie so things are added and changed a bit. Longest chapter so far! Thanks for reading and please review!**

 **a/n2: Thank you for the favorites: tbennett and for the follow: Miss J Bee and Voided. Also for the reviews!**

* * *

 **Life goes on as it never ends  
Eyes of stone observe the trends  
They never say forever gaze upon me  
Guilty roads to an endless love (endless love)  
There's no control  
Are you with me now?**

 _~ Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely by the Backstreet Boys_

* * *

 ***~*~* April 24, 2011- New York City *~*~***

Steve felt the sleep finally fading away from his body enough to hear the sound of a radio, as he opened his eyes.

" _Curve ball, high and outside for ball one. So the Dodgers are tied, 4-4. And the crowd well knows that with one swing of his bat, this fellow's capable of making it a brand-new game again."_

Looking around he noticed that he was in a hospital room. The sun streamed through the window on his right and the ceiling fan moved above him, pushing a breeze onto his body.

" _Just an absolutely gorgeous day here at Ebbets Field. The Phillies have managed to tie up at 4-4. But the Dodgers have three men on. Pearson beaned Reiser in Philadelphia last month. Wouldn't the youngster like a hit here to return the favor?"_

Steve stretched his arms out and sat up, surprised at the stiffness he felt. He stopped and listened to the sounds outside of the game. Thanks to his improved hearing, he heard sounds unfamiliar to New York City. Sounds he couldn't describe. People talking and saying words that were foreign to him but still English.

" _Pete leans in. Here's the pitch. Swung on. A line to the right. And it gets past Rizzo. Three runs will score. Reiser heads to third. Durocher's going to wave him in. Here comes the relay, but they won't get him."_

The door opened and a woman walked in.

"Good morning" She said as she checked her watch, "or should I say, afternoon?"

Steve stared at her noticing her shirt wasn't regulation and her watch looked foreign.

"Where am I?" Steve asked.

"You're in a recovery room in New York City." The woman told him.

" _The Dodgers take the lead, 8-4. Oh, Dodgers! Everyone is on their feet. What a game we have here today, folks. What a game indeed._ "

Steve remembered this game. He, Bucky and Ellie had sat in the stands as the Dodgers came from behind to win the game.

"Where am I really?" He asked her.

"I'm afraid I don't understand" She told him.

"The game, it's from May, nineteen forty one. I know, cause I was there" Steve told her as he got off the bed, "Now, I'm gonna ask you again. Where am I?"

Steve saw her push something in her hand.

"Captain Rogers" She said.

"Who are you?" Steve demanded as two soldiers in black uniforms entered the room. Steve sized them up then kicked them back against the wall and the wall fell apart sending them into a warehouse of some kind behind it.

Realizing it was all some ruse, he ran through the hole looking around to see a picture of a New York neighborhood next to the fake room, so it appeared that he was looking out into a real neighborhood. All around him was empty space.

The woman came to the hole, "Captain Rogers, wait!" She yelled as he took off through the door in front of him, "All agents, code 13! I repeat. All agents, code 13!"

Steve found himself in some type of corridor with many people in suits wandering around. As "All Agents, code 13" was announced as people started swarming him. Steve pushed them aside then ran towards what appeared to be the exit.

Running outside, he barely registered the cars looked different and the people were dressed differently as he ran out into traffic then ran in between the cars. He stopped and gazed around at all the lights and the boards around him advertising different things.

He saw a street sign saying he was at Broadway and realized that despite it looking overly lit, overly colorful, that he was in Time Square in New York City. The people and the cars were much different than 1945. How long had he been knocked out?

Cars pulled up towards him and stopped, and then people emerged.

"At ease, soldier! Look, I'm sorry about that little show back there, but… we thought it best to break it to you slowly" The man, wearing an eye patch said walking up to him.

"Break what?" Steve asked confused.

"You've been asleep, Cap. For almost seventy years" The man told him.

Steve looked around realizing that the man must have been right. That New York City could not have changed this much overnight or even in just a few years.

"You gonna be okay?" The man asked.

"Yeah. Yeah. I just…I had a date" Steve said sadly.

"Captain Rogers, I am Director Nick Fury. I am the head of SHIELD" The man told him, "Please come with me and I will be able to explain everything more in detail in a more private location"

"Shield?" Steve asked as he noticed people standing and staring as they held devices in their hands, pointing them in his direction.

"SHIELD is the former SSR, one of our founders was Peggy Carter" Nick Fury told him causing a clench in his gut.

Steve looked at him then followed him to a car. Climbing inside the backseat, he noticed that the insides of cars had changed in the last 70 years.

'It's been 70 years… 70 years of my life is gone. Where is everyone? Is Peggy still alive? Where is Ellie?' Steve thought staring out the window in disbelief at the bright billboards as they moved advertising various things.

Nick Fury looked back at him as he stared out the window, "I know this is going to be hard Cap… we are here to help you any way we can"

"How… how'd I survive?" Steve asked finally looking at him.

"What is the last thing you remember?" Nick asked as the car started moving.

The memory of the ice coming closer flashed in his mind as Peggy's voice echoed as if she were in the car with him. Instead of it being a memory of 70 years ago to Steve, it literally was just minutes prior.

"Crashing the Red Skull's plane" Steve said.

"We got a call that something foreign was found in the ice at the Arctic Circle and the Russian Oil team thought it was a United States plane. We dispatched SHIELD agents to the area, where we found you Cap… frozen in ice. So we removed you from the ice, and brought you here to thaw. To our surprise when you thawed enough, your heart started back up," Nick told him as they pulled up to a building, the one he escaped from earlier, "This is the SHIELD headquarters here in New York. Just come in until we can get some things finalized… then we have plans to take you to one of our safe houses until we can get you set up here in Manhattan"

Steve robotically followed the man back into the building and to a large meeting room. Nick shut the door behind him.

He looked at the walls to see various pictures of New York such as the Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, and the Empire State building. They were the same, yet being different at the same time. Buildings were in the background that he did not remember.

"Look Cap, this isn't going to be easy. The world has changed since you went under" Nick told him and Steve turned to look at him, "We are going to give you some time to adjust before we decide to do anything"

Steve sighed as he sat down at the table and folded his hands, staring at his fingers that looked the same at least, "I have some questions"

"And I'll try my best to answer them" Nick told him as he sat down next to him.

Steve looked at him, "Have you ever heard of anyone by the name of Elizabeth Barnes?"

Nick thought for a moment then shook his head, "Can't say I have but that doesn't mean she doesn't exist"

"What about Peggy? Is she still alive? My commandoes?" Steve asked.

"I'll get you all the files. All of the SSR files were absorbed into ours when Peggy Carter and Howard Stark created SHIELD" Nick Fury told him as he leaned back into his chair.

Steve looked at him, "Howard helped create this too?"

Nick nodded, "Carter, Stark and Colonel Phillips started all this" Nick told him as a man opened the door.

"Nick, we are calling him a ride"

"Thank you Sitwell" Nick said as he slid an object to Steve that had been sitting on the table, "This is a tablet. When we found you and you were alive, our team put together a quick video to show you just the highlights of what you missed"

Steve stared at it amazed as a movie played after Nick hit play, "it's a handheld picture show"

Nick sighed, "I'm going to go pull those files for you so you can look over them at the safe house" Nick told him as he got up and left the room.

Thanks to his super soldier hearing, he heard someone say, "So how is he doing?"

"It's going to be a tough transition. 2011 is a lot different than the 40s" Nick told them as Steve heard their footsteps walk away from the door.

 _The video showed a brief explanation into the end of the 40s, before going into a slideshow of the 1950s. Facts such as a new house cost $8450 in 1950 and by 1959 a new house cost $12,400 flashed on the screen. A gallon of gas jumped from 18cents to 25 cents by the end of the decade. Also a new car cost $2,200 by the end of the decade._

 _In 1950, the introduction of color TV revolutionized television. World War 2 officially ending in 1951, with a peace treaty between Japan and the United States. In 1952, Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth and a vaccine for polio was created. In 1953, Stalin died and a magazine named Playboy was created._

As pictures showed on the screen from the magazine, Steve shook his head as he had a thought to himself that Bucky would have subscribed to.

 _In 1954, segregation was deemed illegal in Brown vs. Board of Education. In 1955, Walt Disney opened a theme park in California called Disneyland and James Dean died. There was also a movement called the Civil Rights movement as Rosa Parks refused to give her seat up to a white man. In 1956, there was the Suez Crisis and a remote control was invented to control televisions. In 1957, the Soviets launched a satellite named Sputnik, which began the Space race and one of the most popular children's books was published by the name of "The Cat in the Hat". In 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration was founded, now known as NASA to compete with the Soviets. In 1959, Fidel Castro became the dictator of Cuba and became the communist fight with America._

 _By the end of the 1960s, a new house would cost $15,500 and gas now cost 35 cents a gallon. A new car would cost $3,270._

 _In 1960, John F. Kennedy became president to become the youngest person elected to office of the time. The United States also sent U.S. troops to Vietnam. In 1961, the Soviets sent the first person to space. Construction on the Berlin Wall began, separating the East from the West. In 1962, America was on the verge of a nuclear war as the Cuban Missile Crisis happened. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated as well as a now famous speech by a name named Martin Luther King Jr. called "I Have a Dream". In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law as well as NASA's Mariner 4 probe approached the planet Mars and sent back the first images of space. In 1965, the first space walk happened by a soviet cosmonaut as the Vietnam War raged. In 1966, the Soviet Union landed an unmanned spacecraft on the moon. In 1967, the 25th amendment to the constitution was ratified as well as the first African-American Supreme Court Justice. In 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated as NASA launched the first manned space mission Apollo 7._

Steve stared in disbelief as the video showed the first steps on the moon by NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in 1969 as the door opened again.

"Cap, are you ready? I have the files" Nick told him as he came back in the room.

Steve looked up at him, "We walked on the moon?"

Nick nodded as he paused the video, "Let's go wait for the car"

Steve followed Fury out to the atrium and saw a wall of valor.

"Guess we get to take your name down from it" Fury said pointing to the top.

Steve stared at his name and felt his chest clench as he saw the name directly above it, 'Bucky Barnes'

"Barnes was one of your commandoes right?" Fury asked.

Steve nodded, "And my best friend"

"Car is here" Fury said as a car pulled up, "You can finish this at the safe house. We have it hooked up to the internet and communications"

"Internet?" Steve asked following him out.

"It's called the World Wide Web. The internet is virtually the world's largest library that is instantly at your fingertips. You guys had computers back then right?" Nick asked leading Steve out of SHIELD.

"Computers? Computer, there was one and it took up an entire room. Overheated often" Steve told him.

"Well Cap, computers run everything now" Nick said as they climbed in the car, "This car is ran by computers. The screens showing the advertisements are ran by computers. This watch" He said as he touched it and it projected a picture of the time it was currently into a 3D picture, "Is ran by a computer. The internet connects all the computers across the world together. You can search for whatever you can think of and the internet will find it on another server and connect you to a website with that information. When we get to the safe house I'll show you how to look things up"

Steve let out a breath as he looked out to the moving city, "Where is this safe house?"

"Up north" Nick told him.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 24, 2011- Tupper Lake, NY *~*~***

The car they were in pulled off a main street and onto a dirt lane. They were suddenly driving through a forest and Steve noticed that there were no homes to be seen.

"This house is on seven acres of property. Closest neighbor is half mile in either direction and behind the house is a private lake. This was Peggy's vacation home" Nick told him as they breached the tree line and Steve saw the house for the first time.

It was a small two story log cabin with a lake sitting directly behind it. It was quaint and it seemed perfect for his transition into the modern life.

The car stopped next to the house and climbing out, Steve noticed a motorcycle sitting next to the small porch at the front of the house.

"I heard that you are pretty impartial to Harley's" Fury said as Steve walked over and ran his hand over the shiny black finish, "It's a 2012 Harley-Davidson Softail Slim. Not even officially on the market yet. Pulled some favors"

"She's beautiful" Steve said, "Thank you sir"

"Come on in" Nick said leading him up the few stairs, he opened the screen door and unlocked the house.

They stepped inside the house and Steve felt as if he was transported back in time. He first saw a staircase that led to the second floor. To his left was a sitting area and there was a floral couch that reminded Steve of the couch that had sat in his own home back in Brooklyn. With mismatched floral fabric covered armchairs that surrounded a wood fed heater. Bookcases filled with books scattered the walls. A record player sat in the corner. In the back corner, next to the kitchen a tall china cabinet stood tall filled with dishes. A wooden kitchen table sat in the open area next to the kitchen with a bouquet of artificial flowers in a vase.

Steve reached out and touched them, dust coating his fingers, "Peggy hasn't been here for years?"

Fury shook his head, "Not since her husband died about 10 years ago"

Steve sighed at the reality that Peggy did move on and it was really the future. He looked at the stairs and walked up them.

"There are three bedrooms. Only two are set up. The one on the right was the one Peggy always used" Fury called up the stairs.

Steve glanced at the closed door on the right next to the bathroom and turned opening the door on the left. The door stuck at first, an obvious sign that it had not been opened in years.

The first thing Steve noticed when the door finally opened was the smell. Musty smell of years of not being used mixed with a familiar smell that he could not place.

In the middle of the room sat a simple four poster bed, with a yellowing ruffled canopy and yellowing sheets. In the corner sat an aging rocking chair, looking out towards the window. A bedside table was to the left of the bed, with a picture frame sitting on it covered in thick dust.

On the walls, were photo frames that scattered the log walls. Steve walked closer to the frame closest to him and ran his finger over the photo underneath to remove the dust to peek at the hidden image. He froze as his own face, much smaller than he currently was, reflected back.

Removing it from the wall, he used his sleeve to uncover the picture. It was his family picture from around 1936, their first family picture.

Steve went from frame to frame, uncovering the dust to see Ellie and Bucky together. He and Bucky. Peggy and Ellie, slightly older than he had seen her last. The favorite photo that Ellie took the time they were in London, that she thought was absolutely beautiful.

Steve walked over to the small vanity and picked up the bottle of aged perfume, "Chantilly… this was Ellie's house"

Steve left the bedroom and went back downstairs to see Fury looking out the window towards the lake, "whose house was this?"

Fury looked at him, "I assume Peggy's. She used it as her vacation home then when she moved back to England she gave it over to shield to be used only as a safe house in extreme emergency"

"No… this was my sister's house" He said holding a picture of him and Ellie out to Fury.

Fury frowned, "You had a sister?"

"Did you find a file on Elizabeth Barnes?" Steve asked.

Fury pointed to the kitchen table, "There on the table with the others"

Steve walked over to the table and sat down. He pulled out the file marked, 'Barnes, Elizabeth'

He read over the file:

 **Agent name** : Barnes, Elizabeth.

 **Last known address** : 546 Lake Tupper Drive, Tupper Lake, NY.

 **Previous address** : Brooklyn, NY.

 **Citizenship** : UNITED STATES.

 **Title** : SPECIAL SERVICES.

 **Place of Birth** : Brooklyn, NY.

 **Date of Birth** : August 1, 1919

 **Height** : 5-5

 **Race** : Caucasian

 **Weight** : 136

 **Gender** : FEMALE

 **Hair** : Blonde

 **Dental** : T 562863

 **Eyes** : Blue

 **Languages** : English, Russian, German, French, Romanian, Chinese

 **Markings** : Circular scar on right knee, inch scar on left lower arm, multiple scars on back

 **Family** : CLASSIFIED

 **Education** : CLASSIFIED

 **Criminal** : NONE

 **Employment** : SSR (Strategic Scientific Reserve) Agent

 **Mission Qualifications** : Has military training and covert operations training. She is also a competent spy and martial artist. **PHOENIX**

Steve stared at the picture on the file then cleared his throat, "Nick… her file says the last known address is this address"

Nick walked over and picked up the file, "Wow your sister was a looker. This was your sister I assume?"

Steve nodded, "I was just up in what was obviously her room and it hasn't been used in a really long time. The file doesn't tell anything about her after SHIELD. Says she is active but she'd be… 92 in August"

Nick picked up Bucky's file and opened it, "Wasn't Barnes your best friend?"

Steve nodded.

"Married your sister… someone updated this file but not hers. Sorry Cap" Fury said handing him Bucky's file.

 **MISSING IN ACTION** was stamped across it in bright red ink. Under family members it listed, his parents both deceased. Becca then: **ELIZABETH BELLE ROGERS BARNES** \- Spouse. **DECEASED** JANUARY 1, 1975.

"She was only 56" Steve said sadly, "She was pregnant when I went down… it doesn't name the baby"

"I don't know Cap. Maybe Peggy would know? But she has Alzheimer's now" Fury told him as Steve gave him a look, "Memory issues, anyways I need to be heading out. The motorcycle is full of gas. Here is three hundred dollars. The numbers to call are on the refrigerator. There is food in the kitchen. Any help you need, just let us know. I'll call you when we have an apartment in town set up for you"

Steve nodded as he picked Ellie's file back up.

Fury slipped out and Steve glanced over the other files. Morita, deceased. Falsworth, deceased. Bucky, missing in action. Dum Dum, Retired. Jones, Retired. Frenchie, Deceased. He set Ellie's file and Bucky's files side by side, and let the tears finally fell from his eyes.

* * *

 ***~*~* May 1st, 2011- New York City *~*~***

After staring at the files of his past for almost a week, Steve had enough. He hopped on his new motorcycle and hit the road driving five hours south. Making the turn onto the George Washington Bridge, he followed Harlem River Rd to Park Ave, glad that many of the New York roads were still the same.

He parked his motorcycle in a spot in front of the big building in front of him with STARK on it in large letters.

In the week he'd been at his sister's house, he had found no clues as of what happened to her or her baby. He even had semi-figured out the internet and an internet search turned up no results on her. It was simply as if she never existed.

There were only three people alive, outside of himself, which even knew his sister. Dum Dum Dugan, Peggy, and Jones. He looked up Timothy Dugan and found a 99 year-old listed living here in Manhattan at a nursing home. Peggy was living in the United Kingdom and Jones was listed as unknown. With the last name of Jones, the internet was virtually impossible to narrow it down to his address.

Glancing up at the building one more time, he started his motorcycle back up, and then drove to the address listed for the nursing home Dum Dum was supposedly at.

Parking the motorcycle in a spot, he walked into the building.

A young woman looked up at the front desk, "Hello how may I help you today?"

"Hello, I was wondering if an old friend is still a resident here. Name is Timothy Dugan" Steve told her.

The woman smiled, "Oh good old Dugan, yes he is. I saw him this morning on his morning walk; he seemed to be having a great day. May I ask who you are?"

"And old friend" Steve told her as he held out his hand, "Steve Rogers"

The lady shook his hand, "Mr. Rogers just sign yourself in right here" She said pointing to the book as she made a name tag for him then handed it to him, "Go to that door over there and I will buzz you in. I'll let the nurse's desk know you are coming in and someone will lead you to his room"

"Thank you ma'am" Steve told her as he walked over to the door and heard a buzz then opened the door.

Walking inside, the people he walked past as he walked to the nurse's desk made him realize that Dugan was definitely not going to look the same.

"Mr. Rogers?"

Steve looked up as a short woman stood in front of him, "Hello"

"You must be the grandson of the man he talks about all the time. Let me tell you, the tall tales that he tells about your grandfather" She said, "Follow me. He is actually in our common area. He is having a great day" She noticed the bag he had in his hand, "May I ask what is in the bag?"

"Can he drink anymore?" Steve asked pulling out a bottle of whiskey.

"At 100 years old we let him do anything he wants but… for his safety, limit it to a small amount. Like a few sips" She told him, "If you can wait until he was back in his room, even better… to not encourage the other patients"

Steve nodded, "Yes ma'am"

The young woman led him into the room and Steve smiled when he saw the familiar bowler hat.

"He still has the hat" Steve said shaking his head.

"I see you spotted him, I'll let you go up to him. If you need anything, just come on up to the desk" She told him.

"Thank you ma'am" Steve said.

He stared at Dugan then slowly walked up to him, "Hey Dugan… don't be shocked but it's me"

The man reached down and turned his wheelchair around.

The man in front of Steve was smaller and definitely was older but he appeared more 80 than 100 years old that he was about to hit.

"Well for heaven sakes Cap… am I dead?" Dugan asked.

Steve pulled a chair over to him and sat down, "No, I'm really alive"

Dugan shook his head, "How?"

"Well turns out the serum… somehow kept me alive when I crashed the plane into the water. I was frozen and they found me and unfroze me…by some miracle my heart restarted" Steve told him.

"Shit… really? You haven't aged a day" Dugan said.

"What did SHIELD call it… suspended animation or something like that" Steve told him.

"Does Peg know?" Dugan asked, "Last I talked to her, she was getting pretty bad"

Steve shook his head, "From what Fury told me, her memory is pretty near gone"

"She missed you Cap. Howard drove us all nuts searching for you" Dugan told him.

"What happened to Ellie?" Steve asked, "SHIELD records have her listed as a spy for special services but… she just disappeared in 1975"

"75? I hadn't seen her since… lord… at least 1950. She went dark, real dark after we lost you. She lost Jimmy's baby. We call it depression now. Back then, we just said she had a broken heart" Dugan told him with a cough, "Excuse me"

Steve looked around and saw that the only people in the room other than them were asleep in their chairs, "Want a drink?" He asked pulling the bottle out of the bag.

Dugan smiled, "My Captain still knows me"

* * *

After having dinner at a small diner under Stark tower, and debating with himself whether to go in and talk to Howard's son, Steve drove to Brooklyn to see if his city was anything like it used to be. His and Bucky's old apartment was no longer and Bucky's parents house had changed. Bucky's gym was still there though so he parked his motorcycle in front and walked inside.

The familiar smell was still there as well as the appearance. He paid the owner a good price to use the facilities whenever he wanted and the owner gave him a key. He walked back downstairs and went to the punching bags. Stripping off his button up shirt, he wrapped his hands up and started knocking out his aggressions.

Memories flashed through his mind with each combination of punches. Memories of running through the field. Fighting Hydra. Crashing the plane and even Peggy's voice telling him that he wouldn't be alone, flashed through his mind. Ellie's face flashed across his memory and the bag he was punching went flying with a particular right hook.

Steve walked over and grabbed another bag and started punching it.

"Trouble sleeping?" Fury asked.

Steve glanced over at him then continued punching, "I slept for seventy years, sir. I think I've had my fill"

Fury walked over to him as Steve continued punching the bag.

"Then you should be out, celebrating, seeing the world" Fury told him.

Steve looked at him then walked over to a bench where his bag was and unraveled the tape off his hands, "I went under, the world was at war. I wake up, they say we won. They didn't say what we lost"

"We've made some mistakes along the way. Some very recently" Fury said holding out a folder.

Steve glanced over at him as he unraveled the tape off his left hand, "You here with a mission, sir?"

"I am" Fury told him.

Steve finished unraveling his hand, "Trying to get me back in the world?"

"Trying to save it" Fury told him handing Steve the open file.

Steve took it to see it was a file on the Tesseract and sat down, "Hydra's secret weapon"

"Howard Stark fished that out of the ocean when he was looking for you. He thought what we think; the Tesseract could be the key to unlimited sustainable energy. That's something the world sorely needs" Fury told him.

"Who took it from you?" Steve asked handing the file back.

"He's called Loki. He's not from around here. There's a lot we'll have to bring you up to speed on if you're in. The world has gotten even stranger than you already know" Fury told him.

"At this point, I doubt anything would surprise me" Steve said as he stood up.

"Ten bucks says you're wrong" Fury said as Steve went and picked up a punching bag and threw it over his shoulder, "There's a debriefing package waiting for you back at your apartment"

Steve turned and started walking out of the gym

"Is there anything you can tell us about the Tesseract that we ought to know now?" Fury asked.

"You should have left it in the ocean" Steve told him not turning around.

* * *

a/n3: Thanks for reading! I am a bit of a history buff, so I thought I would put some real historical details in this chapter. Now to answer some reviews:

 **PistolHattersButtercup:** It may have been real… or not. Stay tuned!

 **StarMistress97** : I hated writing last chapter, but it needed to be done for the story. Thanks for reviewing!

 **Fatjack36** : We will see when we get to the part of our saga where Bucky may come back in. Or even Ellie. Thanks!


	18. Chapter 18 - Centuries

**A/n: Anything you recognize is property of Marvel. Ellie is purely from my imagination.**

 **a/n: Thank you to Bowstothetoes for the follow!**

* * *

 **Some legends are told  
Some turn to dust or to gold  
But you will remember me  
Remember me, for centuries  
Just one mistake  
Is all it will take  
We'll go down in history  
Remember me for centuries**

 _ **~ Centuries by Fall Out Boy**_

* * *

 ***~*~* May 3rd, 2011- Quinjet over the ocean *~*~***

Steve sat inside the plane after being picked up by one of the agents of SHIELD and the pilot notified the agent who had picked him up, Phil Coulson that they were 40 minutes out from base.

Agent Coulson stood up and walked over to Steve, who was sitting watching a tablet that Coulson had handed him.

"So, this Doctor Banner was trying to replicate the serum that was used on me?" Steve asked watching the footage on the tablet.

"A lot of people were. You were the world's first superhero. Banner thought gamma radiation might hold the key to unlocking Erskine's original formula" Coulson said as the Hulk roared and slammed a Jeep on the video.

"Didn't really go his way, did it?" Steve asked.

"Not so much. When he's not that thing though, guy's like a Stephen Hawking" Coulson told him.

Steve looked at him confused.

"He's like a smart person" Coulson said as the screen went dark, "I gotta say, it's an honor to meet you, officially"

Steve smiled at Coulson.

"I sort of met you, I mean, I watched you while you were sleeping" Coulson told him.

Steve looked down at the awkward remark and stood up setting the tablet to the side. He walked over to look out the front window of the Quinjet.

"I mean, I was... I was present while you were unconscious from the ice. You know, it's really, it's just a... just a huge honor to have you on board" Coulson told him standing next to him, mirroring his stance.

"Well, I hope I'm the man for the job" Steve told him.

"Oh, you are. Absolutely. Uh... we've made some modifications to the uniform. I had a little design input" Coulson told him.

"The uniform? Aren't the stars and stripes a little... old fashioned?" Steve asked.

"With everything that's happening, the things that are about to come to light, people might just need a little old fashioned" Coulson told him.

Steve took in Coulson's sentiment and found his jaw clenching as he inhaled trying to remain calm.

'Take two breaths in Steve, then two breaths out. Just focus on your breathing' He heard Ellie's voice say in his head, 'See things aren't as bad as you may think'

He bowed his head and never wished so much than this moment since he had awoken, that Ellie or Bucky was standing next to him to help him make sense to this new world.

* * *

 ***~*~* May 3rd, 2011- Late morning- Helicarrier in the ocean *~*~***

"Welcome to Shield's Helicarrier" Coulson told Steve as the Quinjet landed on the massive ship.

'Steve it is a giant military ship' Steve heard Ellie's voice say in his head, 'This is hot stuff'

The backdoors opened and Coulson led Steve down the ramp and they met with a young redhead woman at the bottom.

"Agent Romanoff, Captain Rogers" Coulson introduced.

"Ma'am" Steve greeted.

"Hi" Romanoff told him, not seeming to be phased by him in the slightest. She had an air about her that reminded him of a mixture of Peggy and Ellie.

"They need you on the bridge. Phase trace" Romanoff told Coulson.

"See you there" Coulson tells them as he walked off.

Steve looked out in wonder, mentally smiling knowing that Bucky would have loved this. It was an Army base on top of a boat.

"There was quite the buzz around here, finding you in the ice" Romanoff told him leading him away from the Quinjet, "I thought Coulson was gonna swoon. Did he ask you to sign his Captain America trading cards yet?"

Steve looked at her in disbelief, "Trading cards?" Steve asked trying not to laugh.

"They're vintage, he's very proud" Natasha told him stopping.

In front of him Steve saw a man walking around, and he definitely looked out of place. He flitted about trying not to get in the way. Steve recognized his face from the tablet on the Quinjet, "Dr. Banner"

Steve walked up to him and shook his hand.

"Oh, yeah. Hi. They told me you'd be coming" Banner said.

"Word is you can find the cube" Steve told him.

"Is that the only word on me?" Banner asked.

"Only word I care about" Steve told him.

"Must be strange for you, all of this" Banner told him gesturing to the commotion around them.

"Well, this is actually kind of familiar" Steve told him as a troop of men ran past them in formation.

"Gentlemen, you may wanna step inside in a minute. It's gonna get a little hard to breathe" Natasha told them as the helicarrier started to shake and alarms started going off with notices to secure everything.

"Is this is a submarine?" Steve asked.

"Really? They wanted me in a submerged pressurized metal container?" Banner asked.

They both move closer to the edge of the helicarrier and saw huge fans start up and start to lift them out of the water.

'Oh yeah, Bucky would love this that it is even possible' Steve thought in awe as he took a step back from the edge.

"Oh no this is much worse" Banner said.

Steve and Banner followed Romanoff inside the helicarrier. The doors parted and Steve looked around amazed as there was an active communications room with people coming and going as they lifted up into the air. Steve smiled slightly at the thought that Peggy had helped start this all.

Steve registered Fury saying, "Good, let's vanish" as he stared up at the architecture of the roof.

Fury turned around and walked over to Steve and Banner, who was standing behind the large conference table.

"Gentlemen" Fury says upon seeing them.

Steve took 10 dollars out of his pocket and handed it to Fury as he continued to stare at the ship in awe. Fury walked over to Banner and extended his hand. Banner, reluctantly shook it.

Steve walked over into the center of the ship and stared at all the computers.

Coulson walked over to where Banner and Fury had been talking and Steve stopped to listen, "We're sweeping every wirelessly accessible camera on the planet. Cell phones, laptops. If it's connected to a satellite, it's eyes and ears for us."

Steve watched as Romanoff looked at pictures of a man on a screen in front of her.

"That's still not gonna find them in time" Romanoff said.

"You have to narrow the field. How many spectrometers do you have access to?" Banner asked.

Steve mentally sighed realizing how out of touch he was with the future.

"How many are there?" Fury asked.

"Call every lab you know, tell them to put the spectrometers on the roof and calibrate them for gamma rays. I'll rough out a tracking algorithm based on cluster recognition. At least we could rule out a few places. Do you have somewhere for me to work?" Banner asked.

"Agent Romanoff, would you show Dr. Banner to his laboratory, please?" Fury asked.

Romanoff nodded and walked off leading Banner down the hall.

"You're gonna love it, Doc. We got all the toys" Romanoff told him.

Fury looked at Steve, "Cap, don't worry… we have something for you too. Go ahead and explore. I'll let you know when we can use you"

"Yes sir" Steve said.

* * *

Later that day, Steve stared out into the darkened skies. He sat down on the steps and looked on sadly.

Agent Romanoff walked over and sat next to him, "Why the long face Cap?"

Steve looked over at her and sighed, "Sorry to bother you" He said as he sat up.

"At ease soldier… or at least that's what they said right?" Romanoff said, "You can be yourself here. You aren't just Captain America right? You were Captain Steve Rogers first"

Steve laughed, "Actually before Captain America I was Private Rogers"

Romanoff looked at him surprised, "Private to Captain? That is amazing"

"It was all in the name. Senator Brandt thought it would help the war efforts if a Captain in the Army was telling people to donate money to buy bullets and bandages" Steve told her, "Prior to that is was a 95 pound… health issues… foot shorter than I am now guy that dames wouldn't even give a second look at"

Romanoff looked at him, "I heard your story but… I always figured it was like the tales that get passed down over generations and get embellished"

"No, I was color blind, asthmatic… had heart issues, sugar sensitive… becoming Captain America both saved me and doomed me" Steve said sadly, "I've lost everything. No one is left"

"Well Cap… you are part of SHIELD now, you have us" Romanoff told him as someone called her, "I'll be back"

Steve nodded and sat for a few minutes staring at the stars that were starting to show in the dark murky skies.

"Captain Rogers"

Steve stood up and walked over to Coulson.

"Let me show you some modern technology" Coulson said pointing at the computers.

Coulson and Steve stood side by side, waiting watching the computers work.

Steve felt very out of place but tried not to drop the Captain front in front of this highly respected man, as he did with Agent Romanoff.

"So… I have been a fan for years" Coulson said, "And I have these trading cards, they are mint and are worth a lot of money"

Steve nodded.

"I mean, if it's not too much trouble" Coulson said bringing up the trading cards again.

"No, no. It's fine" Steve told him looking over the agents.

"It's a vintage set. It took me a couple of years to collect them all" Coulson told him sounding proud.

Steve looked at him suddenly interested, wondering how many cards were in the set. Did Peggy have a card? Dugan? Even Bucky?

"Near mint, slight foxing around the edges, but..." Coulson said as another agent interrupted them.

"We got a hit. Sixty-seven percent match. Wait, cross match, seventy- nine percent" The agent said as a man's face came up on the screen.

"Location?" Coulson asked.

"Stuttgart, Germany. 28, Konigstrasse. He's not exactly hiding" The agent said confused.

"Captain" Fury said behind him.

Steve turned around, "You're up" Fury said.

Steve took a deep breath and nodded. Steeling himself for the unknown that was about to happen. According to the report, Loki was the brother of Thor, an alien from another planet that called himself a god. He carried a stick that could control a person to make them do his bidding. It was something from science fiction comics from his past, but it was not a literal reality.

Steve was led by an agent to a vaulted room.

"Your uniform is in there sir" The agent said hurrying away.

Steve walked up to it and put his hand against the keypad as instructed, and the vault doors opened. At the farthest wall, standing out amongst all the black and combat gear in all its red, white and blue glory was his shield. Underneath the shield was a patriotic top, utility belt and pants folded beneath. Red boots sat in the cubby on the bottom and a helmet with his famous insignia on the temples was held high above it all along with a set of red gloves. His name, 'CPT. STEVE ROGERS' marked that this was in fact his.

* * *

 ***~*~* May 3th, 2011- Around 10pm- Stuttgart, Germany *~*~***

"There are no men like me" Loki said to the gentleman with a smile.

"There are always men like you" The German man said in defiance.

"Look to your elder, people. Let him be an example!" Loki yelled, his scepter glowing blue.

Steve jumped out of the plane and timed it just in time to dive and block the blast from the scepter. It ricochet, knocking Loki to the ground as the blast hit him.

Steve stood up and walked over to Loki, "You know, the last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing"

Loki stood up, "The soldier. A man out of time"

"I'm not the one who's out of time" Steve told him as the Quinjet soared closer and Natasha Romanoff pointed the machine gun towards Loki.

"Loki, drop the weapon and stand down" Romanoff said over the radio.

Loki sent a blast of blue at the QUINJET and Natasha was able to maneuver the jet away just in time, giving Steve the time to throw his shield at Loki.

Steve battled with Loki and Loki was having the upper hand. He put his scepter to Steve's head, "Kneel"

"Not today!" Steve yelled as he flipped around as he once saw Ellie do, and kicked Loki, making him groan.

Loki grabbed him and flipped him over.

They continued to battle until Loki sent him to the ground, just as loud music started blaring from the Quinjet's speakers.

Steve and Loki looked up at the Quinjet as a fireball flew through the sky towards them. Fire flew from it and hit Loki, knocking him down.

Suddenly the Iron Man suit that Steve had heard about came to view and landed on the ground in front of him, showing his weaponry and pointing it at Loki.

"Make your move, Reindeer Games" Iron Man said standing over Loki.

Steve put his shield back on his arm and walked over next to the Iron Man as Loki put his hand up in surrender.

"Good move" Iron Man tells him putting his weapons away.

"Mr. Stark" Steve said out of breath.

"Captain" Iron Man replied.

Romanoff landed in the open space next to them and they loaded themselves and Loki into the Quinjet.

Steve made sure that Loki was secure and was surprised how easy he went into the restraints. The mask dropped from Iron Man's suit and Steve got a look at Tony Stark in person for the first time.

Not a word was said as Romanoff took off and they flew over Germany back towards home base.

Steve sighed as he glanced at Loki then turned his back speaking quietly to Tony Stark, "I don't like it"

"What? Rock of Ages giving up so easily?" Tony asked.

"I don't remember it being ever that easy. This guy packs a wallop" Steve told him.

"Still, you are pretty spry, for an older fellow. What's your thing? Pilates?" Tony asked.

Steve looked at him confused on the word Pilates, "What?"

"It's like calisthenics. You might have missed a couple things, you know, doing time as a Capsicle" Tony said with a tone of resentment in his voice.

Steve looked at Tony realizing that he was definitely not like his father, "Fury didn't tell me he was calling you in"

"Yeah, there's a lot of things Fury doesn't tell you" Tony told him.

Thunder boomed through the Quinjet and lightning flashed outside of the jet, making it shake violently.

"Where's this coming from?" Romanoff wondered.

Steve noticed Loki staring out the window intently.

"What's the matter? Scared of a little lightning?" Steve asked.

"I'm not overly fond of what follows" Loki said as the storm got worse outside.

Something hit the jet from the outside and Tony threw on his helmet. Steve puts his helmet on his head as Tony opened the back of the jet.

"What are you doing?" Steve asked.

Suddenly a man jumped onto the Quinjet ramp with a hammer. He knocks Tony back with a push from his hammer, knocking him into Steve. He grabbed Loki by the neck then flew out.

"Now there's that guy" Tony said as he got up.

"Another Asgardian?" Romanoff asked.

"Think the guy's a friendly?" Steve asked as he got up.

"Doesn't matter. If he frees Loki or kills him, the Tesseract's lost" Tony said as he turned to jump off the jet.

"Stark, we need a plan of attack!" Steve said feeling overwhelmed.

"I have a plan. Attack" Tony told him as he jumped out of the jet to chase after Thor.

Steve sighed and grabbed a parachute to follow.

"I'd sit this one out, Cap" Romanoff told him.

"I don't see how I can" Steve told her putting the parachute on.

"These guys come from legends, they're basically gods" Romanoff said messing with the controls.

"There's only one God, ma'am. And I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that" Steve told her as he grabbed his shield and jumped out of the jet.

After a battle that leveled nearly a quarter mile of forest, Steve, Tony with Thor in tow got Loki back onto the Quinjet and made their way to the Helicarrier. They handed him over the SHIELD and he walked off flanked by at least 20 agents.

* * *

 ***~*~* May 4th, 2011- Early morning- Helicarrier*~*~***

Steve sat down in the briefing room as he, Banner, Thor, Stark and Romanoff listened to Fury and Loki talk.

"The mindless beast, makes play he's still a man. How desperate are you, that you call upon such lost creatures to defend you?" Loki boasted.

"How desperate am I? You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can't hope to control" Fury told him, "You talk about peace and you kill `cause its fun. You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did"

"Ooh. It burns you to come so close. To have the Tesseract, to have power, unlimited power. And for what? A warm light for all mankind to share, and then to be reminded what real power is" Loki told him.

"Well, you let me know if Real Power wants a magazine or something" Fury said walking off leaving Loki in the cell.

Loki looked at the camera and smirked.

Steve watched until the monitor goes black.

"He really grows on you, doesn't he?" Banner said sarcastically.

"Loki's gonna drag this out. So, Thor, what's his play?" Steve asked.

"He has an army called the Chitauri. They're not of Asgard or any world known. He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the Earth. In return, I suspect, for the Tesseract" Thor told him.

"An army? From outer space?" Steve asked in disbelief.

"So he's building another portal. That's what he needs Erik Selvig for" Banner said connecting the dots.

"Selvig?" Thor asked suddenly interested.

"He's an astrophysicist" Banner explained.

"He's a friend" Thor explained.

"Loki has him under some kind of spell, along with one of ours" Romanoff told him.

"I wanna know why Loki let us take him. He's not leading an army from here" Steve told them looking back at Banner.

"I don't think we should be focusing on Loki. That guy's brain is a bag full of cats, you could smell crazy on him" Banner told them.

"Have care how you speak. Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard, and he's my brother" Thor told him.

"He killed eighty people in two days" Romanoff explained.

"He's adopted" Thor told them.

"I think it's about the mechanics. Iridium, what did they need the Iridium for?" Banner asked.

"It's a stabilizing agent" Tony explained as he walked in with Coulson, "Means the portal won't collapse on itself, like it did at SHIELD" He looked at Thor, "No hard feelings, Point Break. You've got a mean swing" Tony said touching Thor's bicep, "Also, it means the portal can open as wide, and stay open as long, as Loki wants."

Tony walked over to Fury's post and stood looking out, "Uh, raise the mid-mast, ship the top sails. That man is playing GALAGA!" He said pointing at one of the agents.

Steve had a thought of how exhausted Tony made him as he looked in the direction confused.

"Thought we wouldn't notice. But we did" Tony covered his eyes and looked around, "How does Fury do this?"

Agent Maria Hill looked at him, "He turns"

Tony looked at the monitors, "Well, that sounds exhausting. The rest of the raw materials, Agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily" He said touching the monitors, "Only major component he still needs is a power source. A high energy density something to kick start the cube"

"When did you become an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics?" Agent Hill asked.

"Last night. The packet, Selvig's notes the Extraction Theory papers. Am I the only one who did the reading?" Tony asked.

Steve had but the paper could easily have been written in a different language, as much as it confused him, "Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?"

"He's got to heat the cube to hundred and twenty million Kelvin just to break through the Coulomb barrier" Banner explained.

"Unless, Selvig has figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunneling effect" Tony retorted.

"Well, if he could do that he could achieve Heavy Ion Fusion at any reactor on the planet" Banner told Stark.

"Finally, someone who speaks English" Tony said.

Steve looked at them confused then at the others in the room, "Is that what just happened?"

Tony walked over and shook Banner's hand, "It's good to meet you, Dr. Banner. Your work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled. And I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster"

Banner looked down, "Thanks?"

Fury walked into the room, "Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube. I was hoping you might join him"

Steve jumped in, "Let's start with that stick of his. It may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a HYDRA weapon"

"I don't know about that, but it is powered by the cube. And I'd like to know how Loki used it to turn two of the sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys" Fury told them.

"Monkeys? I do not understand" Thor said confused.

"I do! I understood that reference" Steve said as he was happy to finally understand something as it was his favorite movie.

"Shall we play, doctor?" Tony asked.

"Let's play some" Banner nodded leading Tony out of the briefing room.

Steve stood next to the window looking out into the night sky around the ship. The stars were thankfully the same as they were before. At least those hadn't changed.

" _Stevie?"_

 _Steve looked over at Ellie as they laid on top of the roof of their apartment, "Yeah El?"_

" _Do you think the stars are different in other places?" Eight year old Ellie asked him._

" _In different parts of the world, you can see different stars at different times than we can. Just imagine El, if we could go to outer space I am sure we could see millions of more stars than we could ever imagine" Steve told her._

 _Ellie smiled, "I wonder if we will ever make it to outer space"_

" _You never know what the future will hold" Steve told her pulling her closer to him so that they could keep each other warmer._

" _Yeah short stuff, there might even really be aliens out there" Bucky joked from his spot next to them._

Steve sighed as he turned and walked towards the labs, tired of the emotional rollercoaster that the future… well now his present was bringing him.

He walked into the lab just as Tony poked Banner with a prod.

"OW!" Banner jumped.

Tony looked at Banner, "Nothing?"

"Hey! Are you nuts?" Steve asked Tony.

"You really have got a lid on it, haven't you? What's your secret? Mellow jazz? Bongo drums? Huge bag of weed?" Tony asked.

"Is everything a joke to you?" Steve asked seriously.

"Funny things are" Tony replied.

"Threatening the safety of everyone on this ship isn't funny. No offense, doctor" Steve said to Banner.

"No, it's alright. I wouldn't have come aboard if I couldn't handle pointy things" Banner told him.

"You're tiptoeing, big man. You need to strut" Tony told Banner walking over and grabbing a snack hidden behind a tool.

"And you need to focus on the problem, Mr. Stark" Steve told him.

"You think I'm not? Why did Fury call us and why now? Why not before? What isn't he telling us? I can't do the equation unless I have all the variables" Tony told him.

"You think Fury's hiding something?" Steve asked interested.

"He's a spy. Captain, he's THE spy. His secrets have secrets" Tony said pointing at Banner as he threw food in his mouth, "It's bugging him too, isn't it?"

"Uh...I just wanna finish my work here and..." Banner trailed off.

"Doctor?" Steve said.

"'A warm light for all mankind, Loki's jab at Fury about the cube" Banner stated taking off his glasses.

"I heard it" Steve said.

Banner pointed at Tony, "Well, I think that was meant for you" Banner said taking trail nuts from Tony as he offered them, "Even if Barton didn't tell Loki about the tower, it was still all over the news"

"The Stark Tower? That big ugly ...building in New York?" Steve asked as Tony gave him a look.

"It's powered by Stark Reactors, self- sustaining energy source. That building will run itself for what, a year?" Banner asked.

"That's just the prototype. I'm kind of the only name in clean energy right now" Tony bragged, "That's what he's getting at"

"So, why didn't SHIELD bring him in on the Tesseract project? I mean, what are they doing in the energy business in the first place?" Banner asked.

"I should probably look into that once my decryption programmer finishes breaking into all of SHIELD's secure files" Tony said looking at his device.

"I'm sorry, did you say...?" Steve asked surprised.

"Jarvis has been running it since I hit the bridge. In a few hours we'll know every dirty secret SHIELD has ever tried to hide" Tony explained holding out a bag of blueberries, "Blueberry?"

"Yet you're confused about why they didn't want you around?" Steve asked offended that Tony was sneaking around Peggy's organization's files.

"An intelligence organization that fears intelligence? Historically, not possible" Tony told him.

"I think Loki's trying to wind us up. This is a man who means to start a war, and if don't stay focused, he'll succeed. We have orders, we should follow them" Steve told him.

"Following is not really my style" Tony told Steve eating a handful of blueberries.

"And you're all about style, aren't you?" Steve said knowing that he hit a nerve.

"Of the people in this room, which one is; A. wearing a spangly outfit, and B. not of use?" Tony said trying to get back at him.

"Steve, tell me none of this smells a little funky to you?" Banner said calmly.

As a man who had taken orders from the very government that he was sworn to protect, he didn't like thinking of the possibilities.

"Just find the cube" Steve told them not wanting to break his Captain image in front of them.

Steve walked out of the lab and stopped to compose himself.

"That's the guy my Dad never shut up about?" Tony said loud enough that with his enhanced hearing, Steve could still hear, "Wondering if they should have kept him on ice"

Steve shook his head as the ghosts in his head spoke to him, 'Punk, don't listen to a thing he is saying. He's just a bully'

Steve swallowed hard and weighed the words that Tony and Banner said, as much as he didn't want to admit it. There was something fishy. This organization was formerly the SSR and he knew how many secrets they held. He decided to do things for himself.

* * *

a/n2: Thank you for reading! Please review so I know if you like it, or even if you hate it. I didn't want to use word for word of the script but wanted to add more about Steve along the way. This story is now his journey to discover Ellie and his life along the way. Now to reviews:

 **Fatjack36:** I am trying to convey the troubles he has with tech because I know if I was in his situation it would be difficult. Even the rapidly changing technological age we are in is difficult sometimes.

 **PistolHattersButtercup:** Steve is back! Yeah! But yes sorry, no Ellie… for now ;)


	19. Chapter 19 - I Won't Give Up

**a/n: Anything you recognize is property of Marvel. Ellie is creation of my pure imagination.**

 **a/n2: Thank you for the favorites: hihixd and Nerd of All Trades, as well as the follows: larsona0801 and laurenlovehappiness. This chapter follows the rest of Avengers as well as covers Steve after Avengers. Enjoy!**

* * *

 _I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily  
I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make  
Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use  
The tools and gifts we got, yeah, we got a lot at stake_  
 **~ I Won't Give Up by Jason Mraz**

* * *

 ***~*~* May 4th, 2011- Early morning- Helicarrier*~*~***

 _Steve walked out of the lab and stopped to compose himself._

" _That's the guy my Dad never shut up about?" Tony said loud enough that with his enhanced hearing, Steve could still hear, "Wondering if they should have kept him on ice"_

 _Steve shook his head as the ghosts in his head spoke to him, 'Punk, don't listen to a thing he is saying. He's just a bully'_

 _Steve swallowed hard and weighed the words that Tony and Banner said, as much as he didn't want to admit it. There was something fishy. This organization was formerly the SSR and he knew how many secrets they held. He decided to do things for himself._

After finding the phase 2 storage facility, Steve stood in horror staring at the Hydra weapons in front of him. Grabbing one of the guns, he held it in his hands as the horrors of his, what just seemed to be just recently past, flashed in front of his eyes. He watched people disappear before his very eyes after being hit with weapons very similar to the one that he was holding in his hand. His sister had been severely injured by one of these same weapons. Now they were tarnishing the very organization that Peggy had started, by creating the very weapons that she helped to try and eliminate.

Shaking his head, he jumped down to the main floor below him and left the storage room to go back to the lab.

"And you'll get your cube back, no muss, no fuss" Steve heard Tony say, "What is PHASE 2?"

Steve walked in and set the assault rifle on the table, "PHASE 2 is SHIELD uses the cube to make weapons" He said pissed as he looked at Tony, "Sorry, the computer was moving a little slow for me"

"Rogers, we gathered everything related to the Tesseract. This does not mean that we're..." Fury said as Tony interrupted him.

"I'm sorry, Nick" Tony said as he turned the computer to show him plans of the weapons, "What were you lying?"

"I was wrong, director. The world hasn't changed a bit" Steve said as Thor and Romanoff walked into the lab, "These weapons look a lot like Hydra weapons"

"Did you know about this?" Banner asked Romanoff.

"You wanna think about removing yourself from this environment, doctor?" Romanoff asked.

"I was in Calcutta, I was pretty well removed" Banner told her.

"Loki's manipulating you" Romanoff told him as she walked closer to him.

"And you've been doing what exactly?" Banner inquired.

"You didn't come here because I bat my eyelashes at you" Romanoff told him.

"Yes, and I'm not leaving because suddenly you get a little twitchy" Banner said pointing to the screen in front of him, "I'd like to know why SHIELD is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction"

"Because of him" Fury said pointing at Thor.

"Me?" Thor asked confused.

"Last year earth had a visitor from another planet who had a grudge match that leveled a small town. We learned that not only are we not alone, but we are hopelessly, hilariously, outgunned" Fury explained.

'My lord, are there really aliens I wonder?' Steve thought to himself thinking back to Bucky's science fiction magazines, 'Like the green Martian type?'

"My people want nothing but peace with your planet" Thor told him.

"But you're not the only people out there, are you? And, you're not the only threat. The world's filling up with people who can't be matched, they can't be controlled" Fury said.

"Like you controlled the cube?" Steve said still furious that he had been conned.

"Your work with the Tesseract is what drew Loki to it, and his allies. It is the signal to all the realms that the Earth is ready for a higher form of war" Thor told Fury.

"A higher form?" Steve asked suddenly worried that history is about to repeat itself.

"You forced our hand. We had to come up with something" Fury defended.

"Nuclear deterrent. `Cause that always calms everything right down" Tony rebutted and Steve found himself instantly annoyed by his attitude.

"Remind me again how you made your fortune, Stark?" Fury countered.

"I'm sure if he still made weapons Stark would be neck deep-" Steve said as Tony interrupted him.

"Wait! Wait! Hold on! How is this now about me?" Tony asked Steve.

"I'm sorry, isn't everything?" Steve asked.

"I thought humans were more evolved than this" Thor said.

"Excuse me, did WE come to YOUR planet and blow stuff up?" Fury asked Thor as Tony and Steve stared each other down.

"Did you always give your champions such mistrust?" Thor asked.

"Are you all really that naïve?" Romanoff asked, "Shield monitors potential threats"

Banner looked at Fury then at Steve, "Captain America is on SHIELD threat watch list?"

"We all are" Romanoff said.

Steve looked at Stark, "I swear to God, Stark, one more comment"

"Threat! I feel threatened!" Stark said as the team continued to argue.

"You speak of control, yet you court chaos" Thor said.

"It's his M.O., isn't it? I mean, what are we, a team? No, no, no. We're a chemical mixture that makes chaos. We're... we're a time-bomb" Banner said.

"You need to step away" Fury told Banner.

Tony put his hand on Steve's shoulder, "Why shouldn't the guy let off a little steam?"

Steve pushed his hand away, "You know damn well why! Back off!"

Tony went toe to toe with Steve, "Oh, I'm starting to want you to make me"

"Big man in a suit of armor. Take that off, what are you?" Steve taunted as he finally snapped.

"Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist" Tony told him.

Bucky flashed in his mind.

"I know guys with none of that worth ten of you." Steve said, "Yeah, I've seen the footage. The only thing you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you"

"I think I would just cut the wire" Tony replied.

Steve bit his lip then smiled, "Always a way out... You know, you may not be a threat, but you better stop pretending to be a hero"

"A hero? Like you? You're a laboratory experiment, Rogers. Everything special about you came out of a bottle!" Tony said getting in his face.

"Put on the suit, let's go a few rounds" Steve said unmoving as he turned away from Tony.

Thor laughs at them, "You people are so petty... and tiny"

Tony rubbed his forehead then moves away from Steve.

"Agent Romanoff, would you escort back to his..." Fury said as Banner interrupted him.

"Where? You rented my room" Banner said.

"The cell was just in case…" Fury told him.

"In case you needed to kill me, but you can't! I know! I tried!" Banner yelled.

Steve turned and looked at Dr. Banner.

"I got low. I didn't see an end, so I put a bullet in my mouth and the other guy spit it out! So I moved on. I focused on helping other people. I was good, until you dragged me back into this freak show and put everyone here at risk!" Banner yelled at Fury.

Steve froze as Banner's hand went towards the scepter.

"You wanna know my secret, Agent Romanoff? You wanna know how I stay calm?" Banner asked grabbing the scepter.

Romanoff and Fury grabbed their guns.

"Doctor Banner... put down the scepter" Steve said calmly.

Banner looked down and was shocked to see he was even holding the scepter.

The computer beeped and everyone turned to look at it.

"Got it" Tony said heading to the computer.

Banner put down the scepter and walked over to the computer, "Sorry, kids. You don't get to see my little party trick after all"

"Located the Tesseract?" Thor asked.

"I can get there faster" Tony said.

Steve broke in, "Look, all of us..."

"The Tesseract belongs on Asgard, no human is a match for it" Thor told them.

Tony turned to leave, but Steve stopped him by grabbing his arm, "You're not going alone!"

"You gonna stop me?" Tony taunted hitting his arm away.

"Put on the suit, let's find out" Steve replied not believing at the words were coming out of his mouth.

"I'm not afraid to hit an old man" Tony told him.

"Put on the suit" Steve told him before he could stop himself.

Banner frowned as the Tesseract's coordinates came up, "Oh, my god!" Banner said as there was an explosion somewhere within the helicarrier, sending them thrown in different directions.

Everyone is thrown in every direction as an explosion went through the middle of the lab. Steve and Tony are thrown together towards the door. Steve looked up at Tony, "Put on the suit!"

"Yep!" Tony said as Steve helped Tony up and out of the lab.

* * *

After Steve helped Tony get the engine back running. They were left to pick up the pieces. The helicarrier was partially destroyed; Thor was missing as was Banner, who had Hulked out. Coulson was dead and Loki was back on the run.

They sat in the briefing room and Steve felt numb. He really did not know these people but they were part of his team and he didn't like losing his team members.

"These were in Phil Coulson's jacket. Guess he never did get you to sign them" Fury said throwing Coulson's Captain America trading cards on the table in front of Steve.

Steve felt his heart sink as he picked them up and saw his picture stained with blood.

"We're dead in the air up here. Our communications, location of the cube, Banner, Thor. I got nothing for you. Lost my one good eye. Maybe I had that coming" Fury said as he paused, "Yes; we were going to build an arsenal with the Tesseract. I never put all my chips on that number though, because I was playing something even riskier. There was an idea, Stark knows this, called THE AVENGERS INITIATIVE. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people, see if they could become something more. See if they could work together when we needed them to, to fight the battles that we never could. Phil Coulson died still believing in that idea, in heroes"

Steve held his face tight trying not to show his emotions. He glanced over at Tony as he got up and walked off, not wanting to hear it anymore.

"Well, it's an old fashioned notion" Fury said and Steve realized he was talking directly to him.

Steve shook his head and followed Stark.

He found him standing looking at the empty cell container. Tony was standing on the other side, not saying a word.

"Was he married?" Steve asked breaking the silence.

"No. There was a… uh...cellist, I think" Tony said.

"I'm sorry. He seemed like a good man" Steve said.

"He was an idiot" Tony told him as he looked at him.

"Why? For believing?" Steve asked.

"For taking on Loki alone" Tony told him walking towards him.

"He was doing his job" Steve told him.

"He was out of his league. He should have waited. He should have..." Tony said.

Steve closed his eyes as Peggy's words rang through his head from when he went down in the Valkyrie.

"Sometimes there isn't a way out, Tony" Steve said sadly walking over to him, "You do it to save others and for the greater good"

Tony looked at him a moment at the use of his first name, "Right. How did that work for him?" Tony asked walking away.

"Is this the first time you've lost a soldier?" Steve asked.

Tony turned around wide-eyed, "WE ARE NOT SOLDIERS! I am not marching to Fury's fife!"

"Neither am I! He's got the same blood on his hands as Loki does. Right now we've got to put that behind us and get this done. Now Loki needs a power source, if we can put together a list..." Steve said as Tony looked beside him to see Coulson's blood on the wall.

"He made it personal" Tony told him.

"That's not the point" Steve said.

"That is the point. That's Loki's point. He hit us all right where we live. Why?" Tony asked.

"To tear us apart" Steve said.

"He had to conquer his greed, but he knows he has to take us out to win, right? That's what he wants. He wants to beat us and he wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience" Tony said.

"Right, I caught his act at Stuttgart" Steve said.

"Yeah. That's just a preview, this is opening night. Loki's a full-tilt diva. He wants flowers, he wants parades, he wants a monument built in the skies with his name plastered..." Tony said as he trailed off, "Sonofabitch!"

Tony ran off and Steve followed him, "He is going to use my tower. Get them rounded up. I need to get my suit"

Steve nodded as he ran off and grabbed his jacket putting it back on. He ran into the medical bay.

Romanoff looked up at him. "Time to go" Steve told her.

"Go where?" Romanoff asked.

"I'll tell you on the way. Can you fly one of those jets?" Steve asked.

Barton walked out of the restroom and looked at Steve, "I can"

Steve shared a look with Romanoff and confirmed the Barton was back on their side, "You got a suit?"

"Yeah" Barton told him.

"Then suit up" Steve told him.

* * *

It was three hours of Aliens versus the Avengers, and Steve watched as Tony went through the portal to space and was not returning. As soon as they saw the explosion in space, the Chitauri all died.

'Not another life lost' Steve thought sadly as they looked at him to make the call.

"Close it" Steve radioed.

Natasha closed the portal and Tony appeared at the last minute through the hole as it closed.

"He's not slowing down," Thor said swinging Mjolnir around to fly up to catch him.

Hulk jumped out of nowhere and climbed a building, launching himself to snag Iron Man out of the air and they both crashed to the ground.

The Hulk threw Tony off him. Thor and Steve stood over him.

"Easy" Steve says as Thor rolled Tony over and pulled the mask from his face.

Steve leaned down and listened for any signs of life. Despite the last few days of them not getting along, he never wanted the man dead. Steve sighed sadly in defeat as he, the Hulk and Thor stared at Iron Man's dead body.

The Hulk yelled out and the noise startled Tony awake.

Steve looked down upon him.

"What the hell? What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me?" Tony said.

Steve sat back onto the ground, "We won"

"Alright. Hey. Alright. Good job, guys. Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day. Have you ever tried shawarma?" Tony asked and Steve had to smile down at him, "There's a Shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I wanna try it."

"We're not finished yet" Thor said looking up at Stark tower.

"And then shawarma after" Tony told them.

They had won. New York City was destroyed but they had won. Lives were lost. People were injured but the Tesseract was in rightful hands again.

* * *

 ***~*~* May 5th, 2011- Central Park *~*~***

They all met where they agreed the previous day at 10am in Central Park. Steve pulled up on his motorcycle. Barton, Romanoff and Banner in a Shield vehicle. Tony in his sports car while Thor took Loki from Shield custody as their agents soon on guard.

Loki soon next to Thor handcuffed and muzzled.

Steve watched as Banner put the Tesseract inside the capsule that Selvig said would hold it. Glad that it would finally be away from Earth.

Thor stood with one hand on the Tesseract case and held the other end out to Loki. Loki grabbed it and Thor turned it, causing it to pulse blue. The rest of the Avengers took a step back as Thor and Loki disappeared.

Tony turned and walked back to his sports car first and Steve followed, "Tony"

Tony stopped and held out his hand and they shook, "Look Cap… I'm sorry about how I acted. It's just… my entire life… I was second class to you"

Steve frowned confused.

Tony laughed shaking his head, "My Dad's entire adult life was an obsession to find you. He was obsessed with you and his other big project. Any lead and possibility and he was gone for weeks or months. They never panned out but there was that chance. Until I saw you… I didn't realize the hostility I held for you because of it, until you were alive and in front of me"

"I'm sorry Tony" Steve said, "I didn't know"

"Of course you didn't, you were a Capsicle" Tony said as Bruce came over with his bag, "If you need anything Cap… you know where to call"

Steve nodded and Tony and Bruce climbed into his car then drove off.

Steve climbed onto his motorcycle and rode off through Central Park. The first place he stopped was a small cemetery in Brooklyn. After a stop at the front office, he obtained a map that led him to two sections of graves.

The first section, J-34 held the Rogers family. His mother and father's graves along with his own. His eyes stayed on his death date, the day of his crash for awhile before he moved onto section K- 23. It was only about 40 feet from the Rogers side but held Bucky's parents graves, his younger brother's who was just a baby when he died. As well as a tombstone marked with the name of a child born shortly after he and Bucky "died", the boy was named Steven James and had died at the age of 4. Steve sighed when he saw the larger tombstone to the left of Bucky's parents. Proctor, Rebecca and Scott with Scott passing a few years prior.

"Becca is still alive" Steve said amazed as he finally glanced at the even larger tombstone with a smaller one beside it to the left of Becca's.

He fell to his knees in front of it.

 **BARNES**

James Buchanan

March 10, 1917 – May 1, 1945

Elizabeth Belle Rogers

August 1, 1919 – January 1, 1975

The small stone next to it just simply said, **BARNES** , _Baby boy_. 1945

Steve cleared his throat, "hey guys… it's me… its Steve. Yes I am alive and you will never believe was just happened to me. Aliens truly exist. I miss you both so much. You wouldn't believe the world now. I am struggling to grasp the reality that I am in. It feels like all of this is just some wild dream. I have to keep pinching myself. I stayed in your house El… it helped a bit but… just ended up making me miss you both even more. Howard has a son…I was… working with him on this latest… mission against the aliens. I thought maybe he would be like Howard a bit, that it would help but… he is nothing like Howard. He is smart but…it's just not the same"

Steve leaned back against their headstone, "Nothing is the same…I wish I wasn't found… that I didn't survive" He blinked back the tears, "I just miss you so much"

* * *

 ***~*~* May 10th, 2011- Bronx*~*~***

After days of searching, Steve had finally found Rebecca Proctor. She was in an assisted living home in the Bronx. She was 89 years old and Steve was hoping that she would remember him.

With a bouquet of daisies in hand, Steve opened the door to the assisted living home and smiled at the receptionist.

"Hello welcome to the Treasured Living Home, I am Nicole how can I help you?" She asked.

"I am Steve Rogers and I would like to see Becca… I mean Rebecca Proctor" Steve said.

"Becky? Is she expecting you?" Nicole asked as she picked up the phone.

"Definitely not" Steve said, "She doesn't know that I am back…. In town… at least I don't believe so"

"Hey Becky, its Nicole. You have a guest here at the front office here to see you, his name is Steve" Nicole said as she smiled and chuckled, "I'll let him know"

Steve looked at her confused as she hung up, "She said she would be down faster than her brother could charm a floozie" Nicole said with a slightly laugh.

Steve laughed.

"I will warn you Mr. Rogers… she has memory issues. Don't be surprised if she doesn't remember you completely"

Steve nodded.

A short time later, a set of double doors swung open and a woman walked through.

"Well holy shit…"

Steve looked over at her, "Becca?"

"You… you haven't aged" Becca said as she slowly walked over to him, "When I saw you on TV… I couldn't believe my eyes. I was hoping that you might look me up"

Steve smiled, "Well had to get some daisies for my daisy sue"

Becca reached up and touched his face then patted it, "Wow… come on" She said as she looked at Nicole, "He is good. Nicole, I'd like you to meet my big brother's best friend. This is Steve Rogers"

Nicole looked at her, "Big brother?"

"Doesn't he look great for being in his 90s? Although I wouldn't recommend his anti-aging methods. Come on Steve, as a girl I always dreamt of you walking me home. Now you can" Becca said as she took his arm.

Steve laughed as he let her lead them, "Becca, you haven't changed a bit"

"I always kept my husband on his toes… God rest his soul" Becca said as they walked down the hallway and she stopped at her door, "This one is me"

Steve held open the door after she unlocked it.

She walked past him and he stopped to look at the pictures on the wall. There were old family photos of Bucky with the family, newer ones of Bucky's mother slightly older with Becca and children.

"I wasn't sure if you knew who I also was" Steve said.

"Steve… after you… went down and Bucky was gone. Ellie stayed with us" Becca told him as she sat down, "She wasn't well… she lost the baby… then she just fell apart"

Steve sat down next to her, "What happened to her?"

Becca bit her lip, "She…she was involved in one of Howard Stark's experiments. They were trying to make her similar to you… but it didn't work from what I remember. There were a lot of side effects and she wasn't the same after. She…got sick and disappeared"

Steve felt his heart drop to his stomach, "They were trying to recreate the super soldier serum… on her?"

"She was stronger but she was getting headaches and… it caused memory issues… I think" Becca said as she sighed, "I'm sorry Steve, my memory isn't the best anymore either"

Steve looked at the table to see picture albums.

Becca sighed, "I recognized you… when they were showing the TV clips and my granddaughter saw on the computer that you were called Captain America. I am sorry Steve; I… forgot you were him until she said it. Not that you were forgotten but-"

"Becca its okay" Steve said as he sat his hand on her wrinkled one.

"I have pictures… they help me remember" Becca told him as she opened one that was literally starting to fall apart at the seams, "Maybe you can help me remember more? The past… back in Brooklyn with Bucky. It hurt to remember so I tended to try to forget everything and move on. Especially after Mom was killed"

"What happened?" Steve asked looking over the early pictures that he hadn't seen in years even by his timeline.

"Momma never was a great driver. She was taking the baby to a doctor's appointment and didn't make it. She was always ashamed…Steven James… Momma never expected to be having a baby at her age. Then she refused to tell us… who his father was. Jamie was such a small baby. Reminded me of you. She was depressed over everything, Scott and I thought she may have caused the accident but we never could prove it" Becca told him as she pointed to a man, "Who is this man?"

Steve tried not to let the heartbreak show on his face, "That is your dad. I barely remember him. He died not long after I met Bucky. You were only 5 years old"

Becca frowned, "Oh, how'd he die?"

"He was in the military and there was an accident at the base. Your uncle moved in with you guys to help out" Steve said as he turned through a few more pages, "Here is Uncle Andrew"

"Oh… I thought he was Dad" Becca said.

Steve shook his head, "No Andrew was your dad's brother"

Becca shook her head, "Wait… wasn't his name Andrew Jackson Barnes?"

Steve laughed, "Yes, which is where your parents started the whole president's thing. Your grandfather was named after the King of Ireland well Britain, King William. So when your grandparents immigrated over here their first son was named after a President, Andrew Jackson. Bucky was named after James Buchanan"

Becca laughed, "That's right and Bucky wanted their baby named Ulysses Grant and Ellie said she had told him hell no"

"Did he seriously?" Steve asked laughing.

"Is your middle name Grant?" Becca asked.

Steve nodded as it dawned on him, "Oh… that's why he picked Ulysses"

"I remember… I think when she went to bury him… she wanted to put baby Grant but…didn't, I don't think" Becca said confused.

"It just says Baby Boy Barnes" Steve told her.

Becca nodded as Steve turned past the pictures of Bucky shipping out, "Did I ever see Bucky after that?"

Steve shook his head sadly, "No, he never came home after that. After he was captured… we were just so determined to get Hydra that… I should have pushed for him… for us to go home, even for a bit"

"You couldn't have known Steve" Becca told him as he turned the page and saw a picture of Ellie sitting on the front steps of the old Barnes home, "If I remember right, that was only a few months after she lost the baby. I made her come outside for her birthday… it was in August right?"

Steve nodded, "August 1st… wow, she lost that much weight in that short of time?"

Becca nodded, "She… shut down Steve… I think that is why she disappeared with Peggy, and then when Howard did the experiment, she had nothing left to lose"

Steve looked at her, "She went with Peggy?"

"She disappeared for a year, came back… a different person. She was thin but… strong. Chopped her hair off. I think… I think she was a spy" Becca told him, "But she came back for the experiment. I don't think I saw her again after the side effects started"

"Her tombstone says 1975 is when she died" Steve said as he ran his finger over her face in the book in his lap, the picture read 1949.

"1975? I think I may have seen her after that photo… but not long after because she looked the same as she did in that photo" Becca told him as she frowned, "I wish I could remember more"

Steve shook his head, "You did great Becca. I just… there is a really large time gap where no one heard about her or knows anything. It's like she just disappeared then died in 1975"

Becca patted his hand, "Ask Howard"

"Howard died in 1991" Steve told her, "Peggy has Alzheimer's"

Becca frowned, "That's what the doctors tell me I have. I don't wish this on anyone Steve. I know I had to have known all this at one time but it's just gone. Treasure your memories Steve. Sometimes I remember things clearly but then there are memories that are… that can't be real. Like Bucky having long hair. I remember seeing him… or at least I swear it was him, but he had long hair"

"Yeah Bucky never had long hair" Steve said shaking his head.

"It couldn't have been him, he wouldn't talk to me and the guy had an artificial arm. I had this one memory of Ellie doing magic. Of course I remembered it after my Granddaughter was watching one of those Wizard movies" Becca told him as she yawned.

Steve took her hand, "I think I am going to be going"

"No, no… stay please. I miss… I miss the past. It's the clearest part of my memories" Becca told him.

"How about this, I'll come visit as often as I can" Steve told her, "You need rest though. I had a rough few days too"

"Really? What are you doing now? I know you were doing art" Becca said.

"I meant the battle in New York City" Steve told her, "But I need to start doing art again. It always helped me work through things. Maybe it will help get these images of those aliens out of my head"

"Aliens?!" Becca asked in disbelief, "They are real?"

"Unfortunately yes. You need to go take a rest; I should be heading back to my apartment. I'll tell you more about them when I come visit next time. Let's just say, none of Bucky's magazines he had could have prepared us for the real thing" Steve said as he stood up and helped her up as she tried to get up. He pulled her frail frame against his.

"Thank you Steve" Becca said as she put her thin arms around him, "For everything… the plane… the past"

"I did it for you guys. Ellie and you, your mom…" Steve told her.

Becca patted his face, "Be happy. She'd want you to be happy"

Steve gave her a half smile, "I don't know what that really is anymore Bec"

* * *

a/n3: Thank you for reading and remember to please review so I know how you like it. Thank you Amaya Dixon for the review last chapter!


	20. Chapter 20 - It's Hard to Say Goodbye

_**A/n: Anything you recognize is property of Marvel. Ellie is a creation of my pure imagination.**_

 _ **A/n2: Thank you for the favorite: Lone-Wolf761 as well as the review PistolHattersButtercup!**_

* * *

 _How do I say goodbye to what we had?  
The good times that made us laugh, outweighed the bad.  
I thought we'd get to see forever, but forever has blown away.  
It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday._

 _ **~It's Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday by Boys 2 Men**_

* * *

 ***~*~* October 10** **th** **, 2013- Washington D.C. *~*~***

In the two years since the battle in New York, Steve had decided that as much as he loved his home city, there were too many memories. Becca had completely lost her memory then died shortly after. Only a short time later, Fury had asked him if he wanted to lead his STRIKE team and move to the capitol, and Steve had accepted. He had created a routine for himself during that time. Every day he would wake up, leave his apartment and run from 5am until 7am making as many laps as he could before heading back.

There was usually not anyone up as early as he was, making their laps around the streets of Washington DC with the Washington Monument in the background, but today there was one African American gentleman. The sky had barely begun to lighten and the street lamps were still on as Steve ran past him.

"On your left" Steve said as he buzzed by him and continued on with his route.

He was on his second lap and he was passing Jefferson's Memorial, when he saw the man again.

"On your left" Steve said as he jogged past him again.

"Uh huh on my left, got it" The man said as Steve easily passed him leaving him behind once more as the sky began to brighten up even more.

Steve continued his route and grinned as he saw the man coming up in front of him again in front of Lincoln's Memorial.

The man glanced back at the sound of Steve's feet, "Don't say it! Don't you say it!"

"On your left!" Steve yelled passing him.

"Come on!" The man yelled as Steve blew past him for a third time.

On his fourth lap, he spotted the man resting on a tree catching his breath and slowed down to walk up to him.

"Need a medic?" Steve asked.

The man laughed, **"** I need a new set of lungs. Dude, you just ran like 13 miles in 30 minutes"

Steve knew his record was actually 15 miles in 30 minutes but he didn't dispute the man.

"I guess I got a late start" Steve told him.

"Oh really? You should be ashamed of yourself. You should take another lap" The man said looking away for a brief moment then back at Steve, "Did you just take it? I assumed you just took it"

Steve noticed his sweatshirt, "What unit you with?"

"58, Pararescue. But now I'm working down at the VA. Sam Wilson" He said holding out his hand.

Steve held out his hand to help him get up.

"Steve Rogers" Steve introduced.

"I kind of put that together. Must have freaked you out coming home after the whole defrosting thing" Sam said.

"It takes some getting used to. It's good to meet you, Sam" Steve said turning to leave.

"It's your bed, right?" Sam called out.

"What's that?" Steve asked as he turned back around.

"Your bed, it's too soft. When I was over there I'd sleep on the ground and use rock for pillows, like a caveman. Now I'm home, lying in my bed and it's like..."

Steve had a quick flashback of the Commandoes all sleeping in sleeping bags on the cold ground.

"Lying on a marshmallow. Feel like I'm gonna sink right to the floor" Steve nodded.

Sam smiled and nodded.

"How long?" Steve asked.

"Two tours. You must miss the good old days, huh?" Sam asked.

"Well, things aren't so bad. Food's a lot better, we used to boil everything. No polio is good. Internet, so helpful. I've been reading that a lot trying to catch up" Steve told him.

"Marvin Gaye, 1972, "Trouble Man" soundtrack. Everything you've missed jammed into one album" Sam explained.

"I'll put it on the list" Steve told him as he pulled a small notebook and pen out and added it to his list.

Steve felt his phone buzz in his pocket and a message appeared on the screen.

 _"Mission alert. Extraction imminent. Meet at the curb. :)"_

"Alright, Sam, duty calls. Thanks for the run. If that's what you wanna call running" Steve said shaking his hand.

"Oh, that's how it is?" Sam asked.

Steve laughed, "Oh, that's how it is"

"Okay. Any time you wanna stop by the VA, make me look awesome in front of the girl at the front desk, just let me know" Sam told Steve.

"I'll keep it in mind" Steve told him internally smiling how this guy reminded him of Bucky.

"Okay" Sam said as Natasha pulled her car up to the curb and rolled down the window.

"Hey, fellas. Either one of you know where the Smithsonian is? I'm here to pick up a fossil" Natasha said.

"That's hilarious" Steve said walking over to the car and getting in.

Sam looked in the car, "How you doing?"

"Hey" Natasha said to him.

"Can't run everywhere" Steve told him.

"No, you can't" Sam said as Natasha quickly pulled away.

Natasha looked over at Steve as she navigated through cars, "Did you hear about the new exhibit at the Smithsonian?"

Steve looked at her, "No, what is it?"

"All about you and the commandoes. Since you came back, SHIELD and the Smithsonian have been working together to get it installed" Natasha told him.

Steve frowned, "What is there?"

Natasha shrugged, "Not quite sure, I haven't been there myself but they went through all the old SSR footage and the relatives of the commandoes donated stuff"

Steve sighed as he looked back out the passenger window, "I might go check it out. It will feel odd, my life mentioned in a museum like a Monet"

"Didn't you do art work? You know… before the ice" Natasha asked.

Steve nodded, "But nothing professional"

"You should try it again" Natasha suggested.

Steve sighed, "I just haven't been inspired. I've done a few drawings but…the muses aren't there anymore"

* * *

 ***~*~* October 11** **th** **, 2013- Triskelion - Washington D.C. *~*~***

After his mission on the Lemurian Star and finding it nearly compromised when Natasha had her own separate mission, Steve was upset. As soon as they reached the Triskelion, SHIELD's Headquarters, he marched into Fury's office.

"You just can't stop yourself from lying, can you?" Steve asked.

"I didn't lie. Agent Romanoff had a different mission than yours" Fury told him.

"Which you didn't feel obliged to share" Steve said.

"I'm not obliged to do anything" Fury explained.

"Those hostages could've died, Nick" Steve told him.

"I sent the greatest soldier in history to make sure that didn't happen" Fury told him.

"Soldiers trust each other, that's what makes it an army. Not a bunch of guys running around and shooting guns" Steve explained.

"The last time I trusted someone, I lost an eye. Look, I didn't want you doing anything you weren't comfortable with. Agent Romanoff is comfortable with everything." Fury defended.

"I can't lead a mission when the people I'm leading have missions of their own" Steve told him.

"It's called compartmentalization. Nobody spills the secrets because nobody knows them all" Fury told him.

"Except you" Steve said.

"You're wrong about me. I do share. I'm nice like that" Fury told him.

Steve followed Fury into an elevator.

"Insight bay" Fury stated.

 **" _Captain Rogers does not have clearance for Project Insight._ "**

"Director override, Fury, Nicholas J" Fury stated.

 **" _Confirmed"_**

The elevator started moving down.

Steve remembered the last time he was in an elevator with someone, he was with Bucky and they were going to a rooftop dance. The music was a waltz. He shook the memories away, "You know, they used to play music" Steve said leaning against the side of the elevator.

"Yeah. My grandfather operated one of these things for forty years. My granddad worked in a nice building, he got good tips. He'd walk home every night, roll of ones stuffed in his lunch bag. He'd say "hi", people would say hi back. Time went on, neighborhood got rougher. He'd say "Hi", they'd say, "Keep on steppin'." Granddad got to grippin' that lunch bag a little tighter" Fury told him.

"Did he ever get mugged?" Steve asked.

"Every week some punk would say, "What's in the bag?" Fury told him.

"What did he do?" Steve asked as they entered the underground portion of the building.

"He'd show 'em. Bunch of crumpled ones and loaded .22 Magnum" Fury said with a smile, "Granddad loved people. But he didn't trust them very much"

Steve noticed the giant Helicarriers for the first time.

"Yeah, I know. They're a little bit bigger than a .22" Fury said.

Steve looked on and felt a slight feeling of fear. These planes and all the weaponry reminded him too much of Hydra.

"This is Project Insight. Three next generation Helicarriers synced to a network of targeting satellites" Fury informed him.

"Launched from the Lemurian Star" Steve noted.

"Once we get them in the air they never need to come down. Continuous suborbital flight courtesy of our new repulsor engines" Fury told him.

"Stark?"

"Well, he had a few suggestions once he got an up close look at our old turbines. These new long range precision guns can eliminate a thousand hostiles a minute. The satellites can read a terrorist's DNA before he steps outside his spider hole. We gonna neutralize a lot of threats before they even happen" Fury told him.

Steve mentally shook his head, "I thought the punishment usually came after the crime"

"We can't afford to wait that long" Fury told him.

"Who's "we"?" Steve asked.

"After New York, I convinced the World Security Council we needed a quantum surge in threat analysis. For once we're way ahead of the curve." Fury told him.

"By holding a gun at everyone on Earth and calling it protection" Steve argued.

"You know, I read those SSR files. Greatest generation? You guys did some nasty stuff." Fury defended.

"Yeah, we compromised. Sometimes in ways that made us not sleep so well. But we did it so the people could be free. This isn't freedom, this is fear" Steve told him.

"SHIELD takes the world as it is, not as we'd like it to be. It's getting damn near past time for you to get with that program, Cap" Fury instructed him.

"Don't hold your breath" Steve told him as he turned and walked off.

He got into the elevator and pinched his nose. He missed his old life more than ever. This wasn't how he imagined it would be in the future.

* * *

 ***~*~* October 11** **th** **, 2013- Smithsonian - Washington D.C. *~*~***

Steve walked into the Smithsonian, pulling his hat down lower on his face. Romanoff had told him that there was a new exhibit here at the Smithsonian dedicated to him and the Commandoes, but he had never had the guts to go to it. He had never missed home more than he currently was. He hoped that seeing pictures or whatever they had in the exhibit would help.

He sighed as he saw his face on large banners on either side of the escalators leading up to the exhibit. Climbing aboard, he rode upstairs to see "Welcome Back, Cap" written on the wall from President Ellis with the words Captain America: The living legend and symbol of courage.

 **" _A symbol to the nation. A hero to the world."_** Steve walked past a large mural _ **"The story of Captain America is one of honor, bravery and sacrifice"** _said a narrated recording.

Steve walked to the first part of the exhibit and froze as he saw a picture of what he once looked like.

 **" _Denied enlistment due to poor health, Steven Rogers was chosen for a program unique in the annals of American warfare"_**

A family was in the same area and there was a screen that displayed the size difference between himself before the serum and now. The smallest boy was dressed in a costume of his and was holding a toy shield.

 **"** _ **One that would transform him into the world's first super soldier"** _

Steve noticed a boy wearing a shield shirt staring at him, and smiled putting his finger to his lips hoping the boy would keep quiet so he could look through his life in peace. The boy nodded and Steve walked off to the next area that held one of his old motorcycles.

 **" _In this rare footage, everyone's favorite warrior, Captain America..._ "**

Steve watched the footage and closed his eyes as he remembered it as if it were in fact yesterday.

* * *

 _Steve sat inside the Jeep as Jones drove it down the dirt roads leading towards base._

" _Cheer up Stevie. That was our tenth HYDRA base that we took out" Bucky said as he patted Steve on the back._

" _But we haven't found the main base yet" Steve told him._

" _Cap, we have done so much already. Rome wasn't built in a day. Hydra won't fall in a day either" Monty told him as Jones pulled up to base's gate._

 _Bucky smiled almost giddy at the sight of the base, "After debrief, no one bother me. It's mine and Ellie's anniversary"_

" _Oh Sarge is getting lucky tonight" Jones said with a grin._

" _That's my sister!" Steve said in disgust as the Jeep parked._

" _Well men, appears that we have an audience" Morita told them as he saw the cameraman._

 _Bucky groaned as he looked at Steve, "I thought the senator got all the footage he wanted"_

 _Steve shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine" He said as they got out of the Jeep._

 _Colonel Phillips walked up to them with the camera following, "Mission Report, Captain"_

" _Colonel sir, mission was a success. We destroyed their intel, destroyed their base but there was no additional knowledge on their headquarters" Steve said._

 _Colonel looked over the men, "Injuries"_

" _No sir" Steve told him._

" _I want a written report by 0800 tomorrow" Colonel Phillips told him, "You are all dismissed to your quarters"_

 _Bucky smiled as he saw Ellie and Peggy walking down the path towards them._

 _Ellie stopped in front of Bucky, "Well hello there soldier"_

" _Well hello angel face, how is my doll doing?"Bucky asked as he pulled her close._

" _Bucky, there is a camera right over there" Ellie said as she buried her face in his neck to hide her face._

 _Bucky laughed as he leaned down and kissed her neck, causing her to giggle._

 _Peggy walked up to Steve, "Well hell Captain"_

 _Steve looked at her with an eyebrow raised._

" _Don't worry I don't expect that type of welcome" Peggy said as he looked him over, "Everyone in one piece?"_

" _Yes ma'am" Steve said as she nodded then turned away from him._

 _Peggy glanced back at him, "But I wouldn't mind that type either Captain"_

* * *

Steve sighed as he watched Peggy walk away from him in the footage as Bucky put his arm around Ellie and they walked out of shot.

Moving on he froze as he saw the display with the costumes of all of his old commandoes and his own. Bucky's face next to his in color brought back too many memories.

 **" _Battle tested; Captain America and his Howling Commandos quickly earned their stripes. Their mission, taking down HYDRA, the Nazi rogue science division"_**

Turning around from the giant photograph of Bucky, he found a display all about only Bucky.

 **" _Best_ _friends since childhood, Bucky Barnes and Steven Rogers were inseparable on both schoolyard and battlefield. Barnes is the only Howling Commando to give his life in service of his country."_**

Steve read over the information, noting that there were many inaccuracies. He looked down and saw video that he did not even know that existed of him, Bucky and the commandoes. Even worse, a video of him and Bucky laughing. They looked so carefree. The memory flashed through his brain and he remembered Ellie was the one recording the footage.

A young lady and her friend walked up next to the memorial to Bucky, "Becky, look how gorgeous he was"

'Becky' shook her head, "Sarah, you just have a thing for the brown hair, blue eyed and brooding type"

"Do you think he had kids? Great-nephews or something. You can tell he was a playboy though, did you see the footage over there. He walked up with the Commandoes and a woman just flocked to him" The other girl said as they walked off.

Steve looked up at Bucky's face one last time before moving onto the next section, a small auditorium and sat down.

He felt his heart clench as he saw Peggy's face. Older than he remembered.

"That was a difficult winter. A blizzard had trapped half our battalion behind the German line. Steve...Captain Rogers, he fought his way through a HYDRA blockade that had pinned our allies down for months. He saved over a thousand men, including the man who would...who would become my husband as it turned out" Peggy's voice said as he took his old compass out of his pocket and opened it looking at her photo, "Even after he died, Steve was still changing my life" Peggy said on the video.

Steve put his head in his hands and sighed as he shut the locket, making the decision that he had put off for way too long.

* * *

 ***~*~* October 11** **th** **, 2013- Washington D.C Nursing Home. *~*~***

After making the phone call, that he had been putting off, he found out that Peggy had came back home. She was right here in Washington DC. After obtaining the address, he drove there on his motorcycle.

The lady at the front desk gave him a warm smile after he entered the building, "Here to see Peggy?"

Steve frowned.

"I've been to the Smithsonian exhibit" She informed him, "She is in the private wing. Room 16"

He was let into the wing and walked to her room. The door was open and but he still knocked.

She turned her head and looked at him, "Steve… you're late"

He had to steel himself when his eyes roamed over her and he walked over to her, "Sorry my ride… well I had big problems"

He pulled a chair over to her bed and sat down next to her bed.

She reached out for his hand, "I still can't believe it"

"It seems like a dream sometimes" Steve told her looking at their hands, "Sorry I didn't come sooner. I admit… I was scared"

She patted his hand, "I understand"

Steve looked at the pictures on her bedside table, "You should be proud of yourself, Peggy" He said gazing at the picture of Peggy, her daughter and the man he assumed was her husband.

"Mmm I have lived a life. My only regret is that you didn't get to live yours" Peggy told him.

Steve sighed and looked down.

"What is it?" Peggy asked.

"For as long as I can remember I just wanted to do what was right. I guess I'm not quite sure what that is anymore. And I thought I could throw myself back in and follow orders, serve. It's just not the same" Steve explained to her.

Peggy laughed, "You were always so dramatic. Look, you saved the world. We rather...mucked it up"

"You didn't. Knowing that you helped found SHIELD is half the reason I stay" Steve explained.

Peggy reached for his hand and pulled it onto her stomach.

"Hey. The world has changed and none of us can go back. All we can do is our best, and sometimes the best that we can do is to start over" Peggy told him.

Steve sighed, "It's just hard. There is so much change. So many questions. Peg… there is something that has been bothering me since I woke up"

"What is it?" Peggy asked.

"What happened to Ellie?" Steve asked sadly, "SHIELD records didn't have her passing but Bucky's record did then she is buried with him"

Peggy looked at him confused, "I…I don't remember. She was part of a special project of Howard's. It didn't go as planned and…I think she got sick. She wasn't the same after you and Bucky died. She gave up after the baby died too. She went dark"

Steve sighed, "Depression?"

"That and she turned spy" Peggy told him.

Steve looked at her, "Spy?"

"Dark undercover spy. For MI5. She told me she had nothing to lose so might as well lose her life and create new ones" Peggy said as she started coughing.

Steve turned and got her some water and tried to hand it to her.

"Steve?" Peggy whispered

"Yeah"

"You're alive! You…you came, you came back" Peggy cried.

"Yeah Peggy" Steve said as he felt his heart break.

"It's been so long. So long" She cried.

Steve swallowed hard, "Well, I couldn't leave my best girl. Not when she owes me a dance"

He stayed with her until she fell asleep then shut the door behind him, leaning against it as tears fell down his face. The last person on Earth, who also remembered his sister, could not remember her. She had been his last hope.

* * *

 ***~* October 11** **th** **, 2013- VA Hospital*~***

He was driving aimlessly; feeling lost more than ever in this time, when he drove past the VA hospital. Remembering what Sam had told him, Steve pulled off and parked his motorcycle.

Walking into the building, he asked the front desk where Sam Wilson might be and was told that he was conducting a counseling meeting that he was free to head upstairs and attend.

He walked down the hallway and heard a female voice, "The thing is I think it's getting worse. A cop pulled me over last week, he thought I was drunk. I swerved to miss a plastic bag. I thought it was an IED"

He leaned on the doorway as Sam started talking, "Some stuff you leave there, other stuff you bring back. It's our job to figure out how to carry it. Is it gonna be in a big suitcase or in a little man-purse? It's up to you"

Steve stood back listening to the rest of the meeting, and then stood back in the shadows as they convened. He watched as Sam said goodbye to each veteran then walked over to him.

"Look who it is. The running man" Sam said as he started cleaning up.

"Caught the last few minutes. It's pretty intense" Steve told him leaning against the wall next to him.

"Yeah, brother, we all got the same problems. Guilt, regret" Sam told him.

"You lose someone?" Steve asked.

"My wingman, Riley. Flying a night mission. Standard PJ rescue op, nothing we hadn't done a thousand times before, till RPG knock Riley's dumb ass out of the sky. Nothing I could do. It's like I was up there just to watch" Sam explained.

"I'm sorry"

"After that, I had really hard time finding a reason for being over there, you know?" Sam told him.

"But you're happy now, back in the world?" Steve asked.

"Hey, the number of people giving me orders is down to about zero. So, hell, yeah. You thinking about getting out?" Sam asked.

"No" Steve said immediately then shook his head, "I don't know. To be honest, I don't know what I would do with myself if I did. It's all I know"

"Ultimate fighting?" Sam suggested and made Steve laugh, "It's just a great idea off the top of my head. But seriously, you could do whatever you want to do. What makes you happy?" Sam asked.

"I don't know" Steve said honestly.

"Then you need to figure that out. What makes you happy in this year? What made you happy back then?" Sam asked.

"My family and friends but they are all gone now" Steve told him sadly.

"Not even maybe a distant relative?" Sam asked him.

Steve shook his head, "It was just me and my sister. She married my best friend and he died in the war, then she died in 1975. She never remarried or had children from what I can find out. No one really knows what happened to her because everyone we knew…"

"Is gone" Sam said.

Steve nodded.

"You know Cap; you are free to sit in on one of these sessions. It might help you" Sam told him.

Steve gave him a slight smile, "I might have to do that someday"

* * *

a/n3: We have made it to Winter Soldier! And my favorite is about to come back! Obviously from here on out it will parallel the original movies but be a little AU. Please review and tell me what you think! To answer the review:

PistolHattersButtercup: I will say that Bucky will be seen again by Steve prior to him rediscovering Ellie. What I cannot say is how much Bucky will remember. That you will have to wait and find out Thanks for reviewing!


	21. Chapter 21 - Bleeding Out

**a/n: Anything you recognize is property of Marvel. Ellie is strictly my own imagination.**

 **a/n2: Thank you for the follows:** **xrysatsan and Mangamak. Please continue to read and review. :)**

* * *

 _When the day has come_  
 _But I've lost my way around_  
 _And the seasons stop and hide beneath the ground_  
 _When the sky turns gray_  
 _And everything is screaming_  
 _I will reach inside_  
 _Just to find my heart is beating_

 _You tell me to hold on_  
 _Oh you tell me to hold on_  
 _But innocence is gone_  
 _And what was right is wrong_

 **~ Bleeding Out by Imagine Dragons**

* * *

 ***~*~* October 11** **th** **, 2013- Washington D.C. Bar*~*~***

Steve parked his motorcycle in front of a bar that he had passed multiple times, but never had frequented. Knowing that thanks to the serum, alcohol would more than likely not ever do anything to numb the pain, he still hoped to be able to feel less of the pain he was currently feeling.

Walking inside, he sat down at the nearly empty bar, at the darkest portion of it that he could find. A bartender came out of the back and saw him then paused, "How can I help you?"

"Just bring me a glass and a bottle of whiskey please" Steve told him as he pulled his hat down lower on his face.

The bartender stared at him for a moment then his eyebrows rose in recognition, "Yes sir"

Steve sighed as the bartender sat the bottle and a glass down in front of him.

He was halfway through the bottle when he realized that even after all these years; his metabolism is still too fast for the buzz. Taking his wallet out, he pulled out the picture he had taken from Ellie's house. It was the last picture of him, Bucky and Ellie together about two weeks before Bucky's death. Propping it up on a napkin holder next to him, he picked up the whiskey bottle, and gulped down the remaining half as he thought to himself, 'I miss you guys so much you know. I'd give up anything to see you guys again"

After a couple of minutes, he felt a slight buzz and closed his eyes enjoying it for the few minutes it lasted.

The bartender cleared his throat, "You okay Cap?"

Steve looked at him with a sad smile as he put the picture away in his wallet then handed a hundred dollar bill to the man, "Sometimes it's horrible being Captain America… when I can't get drunk anymore. Thanks, keep whatever is left"

"Are you okay to drive?" The bartender asked concerned.

Steve nodded, "Not drunk at all, not even buzzed. I haven't been drunk since 1943 but thanks for asking"

He pulled his jacket closer to his body then walked out of the bar.

* * *

 ***~*~* October 11** **th** **, 2013- Washington D.C *~*~***

After a drive around town to try to clear his head, Steve pulled up to an apartment that he had known of, but never had visited. Glancing at his watch, he noticed that it was 9pm and he hoped that the occupant was not asleep. If anyone would understand what he was currently feeling it would be this person.

Pulling out his phone, Steve walked up to the front door of the building and called.

"Cap? What are you doing calling at this late of an hour? Shouldn't a fossil like you be in bed?" Her voice joked.

"Funny Romanoff… I…" Steve said as an ambulance drove by and he realized how ridiculous he was being. He needed to get a grasp on himself, "Nevermind"

"Wait… are you here? At my apartment?" Natasha asked as she mumbled something in the background.

"I just… I don't know why. Nevermind" Steve said as he turned around and started walking back to his motorcycle, "Sorry to bother you. Have a good night"

The door opened and he turned around to see her standing in the doorway.

"You okay Cap?" Natasha asked.

Steve looked her over. She was wearing a nice dress and had makeup on. He had never seen her look like that before, "I… I'm sorry for bothering you. I just… you said before that I was free to stop by"

Natasha frowned as she walked over to him barefoot and looked up at him, "What's wrong… is that… whiskey I smell?"

Steve sighed and was about to say something when the door opened again. He glanced up to see Clint in the doorway.

Internally groaning, he realized he must have interrupted a date. He always had suspected after New York that they were more than just partners in the field.

"Nevermind" He said swallowing hard, "Sorry to bother you both. I just…yeah. Have a good night. Sorry Barton"

Natasha grabbed his arm and he looked down at her, "Steve, are you sure you are okay to drive?"

Steve swallowed hard, "it's just the smell of it…I can't get drunk" Steve said bitterly.

"Something must be wrong if Captain America is trying to get drunk. Are you sure you are okay?" Natasha asked concerned.

Steve put on a fake smile, "I'll be fine. You go… enjoy your company. Sorry for bothering you"

"It's just Clint. You are free to join us" Natasha told him.

Steve sighed, "No, I'll be fine. I'll just… go back to my apartment and go to bed"

"I'm here if you change your mind" Natasha told him.

Steve nodded, "Night"

Walking back to his motorcycle, he climbed back on. Glancing back towards her, he saw Clint walk over to her as he started it up. She shook her head and watched him as he took off.

Despite telling Natasha that he was going straight back to his apartment, he continued to drive around a bit. Around 10pm Steve finally drove up to his apartment. He pulled into the alley and turned his motorcycle off, hoping that after a long shower and climbing into bed, that he could sleep the funk he was in off. Walking up the stairs he heard his neighbor as she came out of her apartment with a laundry basket of clothes.

"That's so sweet. That is so nice" She said as she saw him, "Hey. I gotta go, though. Okay, bye" She said as she hung up and turned to Steve, "My aunt, she's kind of an insomniac"

Steve smiled at her then when remembered what Sam had said. Kate reminded him of his long-requited love, Peggy. Peggy was currently sitting in her nursing home and he would not be able to change things. Maybe it was time for him to move on, move forward into 2013.

"Hey, if you want...if you want, you're welcome to use my machine. Might be cheaper than the one in the basement." Steve offered with a smile.

"Oh, yeah? What's it cost?" She asked wondering.

"A cup of coffee?" Steve suggested trying to be as smooth as Bucky used to be. Then internally groaning to himself.

Kate smiled then sighed, "Thank you, but um...I already have a load in downstairs, and, uh...you really don't want my scrubs in your machine. I'm just finished orientation in the infectious diseases ward, so…" She said.

Steve read between the lines, "Ah, well, I'll keep my distance"

"Well hopefully not too far" Kate told him with a smile.

She nodded and he turned towards his apartment.

"Oh, and I think you left your stereo on" Kate told him.

"Oh. Right, thank you" Steve said trying not to show her the moment of panic as his heart rate rose as he had not in fact left anything on inside the apartment.

"Yeah" Kate said as she walked down the stairs and Steve looked at his door trying to strategize how to get in his apartment without alerting whoever was inside.

He heard one of his old records playing and decided going through the window would probably be the best bet. He made his way to the fire escape then around to his apartment's window. He pushed the window up then climbed in. He made his way into the hallway and his shield was sitting there so he quickly grabbed it. Thankful that whoever it was, had not messed with it. Glancing around the edge of the wall, he saw Fury sitting in his sitting room in the dark.

"I don't remember giving you a key" Steve told him relaxing.

"You really think I'd need one? My wife kicked me out." Fury told him.

Steve tried not to frown, in the last couple of years; he had never heard anything about Fury having a wife.

"Didn't know you were married" Steve said.

"A lot of things you don't about me" Fury told him.

Steve sighed as the anger tried to make a full return.

"I know, Nick. That's the problem" Steve said as he turned on the light and froze when he saw Fury's injuries.

Fury held his hand up and turned the lamp off next to him. He typed something out on his phone and showed it to Steve, ' _Ears Everywhere'_

Steve looked around the room trying to figure out where the bugs might be.

"I'm sorry to have to do this, but I had no place else to crash" Fury told him as he typed something else out on his phone and showed it to him with a shaking hand, ' _SHIELD compromised'_

"Who else knows about your wife?" Steve asked as Fury showed him another text as he stood up, _"You and me"_

"Just...my friends" Fury told him.

"Is that what we are?" Steve asked.

"That's up to you" Fury told him as gunfire erupted in the room through the wall behind Fury, knocking old family pictures from the wall.

Steve grabbed Fury's arm and started dragging him as he looked out his window and saw a flash of metal on the roof across the way. After dragging him to the next room, Fury grabbed his hand as he went to leave to go after the shooter and handed him a metal flash drive, "Don't trust anyone"

Fury had just passed out as Steve heard someone breaking into his apartment.

"Captain Rogers?" Steve looked around the wall and saw Kate walking in with her gun pointed, "Captain, I'm Agent 13 of SHIELD Special Service"

"Kate?" Steve asked confused.

"I'm assigned to protect you" Kate said still holding out her gun.

"On whose order?" He asked as she saw Fury.

"His" She said as she dropped to the ground and checked his pulse, she picked up her radio, "Foxtrot is down, he's unresponsive. I need EMTs"

Someone on the other end asked, "Do you have a twenty on the shooter?"

Steve glanced back out the window and noticed the flash of metal was still there, "Tell him I'm in pursuit"

Steve ran through his apartment and threw his body through his window, shield first and went through the window in the building next door to his. Glancing through the building's glass roof, he can see a man running on the roof away from him. Knocking through doors and against walls, he ran through the office building attempting to catch up with the shooter. He made it to the end of the hallway just in time to see a man jump from the roof, onto the building next to the one he was running through. He jumped through the window onto the roof and threw his shield at the other man.

The shooter turned and caught it with a metal hand. Staring at him over the shield, wearing a mask and war paint around his eyes, the man threw it back at him, causing Steve to fly backwards but he remained on both feet.

Steve stared at his shield in shock as he looked up to see the man gone. Running to the edge of the building, he saw no trace of the man. He had just vanished into thin air.

Steve sighed as he caught his breath as he finally heard sirens coming closer.

* * *

 ***~*~* October 12** **th** **, 2013- Washington D.C *~*~***

Steve was standing in the hospital in the surgical observation room as Natasha ran in and stood next to him.

"Is he gonna make it?" Natasha asked.

"I don't know" Steve told her honestly, "They haven't told us anything"

"Tell me about the shooter" Natasha told him looking straight ahead.

"He's fast and strong" Steve said as he briefly looked down, "Had a metal arm" Steve told her as Agent Maria Hill joined them.

"Ballistics?" Natasha asked.

"Three slugs, no rifling. Completely untraceable" Maria told her.

"Soviet-made" Natasha guessed.

"Yeah" Maria told her as the doctor's started moving quickly inside the operating room.

"He's in V-tach!" Someone yelled.

"Crash cart coming in"

"Nurse, help me with the drape"

"BP is dropping"

"Defibrillator!" The doctor yelled as Fury flatlined, "I want you to charge him at one hundred"

"Don't do this to me, Nick" Natasha said as Steve steeled himself.

"Stand back! Three, two, one. Clear!" The doctor yelled as they shocked him, "Pulse?"

"No pulse"

"Okay. 200, please. Stand back! Three, two, one. Clear!" The doctor yelled as Fury is given another shock, "Give me epinephrine! Pulse?"

"Negative"

"Don't do this to me, Nick. Don't do this to me" Natasha whispered next to Steve.

Steve turned away as the doctors shook their heads.

"What's the time?" The doctor asked.

"1:03, Doctor"

"Time of death, 1:03 a.m" The doctor stated.

Steve looked down at the flash drive in his hand as he stared out into the hallway.

The doctors brought Fury into a room and covered him with a sheet until SHIELD could take custody of his body. Natasha stood over him as Steve stood back against the wall observing and giving Natasha space as she cried.

"I need to take him" Maria told them as she came into the room.

"Natasha" Steve said as he walked over to her.

Natasha didn't respond, instead she touched Fury's head then turned and walked out. Steve followed her, "Natasha!"

"Why was Fury in your apartment?" Natasha asked as she turned around in the hallway.

"I don't know" Steve told her as Brock Rumlow, one of the STRIKE agents came over to him.

"Cap, they want you back at SHIELD" Rumlow told him.

"Yeah, give me a second" Steve said looking back at him quickly.

"They want you now" Rumlow insisted.

"Okay" Steve said as he turned back to Natasha.

"You're a terrible liar" She said shaking her head as she turned and walked off.

On the edge of his hearing, Steve heard Agent Sitwell say in Rumlow's earpiece, "STRIKE team, escort Captain Rogers back to SHIELD immediately for questioning"

"I told him" Rumlow replied.

Steve glanced over at the vending machine next to him and paid the man stocking it a dollar, as he grabbed a candy bar, slipping the thumb drive behind the packs of gum. Remembering what Fury told him as to not trust anyone.

Steve walked over to Rumlow, "Let's go"

"Yeah" Rumlow nodded to Steve as Steve led him to the doors of the ward, past the rest of the STRIKE team, "STRIKE, move it out"

* * *

 ***~*~* October 12** **th** **, 2013- Triskelion - Washington D.C *~*~***

After leaving the hospital and heading back to SHIELD, Steve stopped quickly in the STRIKE locker room and suited up in case Pierce, who requested to see him directly, wanted to send him out on a mission. After changing, he headed upstairs to the World Security Council offices. Upstairs, he saw Kate, or at least he thinks that might be her name, heading out of a meeting with Alexander Pierce.

"For whatever it's worth, you did your best" Pierce tells her.

"Thank you, sir" Agent 13 replies as she sees him, "Captain Rogers"

"Neighbor" Steve said coldly.

"Ah, Captain. I'm Alexander Pierce" Pierce introduced.

"Sir, it's an honor" Steve said shaking his hand.

"The honor is mine, Captain. My father served in the 101st. Come on in" Pierce said inviting him into his office.

Pierce showed Steve a picture of Fury and Pierce, when both were much younger.

"That photo was taken five years after Nick and I met. When I was at State Department in Bogota. ELN rebels took the embassy, and security got me out, but the rebels took hostages. Nick was deputy chief for the SHIELD station there. And he comes to me with a plan. He wants to storm the building through the sewers. I said, "No, we'll negotiate." Turned out the ELN didn't negotiate, so they put out a kill order. They stormed the basement, and what did they find? They find it empty" Pierce said as he sat down and Steve sat down as well, "Nick had ignored my direct order and carried out an unauthorized military operation on foreign soil, "He saved the lives of a dozen political officers, including my daughter" Pierce told him.

"So you gave him a promotion" Steve stated.

"I've never had any cause to regret it. Captain, why was Nick in your apartment last night?" Pierce asked.

Steve looked at him, "I don't know"

"You know it was bugged?" Pierce asked him.

"I did, because Nick told me" Steve informed him.

"Did he tell you he was the one who bugged it?" Pierce asked.

Steve froze and just looked at him, 'Is he telling the truth or does he have an ulterior motive'

"I want you to see something" Pierce said bringing up a video.

" _Who hired you, Batroc?"_ A SHIELD agent asked their suspect.

"Is that live?" Steve asked watching Batroc being interrogated.

"Yeah, they picked him up last night in a not-so-safe house in Algiers" Pierce told Steve.

"Are you saying he's a suspect? Assassination isn't Batroc's line" Steve told him confused.

"No, it's more complicated than that. Batroc was hired anonymously to attack the Lemurian Star and he was contacted by e-mail and paid by wire transfer. And then the money was run through seventeen fictitious accounts" Pierce told Steve and Steve looked at him, "the last one going to a holding company that was registered to a Jacob Veech"

Pierce hands him a file, "Am I supposed to know who that is?" Steve asked taking the file.

"Not likely. Veech died six years ago. His last address was 14-35 Elmhurst Drive. When I first met Nick his mother lived at 14-37" Pierce told him.

"Are you saying Fury hired the pirates? Why?" Steve asked confused.

"The prevailing theory was that the hijacking was a cover for the acquisition and sale of classified intelligence. The sale went sour and that led to Nick's death" Pierce said.

"If you really knew Nick Fury you'd know that's not true" Steve told him.

"Why do you think we're talking?" Pierce asked as he stood up and walked over to his large window overlooking DC, "See, I took a seat on the Council not because I wanted to but because Nick asked me to, because we were both realists. We knew that despite all the diplomacy and the handshaking and the rhetoric, that to build a really better world sometimes means having to tear the old one down. And that makes enemies" Pierce told Steve looking back at him.

"Those people that call you dirty because you got the guts to stick your hands in the mud and try to build something better. And the idea that those people could be happy today, makes me really, really angry. Captain, you were the last one to see Nick alive. I don't think that's an accident, and I don't think you do either. So I'm gonna ask again, why was he there?" Pierce asked Steve.

"He told me not to trust anyone" Steve told him giving him only a little information as he still wasn't trusting of him completely.

"I wonder if that included him" Pierce stated.

Steve paused thinking about it.

'Punk, don't trust this guy. Something isn't right' He heard in his head in Bucky's voice.

"I'm sorry. Those were his last words. Excuse me" Steve said as he picked up his shield and placed it on his back then started to walk out of the office.

"Captain" Steve stopped and looked at Pierce, who is now sitting on his desk, "Somebody murdered my friend and I'm gonna find out why. Anyone gets in my way, they're gonna regret it. Anyone"

Steve nodded, "Understood" He said as he turned and left the office.

He walked to the elevator and entered it, standing at the back of it gazing out at DC, "Operations control" He stated, wishing more than ever that Ellie was standing next to him in the elevator. That she would have stayed in Europe, and made it onto the Valkyrie with him. Maybe if so, by some miracle she would have survived.

" _ **Confirmed"**_ The elevator replied.

Just as the doors are about to close, Rumlow blocked them and stepped in with two STRIKE agents.

"Keep all STRIKE personnel on site." Rumlow told the other agents.

"Understood" "Yes, sir"

"Forensics" Rumlow told the elevator.

" _ **Confirmed**_ _._ "

"Cap." Rumlow said.

Steve turned around, "Rumlow" He said turning around as the elevator doors closed and they started heading down to the lower floors.

"Evidence Response found some fibers on the roof they want us to see. You want me to get the tac-team ready?" Rumlow asked.

"No, let's wait and see what it is first" Steve told him.

"Right" Rumlow replied.

Steve noticed one of the agents is touching his weapon suspiciously as the elevator stopped and two more agents and two more STRIKE members climbed aboard the elevator.

"What's the status so far?" An agent asked.

"Administrations level" Another agent said.

" _ **Confirmed**_ _._ "

"Excuse me" One of the agents said crowding Steve in the elevator.

Steve moved away from them to the middle of the elevator trying to get some room, meanwhile becoming very suspicious of his current surroundings.

Rumlow looked back at Steve, "I'm sorry about what happened with Fury. Messed up, what happened to him"

"Thank you" Steve said looking over at the SHIELD agent next to him in the elevator and he noticed a bead of sweat drip down the agent's temple.

The elevator stopped again and three more STRIKE agents got aboard.

"Records"

" _ **Confirmed**_ "

Steve glanced around and realized he was completely surrounded now by STRIKE and SHIELD agents, "Before we get started, does anyone want to get out?"

There was a moment where no one reacted then the STRIKE agent in front of him used his electric rod to try to shock Steve. Others grabbed him and tried to cuff his wrists with magnetic cuffs, but Steve managed to hold back so the cuff didn't magnetize to the wall of the elevator.

A STRIKE agent put his arm around his neck and Steve elbowed a SHIELD agent, who tried to put the other magnetic cuff on him.

Rumlow kicked his hand, sending his hand against the wall behind him, magnetizing the bracelet around his wrist.

Pain surged through his body as Rumlow hit him with his electric rod in the back. He managed to elbow Rumlow to throw him off and punch a SHIELD agent. Using some of the karate and kicks that Bucky and Ellie had taught him all those years ago, Steve kicked and knocked multiple agents out.

Finally having the opportunity to jump up to get leverage. He jumped and fought to pull his hand free. The magnet finally released and he flipped down knocking out all the agents but Rumlow.

"Whoa, big guy. I just want you to know, Cap, this ain't personal" Rumlow yelled as he tried to hit him with his electric rod again and Steve defended himself, eventually knocking Rumlow out by throwing him to the roof of the elevator.

"It kind of feels personal" Steve said as he picked up his shield and opened the elevator doors.

"Drop the shield! Put your hands in the air!" More agents yelled through the open door.

Steve swung around and used the shield to break the elevator cables, sending the elevator to the ground. He forced the door open and saw more STRIKE agents approaching him, so he closed the door and looked for a way out. It is at least 50-100 feet below to the roof of the lower building.

"Give it up, Rogers! Get that door open! You have nowhere to go!"

Steve took a breath and busted through the glass of the elevator, putting his shield under him as he plummeted, smashing through the glass roof of the building before hitting the ground floor a little dazed. He got up and took off running towards the garage before they could lock it down.

Hopping onto his motorcycle, he jumped through the doors of the bridge as they were about to close, tearing off down the road. In turn, they put up obstacles in his way trying to prevent him from leaving.

A Quinjet flies in front of him, "Stand down, Captain Rogers. Stand down" The pilot radioed.

Steve kept driving as they lowered a machine gun and started shooting at him. He threw his shield up into the engine to disable it and hit the brakes on his bike, flying through the air onto the windshield of the Quinjet. He tumbled over the top of the jet, rolling to grab his shield. He pulled it from the engine just as the Quinjet went into a spin. Wedging his shield into the jet, he swung himself then flipped, throwing the shield again to disable more of the jet. As the shield was heading back towards him, he caught it and flipped from the Quinjet. Falling to the ground. He watched it hit the road and took off in the opposite direction.

' _Now punk listen to me'_ Echoed in Steve's head.

Steve remembered looking at Bucky as he put his arm around his shoulders, after rescuing him from another beating.

" _If I'm ever not there and some other jerk messes with you. Here is what you need to do, if they won't leave you alone…. Hide in plain sight" Bucky had told him._

" _Plain sight?" Steve asked confused._

" _Go in a store, go wherever you have to go and blend in. Change your clothes if you have really pissed him off" Bucky told him with a grin, "I can't be with you everywhere"_

Knowing that he is an easy target with his shield and uniform, he took off trying to find some place to change. Spotting a high school about two miles outside of headquarters, he parked his bike at the park across the street then ran over trying to find an open door. After trying four doors, he opened one and heard the squeaking of shoes on a court. Following the sound, he found men playing basketball in a fun scrimmage. Grabbing multiple bags, he looked through trying to find clothes that would fit him. He hid under the bleachers, changing after he found clothes big enough for him. Leaving his uniform and helmet in the bag, he returned the bag to the spot then took off thankful that the shoes were large enough as well, in fact they were too large. Hiding the shield in the ceiling, he ran. Starting to attempt his hiding in plain sight.

* * *

 **a/n3: Thank you for the reviews PistolHattersButtercup and Fatjack36!**

 **PistolHattersButtercup** : Getting closer to what you are waiting for. Hope this one didn't drive you too crazy. Thanks for reading and reviewing.

 **Fatjack36** : Thank you for reading and reviewing!


	22. Chapter 22 - Boulevard of Broken Dreams

a/n: Everything that you recognize is property of Marvel. I only own Ellie thanks to my imagination.

a/n2: Thank you for the favorites: Kol's Beloved Liliana and dhnysports88! As well as the follows: TRIanie123 and aki-blood-dark-princess! I appreciate everyone who reads this! Please continue reading and reviewing, whether it is a "MORE SOON" or even a smiley face or frowny face so I know how people are liking the story. I am guessing last chapter people weren't fans of because no reviews from last chapter.

* * *

 _My shadow's the only one that walks beside me  
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating  
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me  
Till then I walk alone_

~ **Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day**

* * *

 ***~*~* October 13** **th** **, 2013- Hospital - Maryland *~*~***

After hiding out and staying low overnight, he headed back to the hospital to retrieve the flash drive, early in the morning. Walking through the hallway, keeping his head low, he walked up to the vending machine to see all the gum was gone as well as the flash drive.

Someone walked up behind him as he stared at it in shock. Seeing her reflection, he recognized Natasha as she smacked her gum.

Angry, Steve pushed her into an empty room, through the door and into the wall and pulled off his hood, "Where is it?"

"Safe" Natasha told him.

"Do better!" Steve demanded.

"Where did you get it?" Natasha asked.

"Why would I tell you?" Steve replied.

"Why?" Natasha asked.

"What's on it?" Steve demanded.

"I don't know" Natasha told him.

"Stop lying!" Steve demanded.

"I only act like I know everything, Rogers" Natasha told him.

"I bet you knew Fury hired the pirates, didn't you?" Steve asked looking at the door.

"Well, it makes sense. The ship was dirty, Fury needed a way in, so do you." Natasha explained.

"I'm not gonna ask you again" Steve told her grabbing her tighter.

"I know who killed Fury" Natasha told him and he let go of her, "Most of the intelligence community doesn't believe he exists, the ones who do call him the Winter Soldier. He's credited with over two dozen assassinations in the last fifty years"

"So he's a ghost story"

"Five years ago I was escorting a nuclear engineer out of Iran, somebody shot out my tires near Odessa. We lost control, went straight over a cliff, I pulled us out, but the Winter Soldier was there. I was covering my engineer, so he shot him straight through me" She told him as she pulled up her shirt showing him her scar, "Soviet slug, no rifling. Bye-bye bikinis"

"Yeah, I bet you look terrible in them now" Steve said trying not to imagine her in a bikini.

"Going after him is a dead end. I know, I've tried" Natasha explained holding up the flash drive, "Like you said, he's a ghost story"

Steve took the drive, "Well, let's find out what the ghost wants"

"I know what to do; my car is out in the parking lot. Come with me" Natasha told him grabbing his hand.

* * *

 ***~*~* October 13** **th** **, 2013- Mall- Maryland *~*~***

Natasha led Steve into a local mall wearing the clothes she had purchased for them.

"First rule of going on the run is, don't run, walk." Natasha told him.

"If I run in these shoes, they're gonna fall off" Steve told her glancing down at the shoes that he was still wearing from the school, trusting her as he knew her spy background would come in handy in this situation and it was similar to things that Bucky had told him.

Natasha led him into an Apple store and they walked over to one of the laptops.

"The drive has a Level Six homing program, so as soon as we boot up SHIELD will know exactly where we are" Natasha told him.

"How much time do we have?" Steve asked her looking around for anyone suspicious.

"Uh...about nine minutes from..." She said as she inserted the flash drive into the Macbook at the Apple store, "Now"

Steve kept an eye out, while also watching her work.

"Fury was right about that ship, somebody's trying to hide something. This drive is protected by some sort of AI, it keeps rewriting itself to counter my commands" Natasha told him.

Steve watched over her shoulder as she did some complicated computer work that he couldn't keep up with, "Can you override it?"

"The person who developed this is slightly smarter than me. Slightly" Natasha told him, "I'm gonna try running a tracer. This is a program that SHIELD developed to track hostile malware, so if we can't read the file, maybe we can find out where it came from"

An Apple employee came over to them, "Can I help you guys with anything?"

Natasha grabbed Steve's shoulders and squeezed putting on a fake voice, "Oh, no. My fiancé was just helping me with some honeymoon destinations"

"Right! We're getting married" Steve said putting on a fake smile

"Congratulations. Where do you guys thinking about going?" The employee asked.

Steve glanced at the computer screen as the location popped up, "New Jersey"

"Oh" The employee said as he stared at Steve, "I have the exact same glasses"

"Wow, you two are practically twins" Natasha said sarcastically.

"Yeah, I wish. Specimen. Uh...if you guys need anything, I've been Aaron."

"Thank you" Steve said as Aaron walked off, "You said nine minutes, come on"

"Shh, relax. Got it" Natasha said as Wheaton, NJ popped up and Steve stared hard at the screen in disbelief that his past is returning, "You know it?"

"I used to. Let's go" He said pulling the flash drive from the computer and they walk out of the store, "Standard tac-team. Two behind, to across, two coming straight at us. If they make us, I'll engage, you hit the south escalator to the metro" He saw two agents coming straight at them.

"Shut up and put your arm around me, laugh at something I said" Natasha told him.

"What?" Steve asked confused.

"Do it!"

Steve put his arm around Natasha and laughed. The agents continued past them.

They made it to the escalator and Natasha saw Rumlow coming up the escalator as they were going down. She turned around and looked at Steve, "Kiss me"

"What?" Steve asked confused.

"Public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable" Natasha rationalized.

"Yes, they do" Steve told her as she pulled down his head and kissed him.

'Way to go punk…' Steve heard Bucky's voice say in his head.

'Shut up Bucky' Steve thought as he kissed her back.

Rumlow looked away as he went past them on the escalator. Steve swallowed hard as she stepped away.

"You still uncomfortable?" Natasha said climbing down the remaining stairs.

"It's not exactly the word I would use" Steve told her shifting slightly as the pants he was wearing were suddenly uncomfortable.

Natasha grinned as they walked outside.

Steve walked to a few vehicles before finding a blue truck unlocked, "Keep an eye out"

Natasha nodded and kept watch then heard the truck start behind her.

"Let's go" Steve said hopping in.

They had just entered New Jersey's state line when Natasha had enough of the silence, "Where did Captain America learn how to steal a car?

"Nazi Germany" Steve explained, "And we're borrowing. Take your feet off the dash."

"Who taught you that? Doesn't seem like a skill the Army teaches you" Natasha said as she moved her feet off the dash.

"Bucky did. The missions we were sent on, we often had to go off the script for. Bucky taught me a lot of stuff that I've found very helpful… now. Plus my sister trained as a spy so… she taught me stuff" Steve told her.

Natasha looked at him, "You miss them don't you?"

"Every minute" Steve said as he glanced over at her, "I know they'd both probably be dead if they survived but… I wish they were here with me"

"I'm sure they'd be proud of you. You said that your sister died in the 70s right?" Natasha asked.

Steve nodded, "Yeah"

"She lived 20 extra years. If you didn't put that plane down, she would have died" Natasha told him.

"There are no records of her life after I died though. I don't know how her life went other than she became depressed and went to England to work with MI5" Steve told her.

"If she worked MI5, she probably had a cover. She could have gone by a code name or changed her name" Natasha told him, "After all this settles down, I can try to look into it. I didn't have any contacts in MI5 but I know people"

"Thanks Natasha, I just… I need answers" Steve told her.

"Alright, I have a question for you, oh, which you do not have to answer. I feel like if you don't answer it though, you're kind of answering it, you know?" Natasha rambled.

"What?" Steve asked.

"Was that your first kiss since 1945?" Natasha asked.

Steve tried not to groan out loud as Bucky's laugh filled his memory, 'That bad Steve? Really?'

Steve sighed, "That bad, huh?"

"I didn't say that" Natasha said.

"Well, it kind of sounds like that's what you're saying" Steve said defensively.

"No, I didn't. I just wondered how much practice you've had" Natasha said.

"You don't need practice" Steve told her remembering the brief relationship he had when he first moved to DC that abruptly ended when she found out who he was and was weirded out by how old he truly was.

"Everybody needs practice" Natasha countered.

"It was not my first kiss since 1945. I'm ninety-five, I'm not dead" Steve told her.

"Nobody special, though?" Natasha asked.

Steve chuckled, "Believe it or not, it's kind of hard to find someone with shared life experience"

"Well, that's alright, you just make something up" Natasha told him.

"What, like you?" Steve asked glancing at her

"I don't know. The truth is a matter of circumstances; it's not all things to all people all the time. And neither am I" Natasha told him.

"That's a tough way to live" Steve stated.

"It's a good way not to die, though" Natasha told him.

"You know, it's kind of hard to trust someone when you don't know who that someone really is" Steve told her.

"Yeah. Who do you want me to be?" Natasha asked looking over at him.

"How about a friend?" Steve asked.

Natasha laughed softly, "Well, there's a chance you might be in the wrong business, Rogers"

'Or you are just lonely and need someone who knows what you are going through. Don't let her push you away Steve' Ellie's voice rang through his head.

Natasha's phone started going off telling her that they were getting closer to the signature, "It says that we should be within a mile of it"

"I already know where to go" Steve told her as he turned left down an old dirt road.

He drove to a gate and parked the truck. Steve exhaled, "This is it"

"The file came from these coordinates" Natasha confirmed.

"So did I," Steve said as he found them a way inside.

Later that night, they walked around the base, still trying to figure out where the signal came from.

"This camp is where I was trained" Steve told her memories flooding his brain.

"Changed much?" Natasha asked holding her phone up searching for the signature.

"A little" Steve said as a memory took over his consciousness and he had a vision of his former and smaller self, running past him being trained with other soldiers.

As if he was here, Steve heard his sergeant yell, "Pick up the pace, ladies! Let's go! Let's go! Double time! Come on Rogers, move it!" As if it were a ghost his former self stopped and looked at him, "Come on! Fall in! Rogers! I said fall in!"

Natasha snapped him back to the present, "This is a dead end. Zero heat signature, zero waves, not even radio. Whoever wrote the file must have used a router to throw people off."

Steve noticed a building in front of them and stared at it.

"What is it?" Natasha asked.

Steve jumped over the sidewalk she was standing on and over the rail, "Army regulations forbid storing ammunition within five hundred yards of the barracks. This building is in the wrong place"

Steve slammed his shield on the lock, opening it up and they entered the ammunitions building. They searched the top floor and saw that it has been emptied out. There was a door in the back that they went through to find stairs. Heading down them, Natasha saw a switch and tried it. They were surprised when the lights came on and the SHIELD logo was on the back wall.

"This is SHIELD" Natasha said seeing the symbol on the wall.

"Maybe where it started" Steve told her as they walked around and came to what appeared to be an office. Steve tried the door and opened it. They entered the room and found old frame portraits of Howard, Peggy and Colonel Phillips.

"There's Stark's father" Natasha noted.

"Howard" Steve told her staring at Peggy's picture.

Natasha noticed him staring at her picture, "Who's the girl?

Steve didn't reply, he just walked off and found a massive bookshelf, which had cobwebs that were moving as if air was moving behind them.

"If you're already working in a secret office." Steve said as he pushed the bookshelf and slid it open to reveal an elevator, "Why do you need to hide the elevator?"

Natasha used her phone to scan the keypad to figure out the most likely code to enter the elevator. She entered it and the elevator opened. They rode down into a room with an old looking computer.

"This is what computers used to look like when they were first thought of. They were whole rooms" Steve told her.

"This can't be the data-point, this technology is ancient" Natasha told him then noticed a flash drive port so she placed the drive inside activating the ancient computers.

"Y-E-S, spells yes" Natasha smiled, "Shall we play a game?"

She looked at Steve, "it's from a movie that…"

"Yeah I saw it" Steve told her as a familiar accented voice from his past started speaking which made his stomach clench.

"Rogers, Steven. Born, 1918. Romanoff, Natalia Alianovna. Born, 1971 1984." Is spoken as an old camera moves around above them.

"It's some kind of a recording" Natasha said, "That's not completely accurate"

"I am not a recording, Fräulein. I may not be the man I was when the Captain took me prisoner in 1945, but I am"

Steve felt his breath catch when Zola's picture came on the screen.

"Do you know this thing?" Natasha asked.

"Arnim Zola was a German scientist who worked for the Red Skull. He's been dead for years" Steve told her walking around the computers.

"First correction, I am Swiss. Second, look around you. I have never been more alive. In 1972, I received a terminal diagnosis. Science could not save my body, my mind, however, that was worth saving on two hundred thousand feet of data banks. You are standing in my brain"

"How did you get here?" Steve asked looking at the digital copy of Zola.

"Invited" Zola said simply.

"It was Operation Paperclip after World War II. SHIELD recruited German scientists with strategic value" Natasha told him.

"They thought I could help their cause. I also helped my own" Zola told him.

"HYDRA died with the Red Skull" Steve said.

"Cut off one head, two more shall take its place" Zola told him as his face doubled.

"Prove it"

"Accessing archive." Zola said as footage came on the screen.

The screen showed old footage of Schmidt and old war footage.

"HYDRA was founded on the belief that humanity could not be trusted with its own freedom. What we did not realize, was that if you try to take that freedom, they resist. The war taught us much. Humanity needed to surrender its freedom willingly. After the war, SHIELD was founded and I was recruited. The new HYDRA grew. A beautiful parasite inside SHIELD. For seventy years HYDRA has been secretly feeding crisis, reaping war. And when history did not cooperate, history was changed."

"That's impossible, SHIELD would have stopped you" Natasha said.

"Accidents will happen" Zola said as the computer screen flashed how Hydra had Howard and Maria Stark killed along with Fury, "HYDRA created a world so chaotic that humanity is finally ready to sacrifice its freedom to gain its security. Once the purification process is complete, HYDRA's new world order will arise. We won, Captain. Your death amounts to the same as your Life; a zero sum"

Steve got so angry that he smashed the computer screen with his fist.

"As I was saying... "Zola's voice said as his picture appeared on another screen.

"What's on this drive?" Steve demanded.

"Project Insight requires insight. So I wrote an algorithm" Zola told them.

"What kind of algorithm? What does it do?" Natasha asked.

"The answer to your question is fascinating. Unfortunately, you shall be too dead to hear it"

The doors suddenly started to close and Steve threw his shield trying to prevent it from closing but it bounced back to him.

"Steve, we got a bogey. Short range ballistic. 30 seconds tops" Natasha told him as she looked at her phone.

Steve looked around for an escape, "Who fired it?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D" Natasha told him.

"I am afraid I have been stalling, Captain. Admit it, its better this way." Zola said as Natasha grabbed the drive, "We're both of us...out of time"

Steve noticed a small grate and grabbed it, opening it just as the building exploded around them. He placed the shield over their heads trying to protect them as much as possible. Once the chaos stopped, he pushed up on the debris above them to make a hole for them to climb out of. He looked back at Natasha, who was unconscious. Grabbing her, he pulled them out just before STRIKE agents arrive.

Carrying her through the woods, he ran down the familiar path that he once struggled during his training. He found a piece of fence at the edge of the far south side that was broken, as if children came in to play. Carefully, he put Natasha's still unconscious body through the fence, before crawling through himself. Picking her back up, he ran to a neighborhood and tried some vehicles that were sitting on the street and he was able to get an old car that had seen better days to not only open but the owner had left the keys in the ignition.

Steve looked up at the starry sky, seeing the helicopters in the distance after loading Natasha in the backseat.

A small blonde curly haired angel hung from the windshield and Steve had to smile after checking on Natasha in the backseat, "Thank you El. You really are my guardian angel"

* * *

a/n3: I promise Bucky will be back next chapter! Side note: Who all has seen the trailer for End Game. Oh my goodness is it April yet? Poor Steve


	23. Chapter 23 - Soldier

a/n: As always I own only Ellie, everything else that you recognize is property of Marvel

a/n2: Thank you for the favorites: Ebrithme, ChristinaCay and Geekster as well as the new follows lhowl20, mcufan92, Stuffoflegend, CDean13, Seath Goch and Regin! And as always to my lovely reviewers PistolHattersButtercup and fatjack36! Everyone enjoy and please review after reading so I know how you like it!

* * *

 _I will be your soldier_  
 _I, I'll stand and fight until it's over_  
 _Oh, and if your heart is getting colder_  
 _You know I will always be your soldier_

 **~ Soldier by The Backstreet Boys**

* * *

 ***~*~* October 14** **th** **, 2013- Maryland *~*~***

After a long night of driving, it was around 6am in the morning when Natasha started to stir in the backseat. Steve looked back at her when she started to groan, "Natasha? Are you awake?"

"Cap?" She groaned out, "What happened?"

"We were bombed. You have been knocked out for over 6 hours" Steve told her.

She sat up and squinted looking around, "Where are we?"

"About 30 minutes outside of DC" Steve told her as she rubbed her head.

"We need to ditch our phones" Natasha told him, "We could be tracked"

"Already gone. I drove into Philadelphia and left them at the Liberty Bell" Steve told her.

"Have you been driving around Philly all night?" Natasha asked as she crawled through to the passenger seat.

"No, I stopped in Trenton first, filled the car up with gas that I borrowed outside of Wheaton. Went inside to pay for gas, and the cashier even talked to me as I was paying. I told him I was heading back home to Brooklyn, just in case they found the security footage. Drove north then turned around at Princeton to go to Philadelphia to ditch our phones to get them off our scent. Then I left the car there, got us another one. Then ditched that car in Baltimore" Steve told her.

"Wait, I slept through the whole thing?" Natasha asked.

"I was worried Natasha, you were out. But you were breathing. You have a concussion at the very least" Steve told her, "I was able to protect us from most of the debris but we still got hit with stuff"

"Where are we going?" Natasha asked.

"To someone I can trust right now" Steve told her, "Remember the African American man I was talking to when I was running? He was in the service and he is the only person I know outside of SHIELD right now"

"Smart thinking Rogers" Natasha said as she yawned then groaned at the pull on her ribs.

They made it into DC staying off the major highways. With light conversation about things they drove past and how the world has changed since Steve was a kid.

"Do you know where he even lives?" Natasha asked.

Steve looked over at her, "I called the operator back in Baltimore"

"I didn't realize there was still an operator" Natasha told him.

"Do you think it would be better to leave the car at Howard or park on his street? He only lives about two miles away from Howard University" Steve asked.

"Park it and we will walk. A beat up car won't look too out of place at a University" Natasha told him, "How were you getting around without a GPS taking back roads?"

"A map... at the New Jersey state line they had maps" Steve told her as if it was obvious, "Many places have a less traveled highway next to the major expressway that will go through a town. At night, it's not heavily traveled so all you have to worry about is the traffic laws. Driving a car is a little different than a motorcycle but it's not too hard"

Natasha looked at him, "Steve have you ever had a license?"

Steve blushed, "Well… no. In the Army you never needed one. Hell, first time I drove ever was running for our lives through a war zone. You learn fast. Automatics are much more helpful than the cars of the past. We didn't have cars when I grew up. Cars were for the rich"

Natasha stared at him, "Cap… how old were you when you went under?"

"I might be 95 years old by age… birth, but people seem to forget… I'm only 28" Steve told her looking over at her, "I went under when I was 26. I was under for my birthday that year. When I came out of the ice… literally it was right around the time I went under. I crashed the plane May 8th, 1945 and I woke up April 25th, 2011"

"Steve… that means that even I am older than you" Natasha told him amazed, "I never… I never really thought of that"

Steve sighed, "No one does"

Natasha took his hand, "I'm sorry Steve… for everything. You… you don't deserve all that has happened to you"

"You just have to roll with the punches and move on" Steve told her, "I'm trying but… it's hard. Things are so much different now. The worst part for me is the technology"

"There is a Barnes and Nobles" Natasha said as she spotted it up ahead, "There is a Starbucks. No one will think anything about a strange car sitting there"

Steve parked the car then walked around helping her out of the car then knelt down in front of her, "Want a ride?"

Natasha laughed as she climbed onto his back, "Sure"

* * *

 ***~*~* October 14** **th** **, 2013- Sam Wilson's Apartment, DC *~*~***

Natasha rested her head on his shoulder as he carried her, "How much longer do you think it will be until we get closer? I think the wound on my head opened back up"

"I think its that white building up ahead" Steve told her as he walked a little faster.

Walking up to the apartment building, Steve set her down and started checking out the numbers. Finding Sam's apartment, he knocked and Sam was not home. Steve and Natasha ended sneaking into the stairs when a neighbor came down in the elevator.

There were trees at the edge of his property that provided cover so they hid themselves amongst them to wait out until he came home.

Steve helped Natasha sit then sat next to her.

"So… it was you, your sister and your friend Bucky? What about your parents?" Natasha asked.

"Dad died right after Ellie was born. I don't remember him honestly. I was three when he died" Steve said as he sat back and pulled his knees to his chest, "He was in World War 1 and died because of mustard gas"

"What about your mom?" Natasha asked.

"It was just me, Ellie and Mom until Mom died when I was 22 in 1940" Steve told her, "Mom was a nurse. She pulled double shifts whenever she could because we couldn't afford my medication"

"That's right, you were really sick before the serum" Natasha remarked.

"If it was a disease… I'd catch it. I honestly can't believe I made it to 25 to even get the serum" Steve told her, "Way too many close calls. Without my mom being a nurse and knowing what to look for… I'd be dead a long time ago"

"Wow. So by how old you really are, you've only been… this for three years?" Natasha asked.

Steve nodded, "Sometimes I wake up… expecting not to be able to breathe still. When I am around smokers… I expect to collapse soon still"

Steve saw someone running up the road, "I think that is Sam"

They watched him slow down in front of his apartment, and then enter the front door.

"Let's go" Steve told her as he stood up.

Natasha followed him slowly to Sam's backdoor and Steve knocked. The blinds went up and Sam opened the sliding door.

"Hey, man" Sam said confused at their appearance.

"I'm sorry about this. We need a place to lay low" Steve told him.

"Everyone we know is trying to kill us" Natasha told him.

Sam looked them over, "Not everyone"

Sam let them inside, looked outside then shut the door and the blinds behind them, then showed them to the bathroom so that they could clean up. Steve filled him in on everything as Natasha cleaned herself up then went into the bathroom as Natasha sat on the bed.

"You okay?" Steve asked drying his hands.

"Yeah" Natasha told him drying her hair.

"What's going on?" Steve asked sitting in front of her, "I told you my life story but how are you doing?"

"When I first joined SHIELD, I thought I was going straight. But I guess I just traded in the KGB for HYDRA. I thought I knew whose lies I was telling, but...I guess I can't tell the difference anymore" Natasha told him.

"There's a chance you might be in the wrong business" Steve told her with a grin.

Natasha smiled slightly, "I owe you now. I am not big on debts"

"It's okay" Steve told her, "I was just doing what I needed for a friend"

"If it was the other way around, and it was down to me to save your life, and you be honest with me, would you trust me to do it?" Natasha asked.

"I would now. And I'm always honest" Steve told her giving her a smile.

"Well, you seem pretty chipper for someone who just found out they died for nothing" Natasha said.

"Well, I guess I just like to know who I'm fighting" Steve told her sitting back in his chair.

Sam appeared in the doorway, "I made breakfast. If you guys...eat that sort of thing.

After they ate breakfast, they sat around in the kitchen talking.

"So, the question is: who in SHIELD could launch a domestic missile strike?" Natasha asked.

"Pierce" Steve said.

"Who happens to be sitting on top of the most secure building in the world" Natasha stated.

"But he's not working alone, Zola's algorithm was on the Lemurian Star" Steve said.

"So was Jasper Sitwell" Natasha told him.

Steve looked at her, "So, the real question is: how do the two most wanted people in Washington kidnap a SHIELD officer in broad daylight?"

Sam left the kitchen then came back.

"The answer is: you don't" Sam said dropping the file on the table in front of him.

"What's this?" Steve said looking at the picture on top.

"Call it a resume" Sam told them.

Natasha picked up the picture, "Is this Bakhmala? The Khalid Khandil mission that was you?" She looked at Steve, "You didn't say he was a para-rescue."

"Is this Riley?" Steve asked seeing the man next to Sam.

"Yeah."

"I heard they couldn't bring in the choppers because of the RPGs. What did you use, a stealth chute?" Natasha asked.

"No. These" Sam said handing the file to Steve.

Steve opened it up and looked at it, "I thought you said you were a pilot"

"I never said pilot." Sam told him.

"I can't ask you to do this, Sam. You got out for a good reason." Steve told him.

"Dude, Captain America needs my help. There's no better reason to get back in" Sam told him.

"Where can we get our hands on one of these things?" Steve asked him.

"The last one is at Fort Meade, behind three guarded gates and a twelve-inch steel wall" Sam told them.

Steve looked at Natasha, who shrugged. "Shouldn't be a problem" Steve said throwing it on the table.

* * *

 ***~*~* October 14** **th** **, 2013- DC *~*~***

Steve stood on top of a building with Natasha looking towards the direction where Sam should be coming with Sitwell.

" _Steve do you realize we are working for a spy organization now?" Bucky asked as he glanced over at Peggy, Colonel Phillips, Howard and Ellie with their heads together going over plans for the next mission._

" _In a way I guess" Steve said with a frown._

 _Bucky turned to him, "Spies have secrets, spies secrets have secrets… can we trust them?" Bucky asked._

 _Steve looked at him, "Do you not trust Ellie?"_

 _Bucky shook his head, "No, I trust her with my life obviously, but we know she has judgment, what about the others. Can we say that for them?"_

"They're here" Natasha said breaking Steve out of his memory.

Steve went over to the door and kicked Sitwell through it causing him to stumble across the roof they were on.

"Tell me about Zola's algorithm" Steve told him.

"Never heard of it" Sitwell defended.

"What were you doing on the Lemurian Star?" Steve demanded.

"I was throwing up, I get seasick" Sitwell said as Steve forced Sitwell to the edge of the roof and grabbed his jacket, "Is this little display meant to insinuate that you're gonna throw me off the roof? Because it's really not your style, Rogers"

"You're right. It's not. It's hers" Steve said as he stepped aside and Natasha kicked him off the roof.

Sitwell screamed as he fell.

"Oh, wait. What about that girl from accounting, Laura...?" Natasha asked bringing up her recent ploy of trying to set him up with women.

Steve looked at her, not believing that in the middle of this she is still trying to set him up, "Lillian. Lip piercing, right?"

"Yeah, she's cute" Natasha told him.

"Yeah, I'm not ready for that" Steve said as Sam, wearing the Falcon suit jet pack, up and throws Sitwell back onto the roof.

Steve and Natasha walked over to him and Sitwell held his hands up.

"Zola's algorithm is a program...for choosing Insight's targets!" Sitwell told them.

"What targets?" Steve asked.

"You! A TV anchor in Cairo, the Undersecretary of Defense, a high school valedictorian in Iowa City, The Phoenix, Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange, anyone who's a threat to HYDRA! Now, or in the future" Sitwell told him

"The Future? How could it know?" Steve asked.

Sitwell laughed.

"How could it not? The 21st century is a digital book. Zola taught HYDRA how to read it" Sitwell told them, "Your bank records, medical histories, voting patterns, e-mails, phone calls, your damn SAT scores. Zola's algorithm evaluates people's past to predict their future."

"And what then?" Steve asked.

"Oh, my God. Pierce is gonna kill me" Sitwell said.

"What then?!" Steve asked getting closer to him as Sam grabbed Sitwell's jacket.

"Then the Insight Helicarriers scratch people off the list. A few million at a time"

'Oh god… it's what the Red Skull wanted all along' Steve thought in horror.

After Steve and Natasha had forced Sitwell in the car, Steve decided they were going to go back to the Triskelion and confront Pierce.

"HYDRA doesn't like leaks" Sitwell told them.

"So why don't you try sticking a cork in it" Sam told him his eyes on the road.

"Insight's launching in sixteen hours, we're cutting it a little bit close here" Natasha told them leaning up between the seats.

"I know. We'll use him to bypass the DNA scans and access the Helicarriers directly" Steve said.

"What?! Are you crazy? That is a terrible, terrible idea" Sitwell said as something landed on their roof then a metal arm broke through the window, pulling Sitwell through the window and throwing him out into traffic.

Natasha jumped in the front seat on top of Steve's lap and pulled him to the side as a bullet went right into Steve's headrest. She kicked Sam to the side as a bullet went into his as well. Steve pushed the shifter into park and the car's tires locked up, sending the shooter flying from the roof onto the street in front of them, metal hand sparking as he slid to a stop.

Natasha pulled her gun out and went to shoot at the man, when they were rear-ended by a car behind them; her gun fell to the floor. The car pushed them until the shooter could jump onto their car and he grabbed on, his feet breaking the back window.

"Shit!" Sam yelled as the Winter Soldier reached through the windshield and grabbed the steering wheel pulling it out of the car.

Natasha finally reached her gun and started shooting at him but the Winter Soldier jumped off their car onto the vehicle behind them.

Without the steering wheel, they started bouncing off other cars and walls.

As they were rear ended again, Steve grabbed his shield, grabbed Natasha and pulled Sam close to him as he pushed the door open, right as the car started to flip, "Hold on" Steve yelled.

They skidded a good distance on the door and Sam was thrown off, but Steve and Natasha stood up just as something came flying at them. Steve held up his shield and there was an explosion as he was thrown off the bridge into a bus on the street below. The bus crashed on its side and Steve was knocked out.

" _Damnit Steve get your ass up!"_

Steve's vision blurs briefly before he sees his sister before his eyes, "Ellie, how?"

" _I'm just in your head but you need to get your ass up. Wake the fuck up!" Ellie yelled._

Steve came to as everyone was escaping the bus. He stood up just as gunshots rang throughout the bus as he tried to get out. Jumping out the back window, he thankfully landed on his shield, which he put up in front of him using it to ricochet the bullets back at the shooters. He ran at the man holding the machine gun and flipped over him, pulling him onto his back and knocking him out.

Steve looked up at Sam, "Go, I got this!" Sam yelled shooting at the people shooting at Steve.

Steve ran off looking for the Winter Soldier and Natasha, and found them just as Natasha was shot. He ran after the Winter Soldier as he went to take his next shot. Steve jumped onto the car and the Winter Soldier hit his shield with his left arm, causing vibrations to shock through Steve's body and he fell backwards off the car onto his back.

Running with his shield out, he ran behind the Winter Soldier and they battled. The soldier flipped Steve and took his shield, then threw it into the van behind him. Steve ran at him, battling him hand to hand blocking the knife that the soldier tried to use against him.

Steve had a brief thought that they are evenly matched as far as fighting style, with a similar style as he tried to analyze where to get the upper hand. Finally he saw an opening and kicked him, sending him flying backwards into a car behind him. Steve ran at him and the soldier got his hand around Steve's throat. Steve can now see his eyes and briefly notices how familiar they are before he squeezed down then threw Steve over the car's hood.

Steve grabbed him and flung him behind him, then jumped up, grabbing his shield. He managed to hit him in the face with his shield, and then grabbed his face, flipping him behind him.

The Winter Soldier flipped, mask flying off, before he stood up and looked at Steve.

Steve then felt all feeling leave his body, as it went entirely numb, as the soldier stood up and glared at him with cold calculating eyes.

"Bucky?"

"Who the hell is Bucky?" The Winter Soldier asked in English, in the voice he constantly heard in his head as he aimed at Steve again just as Sam flew in and kicked the soldier aside.

The soldier stood up and stared at Steve, with a sudden confused look. He took aim again as Natasha used the grenade launcher that a Hydra officer had used, to blow up the truck next to Bucky.

Steve glanced at Natasha then looked back where Bucky should be standing, but now there was only smoke.

Sirens blared and Steve remained frozen as vehicles surrounded them.

"Drop the shield, Cap! On your knees! Get on your knees! Now! Get down! Get down!" Steve dropped the shield and put his hands up, his body still numb.

"Get on your knees! Down!" Rumlow yelled as he kicked the back of Steve's leg, "Don't move"

Steve could only stare at the ground in shock as his brain felt like it had shut down, "Put the gun down. Not here. Not here!" Rumlow said behind him.

He felt himself being loaded into the back of a vehicle and didn't fight as they put something over his hands and ankles securing him to the vehicle.

The doors shut and Sam's voice calling his name barely registered as it started to move.

* * *

a/n2: Bucky's back! I love me some Bucky. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! To the reviews:

 **PistolHattersButtercup:** I am so glad they moved End Game up like with Infinity War. Seb says he doesn't think he is in End Game but I hope that its just his way of pleasing Marvel!

 **Fatjack36:** I am happy with anything as long as I know people are reading! I am not a picky writer. Just happy to learn how people are enjoying the story. Thank you for reviewing!


	24. Chapter 24 - Alive

a/n: I own nothing to recognize, it is all property of Marvel. I only own Ellie.

a/n2: Thank you to AgentofWriting, Gaarakitty, PeriAce and AlwaysRollie for favoriting and crawler123, Vintagebaker, Bleist, Ebrithme, RedHotChillSteppers2008, Kat-Sweetheart92 and Regin for the follow! I appreciate you all and all the other readers out there. Thank you Guest and fatjack36 for the reviews! This is the longest chapter in awhile so enjoy! I hope that everyone has a blessed and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays as well!

* * *

 _Now that I know you (I could never turn my back away)_  
 _Now that I see you (I could never look away)_  
 _Now that I know you (I could never turn my back away)_  
 _Now that I see you (I believe no matter what they say)_

~ **Alive by P.O.D**

* * *

 ***~*~* October 14** **th** **, 2013- DC *~*~***

After he, Sam and Natasha were loaded into the van and it started towards wherever they were taking them, Steve finally talked, "It was Bucky"

"Bucky who?" Sam asked confused.

"Barnes… my best friend" Steve said in shock, "It was him. He looked right at me like he didn't even know me"

"How's that even possible? It was like seventy years ago" Sam said.

"Zola. Bucky's whole unit was captured in '43, Zola experimented on him. Whatever he did helped Bucky survive the fall" Steve said looking up as he realized, "They must have found him and..." Steve trailed off.

"None of that's your fault, Steve" Natasha told him weakly.

Steve looked away dejectedly, "Even when I had nothing, I had Bucky"

"We need to get a doctor here. We don't put pressure on that wound she's gonna bleed out here in the truck" Sam told the guards.

Steve finally looked up as he broke out of his daze and saw blood seeping out of her wound and that she looked lethargic. Trying against the restraints, he was unable to get out.

Suddenly one of the guards pulled out an electric rod and hit the other guard, knocking him out.

The guard pulled their helmet off and revealed themselves to be Maria Hill, "Ah. That thing was squeezing my brain"

Sam looked at her then smiled as he looked at Steve as she asked, "Who's this guy?"

"A good guy, got a plan to get us out of these?" Steve asked moving his arms as much as he could in his current situation.

She pulled out a hand held device and released the arm and leg restraints with a wave of the wand. She then pulled another device out and cut a hole through the bottom of the floorboard.

"I'll take Natasha" Steve said as he had her hold onto him and put his shield onto his back so that it would take the brunt of the fall to the road below.

He rolled them to safety away from the vehicles and pulled her up into the cover of the trees. Sam and Maria quickly joined them. Maria led them to a van and they drove away to what appeared to be an old dam.

Steve helped Natasha out of the van then he and Sam supported her as Maria led them inside the secret facility.

Someone ran towards them as Steve had to put his arm around Natasha as she started getting weaker.

"GSW. She's lost at least a pint" Maria yelled.

"Maybe two" Sam told him.

"Let me take her" The man said and Steve recognized him from the hospital as one of the doctors that had worked on Fury and frowned glancing between Natasha and the doctor.

"She'll want to see him first" Hill told the doctor.

Maria led them to a room with plastic covering the entrance, as he pulled it back they saw Nick Fury hooked up to machines.

Steve let go of Natasha as he stared at Fury in shock.

"About damn time" Fury told them.

The doctor followed them into the makeshift hospital room and had Natasha sit as he put pressure to the wound.

"Lacerated spinal column, cracked sternum, shattered collarbone, perforated liver, one hell of a headache" Fury told them.

"Don't forget your collapsed lung" The doctor reminded him.

"Oh, let's not forget that. Otherwise, I'm good" Fury told them.

"They cut you open, your heart stopped" Natasha said confused.

"Tetrodotoxin B. Slows the pulse to one beat a minute. Banner developed it for stress. Didn't work so great for him, but we found a use for it" Fury told them.

"Why all the secrecy? Why not just tell us?" Steve asked tired of all the secrets and lies.

"Any attempt on the director's life had to look successful." Maria told him.

"Can't kill you if you're already dead. Besides, I wasn't sure who to trust" Fury told him.

* * *

The Winter Soldier was led into the bank vault, which was their home base in Washington DC. His handlers instructed him to take off his jacket and he did so without questioning.

Since he had seen the man on the bridge, he had been having brief flashes of people. People he didn't know doing things he had no memory of doing with them. Within the flashes, two people stood out the most, a woman and a man. The man he had seen on the bridge. Sometimes he was smaller than he was on the bridge but was the same man with the same face.

One of the agents started fixing his arm from where the man on the bridge had hit it with his shield and pain registered to his brain, bringing back a foggy memory.

" _Sergeant Barnes..."_ A man in the memory had said in what appeared to be a forest.

He sat up as another memory came to him. He had been on a train and a man that looked similar to the man from earlier but he was wearing a blue outfit with a white star on the chest yelled, _"Bucky, no!"_

His memory then flashed to pain as someone dragged him through snow with a trail of blood leaving traces in the snow as he… he had a missing arm… he had a real arm at one time.

A man's voice echoed in his ears, _"The procedure has already started._ " Followed by the memory of more pain as something cut into his now missing arm.

He gritted his teeth as another memory took over as he found himself on a bed staring down at his right natural arm and his brand new metal one, " _You are to be the new fist of HYDRA_ " The man's voice said as he watched his arm grab the neck of a man and squeeze the life out of him before another man stabbed him with something and the bald man appeared again.

Another memory flashed. He was in the place where it was cold and looking out the window at two doctors, " _Put him on ice"_ and he saw his own reflection but his hair was slightly shorter. He reached out claw at the window with his metal hand then the memory stopped.

The Winter Soldier lashed out with his left arm at the agent fixing his arm, sending him flying backwards as he sat up trying to catch his breath from the rush of memories.

Guns aimed at him from all around, as he heard the door to the room open but he didn't look up, just looked forward trying to wrap his brain around the visions… or were they memories. He only had known his Hydra team. Why did he see those people in his brain?

He barely registered the door locking and it briefly brought back another memory of a door locking, a giggle and a moan echoing in his head.

"Mission report."

The soldier stared forward trying to will the rest of the memory to come; he had felt a brief feeling that was different than he had remembered feeling before.

"Mission report, now"

He saw a sudden splash of blue across his vision, blue eyes that were looking up at him filled with a certain look that he knew he had experienced before but wasn't sure. The blue eyes were similar to the man from the bridges' eyes today.

Pierce walked closer and got in front of him. The Soldier briefly registered that his handler was here before he was struck across the face.

The Soldier looked at him confused, "The man on the bridge..."

The man's face, almost as if he was staring at a moving picture, flashed across his mind, "Who was he?"

"You met him earlier this week on another assignment" Pierce told him.

The realization hit the soldier, he had to have known him before that, before he had this metal arm, "I knew him"

Pierce pulled up a chair in front of the soldier, "Your work has been a gift to mankind. You shaped the century, and I need you to do it one more time. Society is at a tipping point between order and chaos. Tomorrow morning we're gonna give it a push. But, if you don't do your part, I can't do mine, and HYDRA can't give the world the freedom it deserves"

"But I knew him" The soldier said suddenly feeling a wave of emotions that he had never felt before.

Pierce turned away from him, "Prep him"

"He's been out of cryo-freeze too long."

"Then wipe him and start over" Pierce said.

The soldier felt a sudden feeling of panic and helplessness. Plus another feeling, he couldn't place… wait sadness that is what it is called.

Men walked over and pushed him back into the chair. Another memory flashed across his mind. He was being pushed against a wall. A pair of arms went around his neck and lips crashed against his own, " _Bucky"_ they whispered.

A man held out the mouth guard and he automatically opened his mouth for them to place it inside.

The restraints wrapped themselves around his arms and he knew something painful was coming, but he couldn't remember what.

Suddenly a face swam past his memory, clear and perfect.

Blue eyes with blonde curly hair. Beautiful lips and a smile that had made his heart race. Ellie.

His brain snapped back to the present as he saw the contraption over his head, moving closer. He knew it brought pain and… then nothing. He couldn't remember it… it would make him forget her.

It grabbed onto his head and he screamed, both for the sudden pain and the image of her that was leaving.

* * *

After making a plan to take down Project Insight and the helicarriers, Steve needed some space. He walked out to the top of the dam and looked out over the river below.

He was hit with a sudden memory.

" _We looked for you after. My folks wanted to give you a ride to the cemetery" Bucky said as he walked with Steve up to the apartment._

" _I know, I'm sorry. I just...kind of wanted to be alone" Steve told him._

" _How was it?" Bucky asked._

" _It was okay. She's next to Dad" Steve told him._

" _I was gonna ask..."_

" _I know what you're gonna say, Buck, I just..."_

" _We can put the couch cushions on the floor like when we were kids. It'll be fun. All you gotta do is shine my shoes, maybe take out the trash" Bucky told him as Steve looked for the key._

 _Bucky kicked the brick aside, where he knew the hidden key was, and picked it up handling it to Steve, "Come on"_

" _Thank you, Buck, but I can get by on my own" Steve told him._

" _The thing is, you don't have to" Bucky told him giving him a friendly pat on the shoulder, "I'm with you to the end of the line, pal"_

 _The door opened and a puffy eyed Ellie appeared at the doorway, "Where were you?"_

" _I just… I needed to clear my head" Steve told her as Bucky walked over to her and hugged her._

 _Ellie closed her eyes and held to him tight, "Thank you Bucky"_

 _Bucky kissed the top of her head, "If you guys need anything, just call"_

Sam walked up snapping him out of his memory, "He's gonna be there, you know?"

"I know" Steve said.

"Look, whoever he used to be, the guy he is now, I don't think he's the kind you save. He's the kind you stop." Sam told him.

"I don't know if I can do that" Steve told him honestly.

"Well, he might not give you a choice. He doesn't know you" Sam told him.

Steve had an idea. He would go to the Smithsonian and get his original uniform; it was the last thing that Bucky had seen him in.

"He will. I owe it to my sister. Gear up, it's time" Steve told him.

Sam ran up next to him, "You had a sister?"

Steve nodded, "Yeah… and Bucky was her husband"

Sam stopped, "She isn't in any of the history books. You gonna wear that?"

"No" Steve said looking back at him, "If you're gonna fight a war, you gotta wear a uniform. I'll meet you guys there"

* * *

 ***~*~* October 14** **th** **, 2013- DC- 2 hours until launch *~*~***

Maria landed the helicopter on the roof of SHIELD headquarters and Steve, Sam and Maria scrambled out, heading to the command center. Maria hit the scrambler to scramble communications, and then the door opened.

Maria and Sam pointed their guns at him.

"Excuse us" Steve said as the tech held his hands up and stepped aside to allow for them to enter.

Steve walked over to the main microphone, "Attention, all SHIELD agents. This is Steve Rogers. You've heard a lot about me over the last few days, some of you were even ordered to hunt me down. But I think it's time you know the truth. SHIELD is not what we thought it was, it's been taken over by HYDRA. Alexander Pierce is their leader. The STRIKE and Insight crew are HYDRA as well. I don't know how many more, but I know they're in the building. They could be standing right next to you. They almost have what they want: absolute control. They shot Nick Fury and it won't end there. If you launch those Helicarriers today, HYDRA will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way, unless we stop them. I know I'm asking a lot, but the price of freedom is high, it always has been, and it's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one, then so be it. But I'm willing to bet I'm not"

Sam walked over to him, "Did you write that down first, or was it off the top of your head?"

Steve just shook his head, "What do we do next?"

"We need to get to those helicarriers and put the chips in before they launch" Maria told them.

"You go to carriers 2 and 3, I'll get one" Steve told him, "Just find a way to fly in"

They ran off to the launch bay and Maria said over comms, "They're initiating launch"

Steve looked at Sam and they started running a little faster. They made it outside and Sam looked at Steve, "Hey, Cap, how do we know the good guys from the bad guys?"

"If they're shooting at you, they're bad" Steve told him as Sam flew off and Steve jumped down onto one of the helicarriers that hadn't taken off yet.

He battled with some agents before taking cover behind an object.

"Hey, Cap, I found those bad guys you were talking about" Sam said over comms.

"You okay?" Steve asked.

"I'm not dead yet" Sam answered.

"Falcon, status?" Maria asked over comms.

"Engaging" Sam answered, "Alright, Cap, I'm in."

Steve knocked out another agent as he heard Sam radio, "Shit!"

"Eight minutes, Cap" Maria radioed as he knocked out three more agents trying to get inside the helicarrier.

"Working on it" Steve replied as he ran to the door and opened it. He headed to the helicarrier's control center and entered the code Maria had given him. The computer chips came down and he took out the chip, and then put the new one in.

"Alpha locked" Steve radioed as he ran off.

"Falcon, where are you now?" Maria radioed.

"I had to take a detour!" He yelled over comms as Steve ran back up to the deck, "Oh, yeah! I'm in. Bravo locked."

"Two down, one to go"' Maria radios, "Charlie Carrier's forty-five degrees off the port bow. Six minutes"

Steve is running on the top of the alpha carrier trying to avoid the Hydra agents that were shooting at him, "Hey, Sam, I'm gonna need a ride"

"Roger! Let me know when you're ready" Sam told him as Steve jumped off the helicarrier as an agent shot a missile at him.

"I just did!" Steve yelled as he started to free fall.

Sam swooped down and grabbed him, screaming as he pulled him up onto the Charlie carrier, "You know, you're a lot heavier than you look"

"I had a big breakfast" Steve told him as the Soldier ran and knocked Steve off the helicarrier. He scrambled to catch himself and finally caught himself and pulled himself up onto the outside of the carrier.

Steve heard over comms, "Cap? Cap, come in. Are you okay?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, I'm here! I'm still on the Helicarrier" He said pulling himself up, "Where are you?"

"I'm grounded, the suit's down. Sorry, Cap." Sam radioed.

"Don't worry, I got it" Steve said squeezing into an air duct. He jumped down and swung his way to the walkway. Running to the control center he saw The Soldier… Bucky standing in front of it, "People are gonna die, Buck. I can't let that happen"

Bucky just stared at him.

"Please, don't make me do this" Steve begged.

Bucky didn't move, so Steve threw his shield at him.

They battled, Bucky getting a small graze on his side. Steve got a good punch in and sent Bucky falling to the side. Steve quickly entered the code and the targeting system popped up but Bucky came to his side and attacked him before he could engage it, knocking both of them over the railing. The chip fell out of his hand as they fell. Steve flipped and grabbed the chip but Bucky knocked it out of his hand again. Steve kicked him and Bucky fell over the edge and Steve jumped over after him.

On the glass, they continued to battle back and forth, until Bucky got the upper hand and stabbed him in the right shoulder with his knife.

Bucky grabbed the chip and Steve grabbed him by the neck holding him in the air, and then flipped him holding his arm, "Drop it! Drop it!" Steve pulled his arm back further, breaking it then pulling him back. Steve got the upper hand and pulled his metal arm down under his leg, securing it. He put his arms around Bucky's neck and held him until Bucky passed out.

Steve let him go, making sure to carefully roll him over, grabbed the chip then scrambled to get back up top.

Maria came over comms, " _One Minute"_

Steve flipped up over part of the helicarrier and ran up towards the control center. He felt the burning of a gunshot as he was hit in the left thigh and looked down to see Bucky was conscious. He jumped and grabbed onto the ladder to get up to the center and Bucky shot him in the left shoulder but he pulled himself up to the control center.

"Thirty seconds, Cap!" Maria radioed.

Running on pure adrenaline, Steve limped over to command center and pulled the chip back out of his pocket, "Stand by. Charlie…" Steve said as he heard another shot and red hot pain erupted over his abdomen and he fell to the ground, as he suddenly struggled to breathe.

He pushed himself and forced his body up, placing the chip in the targeting blade, "Charlie lock"

"Okay, Cap, get out of there" Maria radioed.

"Fire now." Steve gasped out feeling the familiar feeling of asthma taking over his lungs.

"But, Steve..."

"Do it! Do it now!" Steve ordered as he held onto the railing and looked down below as Bucky screamed to see him pinned.

In his head he heard Ellie's voice, ' _Steve save him… for me. I know he is in there somewhere'_

He steeled himself as breathing became a little easier and he slid down to where Bucky was and fell to the bottom glass. He reached Bucky and could see the frantic look on his face.

Steve put all the strength he could into pulling the beam off of Bucky. He finally got it pulled up enough for Bucky to use his metal arm to pull himself out. Steve set it down and looked over at him, "You know me" He told him as he forced himself to stand.

"No I don't!" Bucky yelled out as he hit him sloppily knocking the both of them over.

Steve stood up and looked at him, "Bucky, you've known me your whole life"

Bucky hit him across the face, knocking them both over again.

Steve pushed himself back up, "Your name is James Buchanan Barnes, and you married my sister"

"Shut up!" Bucky yelled punching him, sending him flying backwards onto his stomach.

Steve got up again, "I'm not gonna fight you" Steve said dropping his shield, "You're my friend and she wouldn't want me to hurt you"

Bucky screamed and rushed Steve knocking them both to the ground.

"You're my mission" Bucky told him as he repeatedly punched Steve with his metal hand in the face, "You're my mission!"

Bucky looked down at his bloody face then froze as a memory of a small, blond boy with a bloody face flashed across his memory.

"Then finish it" Steve told him as Bucky continued to hold his fist up, "Cause I'm with you to the end of the line"

Bucky froze as a memory of him saying the same words to the small blond boy, with this man's face came to him. Next to him was the girl, the girl whose eyes never left his mind. He put his hand down and the name Ellie rang through his head.

He was just about to open his mouth and say her name when bottom of the helicarrier fell out and he just had enough time to grab the beam before he fell. Steve fell through the air as Bucky watched him until he hit the water.

" _Steve, Steve!"_

 _Steve blinked as the bright light blinded him._

" _Wake up sleepy head, sorry there is no bacon"_

 _Steve squinted as he looked up into the bright light, "Ellie?"_

 _Ellie stepped out of the light, "Hello Steve"_

" _El… you look so beautiful. El…am… am I dead?" Steve asked._

" _Not yet but I had to be here for you… when it came to the end of the line. When I got here I thought it would be me and Bucky when your time came" Ellie said sadly, "I just didn't think it would be Bucky that… killed you"_

" _He's not himself Ellie. Who knows what Hydra did to him" Steve told her._

" _I've seen it all from here Stevie. He doesn't remember us Steve. I'm gone and I can't reach him. With you gone… he will be lost forever" Ellie told him sadly._

" _I can save him" Steve told her as he stood up, "I can save him Ellie. Help me go back"_

 _Ellie looked at him sadly, "Are you sure Steve? You have suffered so much in your short life. You deserve some peace. You have to be absolutely sure"_

" _I want to be with you, Mom and Dad again but… it's not my time" Steve told her._

 _Ellie smiled as she walked over and hugged him, "I love you so much and I know you can do this. Save him for me… for us"_

 _Steve looked at her, "Until the end of the line"_

 _Ellie's face lit up, "It's not my choice anymore… oh Steve… he's still there deep down. Oh... Steve its better than I could have imagined. He's there. He is trying. Tell him I love him"_

" _Whose there?" Steve asked._

" _I love you" Ellie said as she disappeared._

Bucky had the quick thought that the man could get the answers he needed and jumped after him into the water below. Searching the water, he saw him sinking to the bottom and grabbed him by the strap of his suit. Swimming to the edge of the river, he pulled him behind him to the shore. Looking down at the man, he saw him take a breath and water flow out of his mouth. He was not going to get his answers now and this man's people would be finding him to collect him soon.

Captain America… no… his name was Steve… or was it? He would have to find his answers another way. He walked away, making his first choice for himself in years as he did not go to his extraction point.

Steve felt as if weights were attached to his eyelids as he coughed water out of his lungs. Struggling to open them, he saw Bucky walking away. He tried to will his mouth to work, to yell out Bucky's name but his energy drained as he fell unconscious.

"Do you see him Sam?" Natasha asked from her spot on the left side of the helicopter.

"No… damnit… Cap you can't do this to us. Cap come in" Sam radioed.

"Wait… I see something" Natasha said as she grabbed a parachute.

"We will put it down on the grassy area over there" Fury told her.

"That will take too long" Natasha said as she strapped in and jumped.

As soon as she was clear, she pulled her chute and guided it over to the dot she had seen up above.

Hitting the ground, she ran over to where she had seen the object and as she got closer, she realized it was in fact Steve.

"Steve!" She yelled as she ran and hit the ground next to him, checking his pulse.

It was weak but it was there thankfully.

She looked over his body and saw blood all over his uniform.

"Fury! I found him but he is in bad shape, get a medical team stat" Natasha radioed.

Grabbing his uniform top, she found the closure and unhooked it so that she could remove it, causing him to moan.

"Steve, can you hear me?" Natasha asked as she looked at his face.

"Tasha" He slurred opening his eyes.

"I'm here, you are going to be okay" Natasha said as she saw the bullet wounds, "Shit Steve"

Pressing her hands to the one still excessively bleeding, he groaned.

"I have to put pressure on it… I'm going to kill him" Natasha said looking at the blood still coming out under her hands.

"Save..d… me" Steve groaned as his eyes fluttered shut.

"What?" Natasha asked.

"Buck…saved…me. Pulled… me out… of…." Steve trailed off.

"Rogers don't die on me. Stay with me" Natasha said as Fury and Sam ran over, "Guys, he's bad"

"Hill, put a rush on it. We need a med team at the hospital. We are flying Rogers straight there" Fury radioed as he motioned for the pilot to come over and help them to get Steve into the helicopter.

* * *

 ***~*~* October 21st, 2013- DC *~*~***

After Steve had recovered, Maria had passed on a message to Sam and Steve for them to meet Fury in a cemetery in DC. Ironically at his own headstone.

"So, you've experienced this sort of thing before?" Fury asked Steve.

"You get used to it" Steve told him, "I'm 'buried' in Brooklyn"

"We've been data-mining HYDRA's files. Looks like a lot of rats didn't go down with the ship. I'm headed to Europe tonight, wanted to ask if you'd come" Fury told them.

"There's something I gotta do first" Steve told him.

"How about you, Wilson? Could use a man with your abilities" Fury said.

"I'm more of a soldier than a spy" Sam stated.

"Alright then" Fury said as he shook their hands, "Anybody asks for me, tell them they can find me right here." He glanced at his gravestone one last time before walking away.

"You should be honored, that's about as close as he gets to saying thank you" Natasha said walking up to them.

"Not going with him?" Steve asked.

"No" Natasha told him.

"Not staying here?" Steve asked.

"I blew all my covers, I gotta go figure out a new one" Natasha told him smiling at him.

"That might take a while" Steve told her.

"I'm counting on it. That thing you asked for, I called in a few favors from Kiev" Natasha said as she handed him a file _"дело No 17", "_ Will you do me a favor? Call that nurse"

"She's not a nurse" Steve told her.

"And you're not a SHIELD agent" Natasha informed him.

"What was her name again?" Steve asked knowing that she would know her real name.

"Sharon. She's nice." Natasha told him as she kissed his cheek then turned to walk away, "Be careful, Steve. You might not want to pull on that thread"

Natasha walked away as Steve opened the file. It's about Bucky and the Winter Soldier program. Sam walked up to Steve and glanced at it.

"You're going after him?" Sam stated.

"You don't have to come with me" Steve informed him.

"I know. When do we start?" Sam asked.

"As soon as we can. I am hoping he is still here in DC" Steve told him.

On the other side of town at the Smithsonian, a man walked into the Captain America exhibit looking for anything he might find familiar. He walked around noticing the small boy he had remembered, and then looked at it surprised as it showed the boy turning into Captain America himself.

He realized that he knew Captain America when he was small, but what surprised him the most was the birth date next to Captain America's name. 1918. How did Captain America look like he does if he was born that long ago.

Walking farther into the exhibit, he saw uniforms of Captain America and his 'Commandoes' and noticed the man to his left was himself. He sighed and turned around coming face to face with himself and his own image. Shorter hair and with a shave, but his own face staring back at him.

Scanning over the text, he read, ' _James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes. Born in 1916, Barnes grew up the oldest child of four. An excellent athlete who also excelled in the classroom, Barnes enlisted in the Army shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. After winter training at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, Barnes and the rest of the 10_ _th_ _shipped out to the Italian front. Captured by Hydra troops later that fall, Barnes endured long periods of isolation, depravation and torture. But his will was strong. In an ironic twist of fate, his prison camp was liberated by none other than his childhood friend, Steve Rogers, now Captain America._

 _Reunited, Barnes and Rogers led Captain America's newly formed unit, The Howling Commandoes. Barnes' marksmanship was invaluable as Rogers and his team destroyed Hydra bases and disrupted Nazi troop movements throughout the European Theater.'_

Bucky just stared at it in shock as two things came to his mind, 'I was born in 1917 not 1916' Then the fact that he was drafted not enlisted. Also he only remembered one sister, not two more siblings. Then the realization that, not only did Steve find himself in the current age young but somehow Bucky did himself instead of his supposed death in 1945. If they did, was his mystery woman alive as well? He was determined to find out.

* * *

a/n3: Thank you for reading and reviewing! Thanks for the following reviews:

 **Fatjack36:** Ellie may just be a foreshadow… you never know

 **Guest:** Thank you for reading! Wow all the way from Germany! That is where my Dad's family is from.


	25. Chapter 25 - Faded Away

a/n:Anything you recognize is more than likely property of Marvel. I only own Ellie.

A/n2: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! I wasn't going to post a new chapter but I wrote four this week alone and decided a new angle to take the story and that will put me at my goal number of chapters before End Game comes out. So I thought I would surprise you all with a bonus chapter! Enjoy and I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! Thank you to the new favorite and followers: He4artBreaker10, Vintagebaker, Katelynn Snow Fox, alliehaze, ashleythomp, .com, and LadyAmazon! As well as the reviews from Tori and PistolHattersButtercup!

* * *

 **Like the tan on my skin, our names in the sand**  
 **Like the sound of the boat**  
 **Starting up, heading out of the bay**  
 **Girl you, faded away**

 _ **~ Faded Away by Luke Bryan**_

* * *

 ***~*~* June 2015- Bucharest *~*~***

James Barnes was lying in his bed in his apartment in Bucharest. He stared at the ceiling and willed his brain to remember why he had to come to this very place. After over a year on the run, backpacking through the United States, taking up odd jobs and being a homeless man. He ended up forging a passport and flying to Europe.

He backpacked his way aimlessly and by using other means of travel before ending up here in Bucharest, Romania. It was as if this place had been calling to him. He had been here now for four months, going by the name of James Rogers. He had a job at a grocery store that provided him just enough money for rent to pay for his small apartment and money for food. But the reason why he had this destination in his mind still eluded his brain.

Rolling over, he picked up the newspaper from a few days prior and saw an article about Sokovia. The small country was just north of Romania, so for over a week it was all the newspaper wanted to talk about. The fact that the capital city had been in the air, only to come crashing down. Thankfully the Avengers, a group of people from America, had rescued nearly every person off the city prior to it crashing. Romania had already taken in many of the refuges.

One picture from a few days before had made him steal this very paper. It was a picture of Captain America. The memories of Captain America, had came back more each passing month since Bucky… no James, had last seen him on the bank of the Potomac River in Washington DC. After visiting the Smithsonian, he went on a search for information about him. Learning that his name was Steve Rogers and they had grown up together in Brooklyn. They had served together in the Second World War and had been part of a group called the Howling Commandoes. He had supposedly died during one of the missions and Steve had put the plane down shortly after, then was in ice for nearly 70 years.

None of the history books or exhibits mentioned anything about a woman, a girl… tied to Steve. With eyes so blue and hair so beautiful that it shined as if she were an angel.

James shook his head and sat up holding his head. His headache was returning. He was tired of the headache that came when he thought of the mystery woman. He had only brief flashes of running his fingers through her hair and her crystal blue eyes, but never full memories. Also her name whispered from his own lips, "Ellie"

Glancing at his watch he saw it was nearly nine AM. He pushed himself up out of bed and got dressed. Walking out of his apartment, he started walking down the street searching for something to do on his day off.

As he stood at the crosswalk waiting to cross, a car drove by with special rims. Deep in his mind, a memory came forward, fuzzy and disjointed but then slammed to the surface causing him to step back against the building behind him.

" _Ladies and gentlemen, what if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all" A man said as the helpers on the stage started taking the tires off the car on it, "Yes. Thanks, Mandy. With Stark robotic reversion technology, you'll be able to do just that."_

 _The man turned on the machine and the car lifted off the ground hovering over the stage._

 _A woman gasped next to him, "Holy cow"_

 _The car started sparking then fell back to the stage_ , " _I did say a few years, didn't I?"The man said with a grin as the crowd laughed._

 _He turned around to look for someone and heard himself say, "Hey Steve, what do you say we treat these girls… where'd he go?"_

 _A voice spoke up from his side and he looked at the woman, "Probably to the recruitment office over there"_

 _In the memory he sighed and stated that he would go to get him leaving behind the flash of blonde hair. He saw himself walk to a different building and saw the skinny man standing in front of a mirror, half his face in place of a soldier's face._

 _He pulled on the kid's shoulder, "Come on. You're kind of missing the point of a double date. We're taking the girls dancing"_

 _The kid looked at him, "You go ahead. I'll catch up with you"_

" _You're really gonna do this again?" He heard himself ask._

" _Well, it's a fair. I'm gonna try my luck" The kid told him._

 _He sighed, "As who? Steve from Ohio? They'll catch you. Or worse, they'll actually take you"_

" _Look, I know you don't think I can do this-"_

 _He saw himself move closer, "_ _This isn't a back alley, Steve. It's war!"_

" _I know it's a war. You don't have to tell me." The kid, Steve, told him_

" _Why are you so keen to fight? Huh? There are so many important jobs" He asked confused._

" _What am I gonna do? Collect scrap metal…"_

" _Yes!" He shouted interrupting._

" … _in my little red wagon?" Steve asked._

" _Why not? " He asked._

 _Steve sighed, "I'm not gonna sit in a factory, Bucky"_

 _He just shook his head, "I don't…"_

" _Bucky, come on! There are men laying down their lives. I got no right to do any less than them. That's what you don't understand. This isn't about me" Steve told him._

 _That just angered him more, "Right. Cause you got nothing to prove"_

" _Hey, boys! Are we going dancing?" A voice of an angel asked._

 _He turned towards the voice,_ _ **"**_ _Yes, we are!" He looked at Steve, "Don't do anything stupid until I get back"_

 _Steve grinned, "_ _How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you"_

 _He shook his head, "You're a punk"_

 _He walked over and gave Steve a hug._

" _Jerk. Be careful" Steve told him._

 _He nodded, not trusting his voice as he turned around to the woman, who had tears in her own sparkling blue eyes._

" _Don't win the war till I get there!" Steve yelled._

 _He stopped and shook his head as he saluted Steve, "Come on girls. They're playing our song"_

 _The angel woman looked back at Steve as he put his arm around her, "Steve, please don't do this"_

" _I gotta El" Steve told her as he walked towards the office._

 _He kissed the side of her head, "Come on babe"_

He struggled to catch his breath as he sat crouched to the ground holding his head.

"Domnule? eşti bine (Sir? Are you okay)?" A man asked as he placed his hand on Bucky's shoulder.

It took everything in him not to shove him off, "Headache" He said in English before he realized it then corrected himself, "Dureri de cap"

The man nodded then crossed the road.

Bucky stood up gasping for air, 'Ellie… she was mine. He knew her' He thought.

Determined, he crossed the street and ran down to the library. He walked inside, glad to see that it was already opened. The librarian looked up at him and smiled, asking him if he needed help. After informing her, that he needed to use the computers to look for information on someone she signed him up for a card and she logged him on then showed him to Google.

He typed in, 'Ellie and Captain America'

An actress came up, a singer, random people but no one that was tied with Captain America himself.

He typed in Captain America and it brought up a biography about him.

' _Recipient of the Super-Soldier serum, World War II hero Steve Rogers fights for American ideals as one of the world's mightiest heroes and the leader of the Avengers.'_

He scrolled down further.

 _Steve Rogers was born July 4, 1918, to poor Irish immigrant parents,_ _Sarah_ _and_ _Joseph Rogers_ _. Rogers grew up a frail youth during the Great Depression in_ _America_ _. Little else is known about Rogers' early life other than the fact that a strong sense of duty, honor, and humility was instilled in him; perhaps due to his Irish Catholic upbringing. Rogers' father died when he was a child and his mother died from pneumonia later, when he was in his late teens._

Bucky rubbed his forehead when a thought flashed across his mind, "She died of tuberculosis not pneumonia"

He scrolled through the rest of the article searching for Ellie or any mention of a woman. Only the name Peggy Carter was mentioned and a photo showed that it was not the mystery woman.

Another memory took over his mind as he saw a picture of a tiny Steve Rogers.

 _The beautiful angel woman bit her lip as she looked up at the schedule board at the train station, then down at the small Steve Rogers, who was slightly taller than in some of his previous memories of the boy, "Are you sure that you don't want me to stay? I can"_

" _El, no…I'll be fine" Steve told her with a sad smile._

" _Just make sure you are still getting your medicines okay" She told him, placing her hand on his face. She looked up at him, "Take care of him for me"_

" _Of course" He heard himself say as he put his arm around Steve's shoulders, "Can't let my little brother down"_

" _Get off Buck" Steve said pushing him off._

" _Go be the smart one in this family. We have it handled. I'm with you guys until the end of the line got it?" He told her with a smile._

 _Ellie bit her lip and smiled at him through the tears welling in her eyes and stood up on her tiptoes to hug him._

 _He pulled her close, resting his cheek on the top of her head._

" _Thank you Bucky" She told him glancing over at Steve, "Keep him safe for me. He is all I have left now"_

 _He put his hand under her chin, so that she would look up at him, "You have me too and I will"_

 _She pulled him down and kissed his cheek before she let him go with a shaky breath then pulled Steve into a hug, "I love you Stevie"_

" _Love you too Ellie" Steve told her kissing her forehead._

Bucky held his forehead as a wave of emotion washed over him that he didn't have the experience of feeling before. He tried to place it, to figure out what the feeling was.

He typed in ' _Ellie Rogers'_

A result came up for an Elizabeth 'Ellie' Rogers that died in Germany a year prior but she looked nothing like the woman in his memories.

Changing his search to 'Steve and Elizabeth Rogers'

Some miscellaneous results came up then one popped up on a website called Reddit. He clicked it and scanned through the post.

 _Posted by: **CuriousShieldFan**_

 _So I was bored and was reading through SHIELD files and found a mysterious file from back before Captain America went into the ice. It mentions how when Steve Rogers was administered the serum, Agent Peggy Carter and Agent Elizabeth Rogers were present. Also how Agent Rogers was upset with the then leader of the SSR because Colonel Phillips did not tell her that her brother was part of the experiment, Project Rebirth._

 _Looking through all the internet and biographies about Captain America, there is no mention of him even having a sister._

 _Replied:_ ** _DoritosLocofan_**

 _Maybe it was a typo?_

 _Replied: **Montiego**_

 _That is the only thing on the entire internet about an Elizabeth Rogers with any relation to Steve Rogers. Why would they keep her a secret?_

 _Replied: **CuriousShieldFan**_

 _To protect her? Captain America was fighting Hydra back then, maybe he was just trying to keep her safe._

 _Replied: **DoritosLocofan**_

 _Look at this picture I found of one of the Howling Commandoes meetings, doesn't this woman look like she could be related to Steve Rogers. They have the same blond hair and what you can see if her eyes, they look blue too._

Attached was his angel woman, just as gorgeous as she was in his memory. She was standing between him and Steve, pointing to something on the map.

 _Replied: **CaptainAmerica'sPrincess**_

 _Look at her hand, her left hand has a ring on it. She was married. That is why Elizabeth Rogers never appears in records._

Bucky felt his heart stop for a brief moment as it felt like it dropped into his gut. Then a memory slammed into his head as if he was punched in the temple.

He gazed at his beautiful angel.

" _This ring I give in token and pledge as a sign of my love and devotion. With this ring I thee wed" Ellie said as she slid the ring on his finger._

" _Join hands" The man told them, "Having heard your vows of promise and of faithful love by the authority invested to me by the state of New York, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride"_

 _He grinned as he looked down at her, "Hi Ellie Barnes"_

" _Hello James Barnes" Ellie said as he kissed her._

He struggled to catch his breath as the headache slammed at his temples, "I married Steve's sister…where is Ellie?"

He quickly stood up and walked out of the library. Bumping into a few people and then took off at a run. As soon as he made it to his apartment, he quickly wrote down all the memories that had emerged. Just in case he forgot them. He didn't want to forget her again.

Flipping through the pages of his notebooks, he tried to see if there was a memory or a thought of her before. He froze on a page when he saw it.

 ** _Mission Report: August 19, 1987_**

 _Mission was compromised and they completed a total wipe. Don't recall it being completely successful. Memories of blond woman, fighter and strong. American can be recalled._

 _Wore perfume, Chantilly is a name matched with it. She called me Bucky too, like the man from the bridge. She thought he was dead though. She said she was unstable. Baby is gone. Attempted to leave Hydra but they found me._

Bucky sat down on the bed and put his head in his hands as tears came to his eyes, 'Ellie was my wife… we were pregnant and she lost the baby. I found her in 1987 but… Hydra found me first. We were here in Bucharest. That is why I came here'

* * *

a/n3: Short but sweet, hope everyone enjoyed! Now for the reviews:

 **Tori: Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed!**

 **PistolHattersButtercup: You are right! He is and might be with her soon! Thanks for reading!**


	26. Chapter 26 - Bubbly

a/n: I only own Ellie, everything else is property of Marvel.

a/n2: TWO CHAPTERS IN A WEEK, WHAT!? So I posted a bonus Christmas present/ small chapter earlier in the week, if you missed it go check it out. I decided to go a different direction in the story so we get a little glimpse of it in this chapter. I promise you, Ellie is coming. Just have to be patient Thank you innate Introvert and MareDattebayo for the follows!

* * *

 **I've been awake for a while now**  
 **You've got me feelin' like a child now**  
 **'Cause every time I see your bubbly face**  
 **I get the tingles in a silly place**

 _ **~ Bubbly by Colbie Caillat**_

* * *

 ***~*~* May 28, 2016 - Avengers compound- NY *~*~***

Steve was lying in bed asleep, when a memory turned into a nightmare.

 _Steve looked over at Wanda, "_ _Wanda, just like we practiced"_

" _What about the gas?" Wanda asked._

" _Get it out" Steve told her._

 _Wanda used her powers to lift Steve up and through the window. He grabbed a soldier and pulled off their gas mask_ _, then kicked him across the room._

 _Another soldier came out of a door and started shooting at Steve. He ducked behind a pillar to evade the gunfire. Then threw his shield to the ground, where it bounced off and hit the soldier shooting at him. Knocking him out, another soldier ran at him and Steve grabbed his ankle, throwing him into the pillar._

 _Steve made it to the secure storage facility and found the weapon they were supposed to be guarding, was missing. It was a virus that could wipe out the whole town in hours._

" _Rumlow has a biological weapon." Steve radioed to the team._

 _Natasha's voice came over the comms, "I'm on it"_

 _Steve ran out onto the balcony and looked out just in time to see Rumlow throw her into the roof hatch of an armored vehicle, then drop a grenade in._

" _Fire in the hole!" Rumlow yelled as he shut the hatch._

" _NO!" Steve screamed as the armored vehicle blew up._

 _He watched as Natasha's body was thrown from the truck and she did not move._

 _Steve jumped from the balcony onto the ground down below and rolled, running to Natasha's still body._

" _Natasha!" He yelled as he rolled her over and saw her badly burned body, "No! Natasha! Natasha! Don't be dead. Open your eyes"_

 _Crossbones took his helmet off and revealed his face to be Bucky, "Sorry Stevie, when you gotta go, you gotta go. And you're coming with me"_

"Steve! Steve! Damnit Steve wake up!" He heard on the edge of his conscious as someone slapped him across the face.

Steve sat up gasping for air. He lashed out as he felt the presence of someone straddling his lap and holding onto his shoulders. Flipping the person over on the other side of his bed, he struggled to catch his breath between the nightmare and the awakening as he pinned them to the bed.

"Well Rogers if you wanted me in your bed like this; you could have at least bought me dinner"

Steve sat back against his heels and put his hands over his face ashamed, "Natasha? God I could have hurt you"

"I heard you screaming my name and…you were in a throws of a nightmare" Natasha told him as she watched his bare chest struggle to breathe, "Are you okay?"

Steve climbed off her and started pacing in his room, "I'm fine"

"Steve, no you aren't. You keep your bedroom door open every night in case any of us need something. Never once have I heard you screaming like that" Natasha said as she walked over to him and he noticed her pajamas for the first time. She was wearing a tiny, thin tank top that left little to the imagination and a pair of shorts that were basically underwear.

"I just… I had a nightmare about Lagos" Steve told her as his breathing started to return to normal.

"That was more than just a nightmare Steve" Natasha said noticing his shirtless state as a bead of sweat ran down his chest.

Steve noticed her staring and grabbed a shirt, quickly throwing it on, "Sorry"

"Damn Steve… I knew you were strong but… wow" Natasha said, "I've seen pictures from when your transformation happened… you are exactly the same but grew some hair"

Steve looked at her as she grinned, "Are you teasing me Romanoff?"

"No…just wondering, did you shave?" Natasha asked.

Steve sat on his bed, "Really?"

"Just wondering" Natasha said as she sat next to him.

Steve sighed, "You know more than most but… my testosterone levels were so out of wack before the serum that I never grew hair"

Natasha set her hand on his leg, "Steve… since you woke up… have you ever took time for yourself?"

Steve frowned, "What do you mean?"

"I mean… a vacation, to recharge" Natasha told him.

"I've went on vacations. Sam and I went to Europe-"

"To find Barnes" Natasha told him, "You need to take a few days and just get away from it all"

Steve watched her get up, "Just think about it" She told him.

Steve sighed and nodded.

Walking over to his bedroom door, she looked back at him, "Want me to close it?"

Steve shook his head, "I won't be getting back to sleep now"

Natasha walked out of the bedroom and Steve laid back staring at the ceiling.

" _Stevie?"_

 _Steve looked over at Ellie from his spot on the couch as he tried to stop the world around him from spinning, "El, when did you get there?"_

" _I've been here with you. You have a nasty concussion… thank god for the serum or it would be extensive brain damage" Ellie said as she knelt down on the floor next to him and ran her fingers through his hair, "You need a break Stevie. We should go on a vacation"_

 _Steve rolled his eyes and nearly vomited when it made his head spin, "Ellie… we have never gone on a vacation. We are also fighting in a war right now"_

" _Exactly! I'll talk to Colonel Phillips, you need a little R &R" Ellie told him, "You, me, and Bucky. We could go to Paris, London… I've always wanted to go to Paris. See the Eiffel tower. We could do it now Stevie"_

 _Steve sighed at the look on her face, "It would be neat to just go and make art in the same place that Monet once did"_

" _I'll go talk to Colonel Phillips… after your mission with the train, we should go" Ellie told him as she kissed his forehead and ran out of the room, nearly knocking Bucky over as he went to enter the room._

" _Where's the fire, Angel?" Bucky asked._

" _Want to take a vacation with me?" Ellie asked as she put her arms around his neck._

" _Vacation? Doll… I don't even know what that is but if it means you and me… I'll follow you anywhere" Bucky told her._

" _You, me and Steve" Ellie corrected, "But we were thinking France. I'm going to go ask Phillips"_

 _Bucky gave her a chaste kiss as she ran off then shook his head as he walked over to Steve, "She is go go go, I can't keep up with her anymore" Bucky told him as he hit Steve's feet to get Steve to move them._

" _Ready for the new mission?" Steve asked._

 _Bucky nodded, "Hopefully we can get the Nazi bastard so we can get Schmidt and head home sooner" Bucky said as he looked at Steve, "Wait… isn't France where they have the nude beaches?"_

" _Really Buck?" Steve said as he sat up, "You are married to my sister… who will be there with us"_

" _I know…she's the one I will be looking at" Bucky said with a grin._

 _Steve kicked him off the couch and Bucky just laughed from his spot on the floor._

Steve woke up with Bucky's laughter still ringing in his ears.

Running his hands over his face, Steve trying to push back the wave of emotions that were threatening to overwhelm him, he lost the battle as tears flowed down his face.

"Friday, can you shut my door please" Steve mumbled into his hands.

"Yes Captain Rogers" The AI replied.

Steve laid down in his bed and pulled the covers over his head as he sobbed, over his life that he lost. Ellie never got her vacation to Paris. Bucky never got to see the beaches of France and he never got his very first vacation.

The covers moved and Steve wiped his eyes as he looked over his shoulder, "Natasha, what are you-"

"Friday told me that you needed me" Natasha said as she pulled the covers over her own head, "Steve… you can trust me. What is going on?"

"I've never gone on a vacation" Steve told her with a sigh, "And… we were planning on a vacation to France. Ellie was so excited and Bucky couldn't wait… we got R&R all three of us… we just had to go on one last mission"

"Oh Steve" Natasha said as she took his hand.

"I don't know if she ever got to Paris. We never talked about it after Bucky…was gone" Steve said, "She went back home to tell Winnie and Becca… then I went into the ice"

"I wish we could find more about her" Natasha told him, "Just so you would have peace of mind"

Steve looked at her through his long tear covered lashes, "Will you come with me… to my getaway?"

Natasha looked at him, "You have a getaway?"

Steve nodded, "I never go there longer than two or three days at most. I go there to take care of the property then I come back. I'm going to take a week. I am sure the world won't blow up if I take a week to myself"

"Where is it?" Natasha asked.

"Near Lake Placid, so not far" Steve told her.

"I'd love to" Natasha told him with a smile.

* * *

 ***~*~* May 30, 2016 – Lake Tupper, NY *~*~***

Steve parked the car in front of the log cabin, "Welcome to my home"

"It's beautiful" Natasha said as they climbed out of the car.

Steve grabbed their bags and led her up to the house. Unlocking it, he held the door open for her.

"This… this place is amazing" Natasha said as she walked around looking at the downstairs from the staircase leading upstairs to the wood heater to the, "How long have you had this place?"

"Technically it's not mine… its Ellie's house" Steve told her pointing at the large picture hanging from the wall.

"This was Ellie's house?" Natasha asked staring at Ellie and Bucky's wedding picture, "It's amazing how different he looked back then"

"When I came out of the ice… they sent me here. On record this was Peggy's house" Steve told her, "But I went upstairs… let me show you"

Natasha followed him upstairs and he opened the door on the left and felt as if she were taken back in time, "This was her room?"

Steve nodded, "I cleaned it up but… I left it as it was for the most part. I added sitting chairs but the bed is the same one. Curtains are different and the pictures and decorations are the same. I have a feeling the antler chandelier was for Bucky… we always joked about that with him. I've updated different parts of the house and even renovated parts of it but this is just as she left it basically"

"Look at you" Natasha said amazed looking at the picture of Steve, Ellie and a young boy standing by them, "Is that Bucky?"

Steve came over to stand next to her, "That is the very first picture of us" Steve said with a smile, "We were had just met. We went to a carnival and Bucky's mom paid for our picture. We couldn't afford a personal camera. Bucky's parents were my second parents and they were a little better off than my mom. We were part of his family as much as he was ours"

Natasha wrapped her arm in his, "We'll find him… don't worry"

"Your room will be next door. I did change that one. It was Peggy's room when she stayed here… too many memories… even if I wasn't around for them" Steve told her as he led her out of his room and opened the door.

He turned the light switch on and Natasha gasped, "Steve… this is gorgeous"

"I actually made the bed myself. Don't worry, it holds a super soldier, you will be fine" Steve said as she ran her hand over the four poster.

Natasha looked at him with a grin, "Steve are you a closet romantic? Because this just screams romance"

"Plaid screams romance?" Steve asked confused.

"The whole package Steve" Natasha said shaking her head.

"I just designed it how I liked" Steve said with a shrug, "I'll let you get settled in and we can head into town and get dinner?"

Natasha smiled, "Sounds good to me"

Steve nodded as he walked back towards his room.

* * *

 ***~*~* May 31, 2016 (Day 2) – Lake Tupper, NY *~*~***

Natasha woke up sighing after a restless night. Listening closely, she didn't hear Steve in the house. After dinner, they had gone to the grocery store to get food for the next week. The amount of bags that they had walked out with looked as if they were going to feed an army, but Steve said that he had to eat more than a regular person thanks to the serum running through his veins.

Pulling her body out of bed, she walked down the stairs and saw a plate with muffins with a note next to them stating that he was going out for a run around the lake.

Grabbing a plate and some muffins, she fixed herself a cup of coffee then picked up some files then started to explore the house a bit more. Her bedroom had a large floor to ceiling window with a wonderful view and she could see that there were lounge chairs to sit in as you gazed out at the lake.

Opening the back door, she looked out at the porch and decided to stick to the glider on the porch as she sat down in it.

Rocking back and forth, she started to read over the files that Fury sent her about possible Hydra cells.

Feet pounding against the ground, made her look up as Steve ran up the back stairs, "Morning" Steve said as he saw her.

Natasha shook her head, "How many miles was that?"

"Only ten" Steve said stretching, "Thought I would take it easy"

Natasha shook her head, "And you barely broke a sweat"

"Oh I am sweaty, but I have a lot of work to do on the property. Will you be okay by yourself?" Steve asked.

"Oh yeah, I have a lot of work that I could be working on so… go do your thing" Natasha told him, "I'm fine here"

Steve nodded as he walked out to a shed and opened it.

Natasha looked back at the files in her hand that detailed intel about possible safe houses or places that were being used as Hydra bases. When she had put the Hydra and Shield files onto the internet, they were able to secure a large portion of the Shield files into a private server within only a few days. Hydra was operating deep underground but if possible, went even deeper and attempted to cover their tracks even more after Pierce's death. They still had yet to figure out who was running Hydra after Strucker had been killed.

The loud noise of chopping of wood made Natasha look up as Steve started chopping down a dead tree. Natasha attempted not to watch as he hacked away at the trunk until it was thin enough for him to push to the ground. After it was on the ground, he started cutting it into smaller pieces that were just small enough for the wood stove.

Getting up, Natasha walked back into the house and grabbed two glasses out of the cupboard. Filling them up with water, she walked back out of the house and down the back steps. Barefoot, she walked down the grass to where Steve was chopping up the tree. He was now shirtless and was using his tank top to wipe the sweat from his face.

He heard her walking up and grinned, "See I sweat"

"I see that, I brought you some water. Looked like you needed it" Natasha told him trying not to look too much at his tone chest as the sweat rolled down it.

Steve took the glass from here, "Thank you"

Natasha watched his head tilt back as he drank from the glass and his Adam's apple bob with each drink he took. She cleared her throat, "I'll… I'll be inside if you need me"

Steve nodded and Natasha turned to walk away then stepped on a wood shard. Steve reached out and grabbed her as she almost fell to the ground.

"I should have worn shoes" Natasha said as she looked at the bottom of her foot.

Steve reached down and pulled the piece from her foot then ran his thumb over the arch of her foot, "Your foot is so small"

"Not all of us are super soldiers Steve" Natasha said as she set her foot down, "Much better. Thank you"

"You should go inside and clean that up" Steve told her, his arm still on her back.

"Definitely will" She said as she limped slightly back up to the house.

Walking upstairs, she found a first aid kit and a bottle of alcohol. After patching up her foot, she saw that Steve's bedroom door was wide open. Walking inside, she stared at the pictures of Steve, Ellie and Bucky. Sighing, she found one of her contacts in her phone named Clark.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of a phone call from the marvelous Black Widow?"

Natasha stared at the woman's face within the frame in front of her, "I need information about an agent of MI5 from the 40s to the 70s"

"Really Romanoff? Those records could take months to go through. I doubt they are even digital" Clark told her.

Natasha sighed as she walked over to the window and looked out at Steve below cutting wood, "It's worth it. Name was Agent Elizabeth Barnes or Rogers. Also went by Ellie"

"What's in it for me?" He asked.

"Find the information and you set the price. Just find her for me" Natasha said as she hung up.

* * *

 ***~*~* June 1, 2016 (Day 3) – Lake Tupper, NY *~*~***

On the third day of their 'vacation', Natasha was surprised to awaken to the noise of more chopping. Rolling over she saw that she had actually slept in until 10am. There was even a note next to her bed from Steve telling her that he had left to go to town.

Sitting up, she could not believe that she had slept in so late and had even slept nearly 10 hours. For the first time in years, she actually felt well rested. Even the fact that Steve had came into her room and she had not woken up, surprised her. Clint always had her be the watch out on missions because the slightest noise always woke her up.

Climbing from the bed, she walked downstairs and saw Steve was now standing in the kitchen washing dishes.

"Morning" Steve said as he turned around and saw her.

"How domestic you are" Natasha teased from her spot leaning against the wall.

Steve laughed, "I'm not Stark. I don't have 100 people working under me that cater to my every whim. Before I got the serum, Bucky and I lived together in this tiny little apartment with Ellie when she was home… Buck worked the docks and delivered papers plus any job he could pick up to make us some extra money. So I cooked"

Natasha walked over and pulled herself up onto the island, "What was Steve Rogers job before Captain America?"

Steve sighed, "Well paper boy… then I got too sick so Bucky took it over. I tried the docks and lasted three hours tops. So I actually painted and sold some art but not much"

"So wait, there could be some genuine Steve Rogers paintings out there somewhere?" Natasha asked.

Steve laughed, "I highly doubt there is any left. No one knew who Steve Rogers really was back then. They weren't very good either. Very abstract and post impressionist because I had only a vague idea what the colors might look like together" Steve said as he put the last dish in the drainer then dried his hands, "Before the serum I was color blind so everything was just shades of gray. I was pretty good with charcoals and pencils. In fact that drawing above the couch is one I drew for Ellie and sent to her when she was away at college"

Natasha jumped down and walked into the living area to get a closer look, "Wow, now that I pay attention to it… its really detailed"

Steve walked up behind her, "Well before the serum I had a pretty good memory… the serum only made it even better. I even put me and Bucky in it if you look close enough"

Natasha stood up on the couch and took a closer look, "Is that you two sitting on-"

"The fire escape? Yes. That was my favorite spot. In the summer, there was no air so I could breath and there wasn't lights like there was now so you could see the stars" Steve told her with a smile, "I could just lay out and star gaze under the stars"

"See I knew it, hopeless romantic" Natasha teased.

"and I am guessing you aren't" Steve interjected.

Natasha shook her head, "Love is for children. It doesn't exist. People are only in relationships for two things, sex and to reproduce. When you get tired of one, you just… exist"

"That's a really tough way to live" Steve said sadly.

"But it's true" Natasha said.

Steve shook his head, "I don't know about that. I was in love with Peggy and there was no sex involved there"

Natasha looked at him, "Seriously?"

Steve blushed as he nodded.

"Wait… Steve Rogers… are you a virgin?" Natasha asked surprised.

Steve blushed all the way down past his shirt collar.

"Oh my god, you are!" Natasha said.

"When I grew up it was a different time! I grew up Catholic Natasha" Steve said turning away from her.

"Steve, look I was just teasing" Natasha said as she followed him back to the kitchen, "There is nothing wrong with it"

Steve sighed as he leaned against the kitchen sink, "I'm not a… virgin"

"Oh" Natasha said, "It would be fine either way-"

"I just… always regretted it so I just… try to forget it even happened" Steve told her sadly, "Wasn't exactly romantic… she used me… then went to sleep with Bucky"

"Oh Steve"

"He never knew… I always told him everything but… she was the coolest girl in school. Gorgeous and friends with Ellie" Steve told her, "So when she asked me over to study… I couldn't believe it. Then it happened and…well… between being the good Catholic boy and it really… honestly not being very good because I could barely breathe through it, I didn't… well kiss and tell. Then Bucky came to my house all giddy a few days later talking about how she played the same studying card on him"

"What a bitch" Natasha said.

Steve shrugged, "She and Bucky dated for a few months… then he got feelings for Ellie and never really dated anyone seriously until her"

"But you've never…with this improved body?" Natasha asked.

Steve looked at her, "No… my strength… I'm…" he said as he sighed, "I'm afraid I'd hurt her"

"You just have to find the right partner"

Steve froze, "What?"

"You just have to find the right partner" Natasha told him as she took in the look on his face, "What? What did I say?"

"Nothing" Steve said shaking his head, "You are right. I'm… I'm going to go back out and work on the deck"

"Steve?"

"Hm?" He asked turning around.

"How about we do some… fun stuff?" Natasha asked.

"Like what?" Steve asked.

"I don't know. I'll look some stuff up in the area. We can just be you know… normal. Honestly I've really never had a real vacation myself outside of the time I went with Clint and Laura and the kids to the beach" Natasha told him.

"Clint at the beach? That had to be interesting" Steve said with a laugh.

"Don't ever give him your shield because let me tell you, the man is a weapon with a Frisbee" Natasha told him with a laugh.

"Good to know but… yeah. I'm almost done with the stuff to do around the house. Find some interesting things for the rest of the trip and we will do them" Steve told her.

* * *

 ***~*~* June 4, 2016 (Day 6) – Lake Tupper, NY *~*~***

The first Natasha day as Steve had pegged it, she had picked hiking and canoeing. After they had both fell in the river at one point, Steve looked at her with water dripping off his eyelashes and told her they should have just gone swimming. But it was the first time that she had seen a genuine smile on his face.

The day before, she had found out that there was a public observatory and had surprised Steve with a trip to the Adirondack Public Observatory. Using all three of their high powered Telescopes, Steve was like a kid in the candy store as he saw Saturn's rings and Jupiter's Great Red Spot in greater detail than he could have ever imagined. After leaving the observatory, he drove to the darkest place he could find and they literally fell asleep under the stars gazing at slight coloring of the sky as an aurora appeared as well as the Milky Way galaxy.

On their sixth and final day, Natasha had picked Little Wolf Beach to go to. Parking the car at the parking lot, Natasha grabbed the bag with towels and sunscreen in it to walk to the beach. It was almost hilarious to see Steve in a tank top, swim trunks and flip flops. She herself wore a summer dress over top of a simple one piece.

Thankfully the beach was not busy for a Saturday so they were easily able to find a spot to lay the sheet that Natasha had grabbed down on the beach.

Steve pulled the tank top he was wearing off then slipped out of his flip flops, "Are you going in?"

"Not yet, I'm going to attempt to get a darker tan. I already have a slight one after hiking" Natasha told him as she laid down, "Go have fun"

Steve ran off into the water and Natasha sighed as she laid back on the sheet using the towels as a pillow.

"Did you see that man that just jumped in the lake?"

Natasha opened her eyes and glanced over at two girls approximately 50 feet away, then closed her eyes and listened.

"He is gorgeous. You know who he reminds me of? Captain America"

Natasha nearly laughed out loud.

"Like Captain America would ever come here, he'd go to the Caribbean or the Mediterranean"

"Look at the girl he is with. She is pretty too. Lucky bitch. Oh shit Emma he's coming back. That was a fast swim"

Natasha kept her eyes closed as she heard footsteps coming closer.

"Ladies" Steve said.

Natasha opened her eyes to see him walking past the two girls then he walked over and laid next to her, "That was a quick swim"

"I swam from one shore to the next. On the other side is fishing and I nearly got hooked so I decided to come back" Steve told her as he looked over her, "I thought you wore a bathing suit"

"I did" Natasha said as she closed her eyes, "I just don't want to take this dress off… too many scars"

"Tasha, no one is going to notice your scars" Steve said closing his eyes, "Closest people to us are those two girls and they are just looking at me anyways"

Natasha hit him making him laugh, "Conceded much?" She said as she sat up and pulled the dress off, "Happy now?"

Steve opened his eyes, "What? No bikinis?"

Natasha looked at him, "Are you seriously flirting with me?"

Steve blushed, "No, remember you said bye bye bikinis"

"Oh yeah, no. I was serious about that. Now I have the scar on my shoulder to match the one on my stomach so no… bye bye bikinis" Natasha said as she laid back next to him.

"I think you'd still look beautiful in one no matter what" Steve told her.

"I think you picked up more from Barnes than you realized Steve" Natasha said as she looked over at him.

"Nah, it's called telling the truth" Steve said as he closed his eyes again, "I wish I had a watch with an alarm on it"

Natasha reached over him and grabbed his phone.

"What are you doing?" Steve asked looking up at her as she laid over top of him.

"Setting an alarm on your phone. You know, you've been out of the ice for 4 years now Steve. You need an electronics class or something" Natasha told him, "How long do you want the alarm for?"

"30 minutes… not sure how the sun will affect my skin. Doubt it will do anything honestly" Steve said as she laid back down.

"Never know" Natasha said as she closed her eyes.

Thirty minutes later, Natasha was woken up by the sounds of a pencil scratching against paper as Steve's phone went off.

"Sorry, forgot to turn it off" Steve said touching the screen.

"I need to turn over anyways" Natasha said flipping onto her stomach, "What are you drawing?"

"Those kids over there. Mom has them building sandcastles" Steve said flashing the drawing to her.

"I didn't even see you brought paper" Natasha told him resting her head on her hands.

"I always bring paper with me" Steve told her as he added the smile to the little girl.

"Draw me"

Steve looked at her, "You want me to draw you?"

"Yeah… I can hang it up in my apartment and I can say I have a Steve Rogers original" Natasha told him.

Steve thought about it for a moment, "Sure. Let me finish this so I can give it to that Mom. I barely have any pictures of Me, Ellie and Mom because when we did get a camera, mom was taking the pictures"

Natasha smiled, "You are so sweet Rogers"

"Don't tell anyone, you'll ruin my cred" Steve told her.

Natasha laughed, "You've been hanging out with Sam too much"

* * *

 ***~*~* June 5, 2016 – Lake Tupper, NY *~*~***

Steve stood at the back porch behind the house watching the sunset.

"I have everything packed" Natasha said as she came outside.

"Alright" Steve said as he looked over at her, "Thanks for coming with me this week Natasha. I just… I never realized how-"

"Tense you were?" Natasha suggested.

"That too. When I came out of the ice, I barely had any time to… adjust. Since then it's been missions and then dealing the Hydra then trying to eliminate Hydra while searching for Bucky. I needed this" Steve told her, "Thank you"

"I love this place. Whenever you want company… just tell me" Natasha told him.

Steve sighed, "We probably should head back"

"We will be back soon… and maybe you will find Barnes soon and you can show him this place" Natasha told him.

"I hope… I hope he is Bucky when we find him though" Steve said as he led her back into the house, locking up the back door.

"Even if he knows how to be stealthy… we would have heard of stuff if he was just going out and killing people. He might not be Brooklyn Bucky but Bucky could be in there somewhere" Natasha told him as he grabbed his bag.

"Let's hope" Steve said as they left the house and he locked it up behind them.

* * *

a/n3: Thanks for reading! As for the reviews:

 **x3sunnyday: Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy this one too!**

 **PistolHattersButtercup: Glad to hear it was your favorite. More Bucky is coming soon!**

 **Tori: Ellie will wake up in time… they just have to find her ;)**


	27. Chapter 27 - Pompeii

a/n: I don't own anything you recognize, it is all property of Marvel. I only own Ellie.

a/n2: Wait what?! Three chapters in a week?! Happy NEW YEARS EVERYONE! I am a teacher and I have had the last week off… I decided I needed a mental break from all the teaching responsibilities so I wrote 9 new chapters in the last week. I have my scope planned out and that puts me three chapters ahead of where I wanted so… BONUS CHAPTER! Don't expect this often ;P . We have made it to Civil War… closer and closer to what you all have been asking for so enjoy! Thank you for the new followers: angiisucks, BaDWoldF89, Crystal-Wolf-Guardain967!

* * *

 **But if you close your eyes**  
 **Does it almost feel like**  
 **Nothing changed at all?**  
 **And if you close your eyes**  
 **Does it almost feel like**  
 **You've been here before?**

 **But if you close your eyes**  
 **Does it almost feel like**  
 **Nothing changed at all?**  
 _ **~ Pompeii by Bastille**_

* * *

 ***~*~* June 13, 2016- Avengers compound- NY *~*~***

Steve sat in his office at the Avengers compound going over information about Intel on Hydra cells and Rumlow, and where they may be needed the most. Information on possible Bucky sightings was also amongst the files.

He glanced at the picture of him, Ellie and Bucky on his desk, "Ellie… I'm trying to find him. He is just great at hiding"

" _You know, he knew you. You pal, your buddy, your Bucky" Rumlow taunted looking up at Steve._

" _What did you say?" Steve asked._

" _He remembered you. I was there. He got all weepy about it. Till they put his brain back in a blender" Rumlow told him with a sadistic smile._

The news announcer brought him out of the memory, "11 Wakandans were among those killed during a confrontation between the Avengers and a group of mercenaries in Lagos, Nigeria, last month. The traditionally reclusive Wakandans were on an outreach mission in Lagos when the attack occurred" The news anchor said.

"Our people's blood is spilled on foreign soil. Not only because of the actions of criminals, but by the indifference of those pledged to stop them. Victory at the expense of the innocent is no victory at all." King T'Chaka said.

"The Wakanda king went on to…"

Steve turned the monitor off and the sound continued on in another room. He got up following the sound to Wanda's room.

" _They are operating outside and above the international law. Because that's the reality, if we don't respond to acts like these"_

Wanda was sitting in her room, on her bed, watching the news on her TV.

"What legal authority does an enhanced individual like Wanda Maximoff have to operate in Nigeri-" The anchor said as Steve grabbed the remote and turned the TV off, and then leaned on the door frame.

"It's my fault" Wanda told him.

"That's not true" Steve told her.

"Turn the TV back on. They're being very specific" Wanda told him looking back at him.

"I should've clocked that bomb vest long before you had to deal with it" Steve told her as he walked over to her.

"Rumlow said "Bucky" and… all of a sudden I was a 16-year-old kid again, in Brooklyn" Steve told her as he sat next to her, "And people died. It's on me"

"It's on both of us" Wanda told him.

"This job… We try to save as many people as we can. Sometimes that doesn't mean everybody. But if we can't find a way to live with that, next time… maybe nobody gets saved." Steve told her as he looked down at his hands, "When Ultron had you mess with our minds, did you see our visions?"

Wanda nodded, "You were dancing with a woman"

Steve sighed, "Her name is Peggy. She was…she worked for SHIELD before it was SHIELD. She was the first and only woman I've ever loved. Do you remember what else was in that vision?"

Wanda thought about it for a moment, "People dancing alongside you and all around you"

"The people dancing next to us were Bucky and my sister" Steve told her.

Wanda looked at him, "I didn't realize you have a sister"

"Had. She died in 1975. She was married to Bucky. I couldn't save him for her back when he fell. So I am trying to find him to save him now, for her but… sometimes we aren't meant to save them. It's just the hard part of our job" Steve told her with a sad smile.

Vision materialized through Wanda's wall, "Vis! We talked about this"

"Yes, but the door was open so I assumed that…" Vision told them, gesturing towards the door, "Captain Rogers wished to know when Mr. Stark was arriving"

"Thank you. We'll be right down" Steve told him with a nod.

"I'll… use the door. Oh, and apparently, he's brought a guest" Vision informed them.

"We know who it is?" Steve asked.

"The Secretary of State" Vision told him.

Wanda looked at Steve after Vision left, "That can't be good"

They walked to the conference room and Secretary of State, Thaddeus Ross was standing at the head of the table.

Rhodey, Natasha, Tony, Sam and Vision were already gathered around the table and Wanda took a seat.

"Sir" Steve said as he shook the secretary's hand.

"Captain. Have a seat" Ross instructed him.

Steve took a seat at the back of the table in front of Tony, who didn't look happy, and looked down the table at Ross.

"Five years ago, I had a heart attack. I dropped right in the middle of my backswing. Turned out it was the best round of my life, because after 13 hours of surgery and a triple bypass… I found something 40 years in the Army had never taught me: Perspective. The world owes the Avengers an unpayable debt. You have fought for us, protected us, risked your lives… but while a great many people see you as heroes, there are some… who would prefer the word "vigilantes"."

"And what word would you use, Mr. Secretary?" Natasha asked him.

"How about "dangerous"? What would you call a group of US-based, enhanced individuals who routinely ignore sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose and who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind?" Ross asked her.

He turned the screen behind him on and news clips played.

" **New** York." He said as the Chitauri invasion played with Hulk leaping and smashing into buildings, "Washington DC" Footage of the three Insight helicarriers firing on each other played, "Sokovia" Citizens running and the city rising played, "Lagos" The burning building played then a picture of a dead girl

Steve saw Wanda look away, "Okay. That's enough"

Ross nodded to his aide and the images disappeared.

"For the past four years, you've operated with unlimited power and _no_ supervision. That's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate. But I think we have a solution" His aide handed him a thick book and Ross slid it in front of Wanda, who slid it to Rhodey.

"The Sokovia Accords. Approved by 117 countries… it states that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization. Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel, only when and if that panel deems it necessary" Ross informed them.

"The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place. I feel we've done that" Steve defended.

"Tell me, Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?" Ross asked, "If I misplaced a couple of 30 megaton nukes… you can bet there'd be consequences. Compromise. Reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground"

"So, there are contingencies" Rhodey asked.

"Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the Accords" Ross informed them.

Steve looked back at Tony.

"Talk it over" Ross told them.

"And if we come to a decision you don't like?" Natasha asked.

"Then you retire" Ross told her.

Ross left and Steve grabbed the accords and started reading through it.

Immediately his team started arguing about it. Many of them were against it.

"Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor, which is one more than you have" Rhodey said.

"So let's say we agree to this thing. How long is it gonna be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?" Sam asked.

"A 117 countries want to sign this. 117, Sam, and you're just like, "No, that's cool. We got it" Rhodey told him.

"How long are you going to play both sides?" Sam asked.

"I have an equation" Vision told them.

Steve looked up at him.

"Oh, this will clear it up" Sam snapped.

"In the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. And during the same period, the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate" Vision told them.

"Are you saying it's our fault?" Steve asked.

"I'm saying there may be a causality. Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict… breeds catastrophe. Oversight… Oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand" Vision said.

"Boom" Rhodey said to Sam.

Tony, who was lying on the couch with a hand over his face, removed his hand as Natasha speaks to him, "Tony. You are being uncharacteristically non-hyper verbal"

"It's because he's already made up his mind" Steve told her.

"Boy, you know me so well" Tony said as he got up and winced rubbing the back of his head, "Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache"

He walked into the kitchen and grabbed a mug.

"That's what's going on, Cap. It's just pain. It's discomfort. Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal? Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?" Tony snapped.

Tony's phone projected a young man into the air, "Oh, that's Charles Spencer, by the way. He's a great kid. Computer engineering degree, 3.6 GPA. Had a floor level gig at Intel planned for the fall. But first, he wanted to put a few miles on his soul, before he parked it behind a desk. See the world. Maybe be of service. Charlie didn't want to go to Vegas or Fort Lauderdale, which is what I would do. He didn't go to Paris or Amsterdam, which sounds fun. He decided to spend his summer building sustainable housing for the poor. Guess where, Sokovia"

"He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. I mean, we won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass" Tony said as he takes a pill then a drink of his coffee, "There's no decision-making process here. We need to be put in check! Whatever form that takes, I'm game. If we can't accept limitations, if we're boundary-less, we're no better than the bad guys"

"Tony, someone dies on your watch, you don't give up" Steve told him.

"Who said we're giving up?" Tony asked him.

"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blame" Steve told him.

"I'm sorry. Steve. That…that is dangerously arrogant. This is the _United Nations_ we're talking about. It's not the World Security Council, it's not SHIELD, it's not HYDRA" Rhodey told him.

"No, but its run by people with agendas, and agendas change" Steve told them.

"That's _good_. That's why I'm here. When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stop manufacturing" Tony told him.

"Tony, you chose to do that. If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose. What if this panel sends us somewhere we don't think we should go? What if there is somewhere we need to go and they don't let us? We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own" Steve told him.

"If we don't do this now, it's gonna be done _to_ us later. That's the fact. That won't be pretty" Tony told him.

"You're saying they'll come for me" Wanda interjected.

"We would protect you" Vision informed her.

"Maybe Tony's right" Natasha stated.

Tony looked at her surprised.

"If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer. If we take it off-" Natasha said as Sam interrupted her.

"Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?" Sam asked.

"I'm just… I'm reading the terrain. We have made… some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back" Natasha told him.

"Focus up. I'm sorry, did I just mishear you or did you agree with me?" Tony asked.

Steve looked at Natasha in disbelief.

"Oh, I want to take it back now" Natasha said.

"No, no, no. You can't retract it. Thank you. Unprecedented. Okay, case closed - I win" Tony said.

Steve's phone buzzed and he pulled it out to check it out. A text message came across the screen from an unfamiliar number but his stomach dropped when he received it.

' _She's gone. In her sleep'_

Steve's breath caught in his throat, "I have to go" He stated dropping the Accords on the table and headed down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, he stopped and bowed his head as tears fell from his eyes.

Wanda appeared at the top of the stairs and slowly walked down to him, "I… I can suddenly feel your overwhelming pain. What's wrong?"

Steve looked at her, tears still streaming down his face, "Peggy's gone"

"Oh Steve" Wanda said as she hugged him.

"I've officially lost everyone but Bucky" Steve told her.

"No you haven't… you have us" Wanda told him rubbing his back.

* * *

 ***~*~* June 16, 2016- London, England *~*~***

Steve bit his lip and sniffed back more tears from coming as the hearse pulled up. He had asked her sister if it was alright if he was one of the pallbearers. She had agreed.

He helped the other pallbearers pull the coffin out of the hearse and they carried her into the beautiful cathedral. They set the coffin down then Steve took his seat next to Sam, briefly glancing up at Peggy's picture on the altar.

The priest made comments about how Peggy was a strong and wonderful woman that had led a great life. Stories of how she had raised her children in this same church after taking a lesser role at SHIELD.

"And now, I would like to invite Sharon Carter to come up and say a few words"

Sam nudged Steve and he looked up to see Agent 13, who as their eyes met she sighed.

"Margaret Carter was known to most as a founder of SHIELD… but I just knew her as Aunt Peggy"

Steve sighed as he realized that he had been interested in Peggy's niece before.

"She had a photograph in her office. Aunt Peggy standing next to JFK. As a kid, that was pretty cool. But it was a lot to live up to. Which is why I never told anyone we were related" She told the crowd but looked right at Steve, "I asked her once how she managed to master diplomacy and espionage in a time when no one wanted to see a woman succeed at either. And she said compromise where you can. But where you can't, don't. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move… it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in them eye and say "No, you move."

Steve wondered if she knew exactly about the accords, because he felt as if she was speaking directly to him.

After the service had finished and everyone had left the cathedral, Steve stayed behind. The burial was for family only anyways. Her picture still sat on the altar and Steve stared at it wondering how things may have been different if he hadn't crashed the plane.

He heard footsteps behind him and glanced back to see Natasha, "When I came out of the ice, I thought everyone I had known was gone. Then I found out that she was alive. I was just lucky to have her"

"She had you back, too" Natasha told him.

"Who else signed?" Steve asked knowing from here she'd go to Vienna.

"Tony. Rhodey. Vision" Natasha told him.

"Clint?" Steve asked.

"Says he's retired" Natasha told him with a slight smile.

"Wanda?" Steve asked.

"TBD. I'm off to Vienna for the signing of the Accords. There's plenty of room on the jet" She notified him.

Steve sighed and bowed his head.

"Just because it's the path of least resistance doesn't mean it's the wrong path. Staying together is more important than how we stay together" Natasha told him.

"What are we giving up to do it?" Steve asked her.

Natasha sighed knowing his mind wasn't going to change.

"I'm sorry, Nat. I can't sign it." Steve told her shaking his head.

"I know" Natasha told him.

"Then what are you doing here?" Steve asked.

"I didn't want you to be alone." Natasha told him pulling him in for a hug, "Come here"

Steve held onto her, "Thank you… I've literally lost everyone now but… you've been there consistently for me"

"I couldn't think of anywhere else better to be" Natasha told him.

* * *

Steve told Sam that he would walk back to their hotel that he needed the time and space to himself after Natasha had left. After the mile walk, he stepped into the hotel atrium to see Sharon.

"Hey Steve" She said with a slight smile.

"Sharon" He said, "I'm sorry for your loss. I didn't realize that Peggy had family in… this"

Sharon smiled as they walked through the entrance, "My mom tried to talk me out of enlisting, but, um, not Aunt Peggy. She bought me my first thigh holster"

"Very practical" Steve said with a smile.

"And stylish" Sharon said as they turned to each other at the elevator.

"CIA has you stationed over here now?" Steve asked.

"In Berlin, Joint Terrorism Task Force" Sharon told him.

"Right. Right. Sounds fun" Steve said not sure what to say.

"I know, right?" Sharon told him.

Steve nodded then smiled at her trying to work up the courage to ask the question that had been plaguing his mind since he saw her, "I've been meaning to ask you. When you were spying on me from across the hall…"

"You mean when I was doing my job" Sharon told him.

"Did Peggy know?" Steve asked.

"She kept so many secrets. I didn't want her to have one from you" Sharon told him as the elevator arrived, "Thanks for walking me back"

"Sure" Steve told her as Sam came over.

"Steve. There's something you gotta see." Sam said his face blank.

Steve and Sharon followed Sam to the room he and Sam were sharing as Sharon's phone rang.

They stood in the room staring at the screen as Sharon paced back and forth on the phone.

 _"A bomb hidden in a news van…"_

"Who's coordinating?" Sharon asked the person on the other end.

 _"…ripped through the UN building in Vienna."_

"Good. They're solid. Forensics?" Sharon asked.

 _"More than 70 people have been injured. At least 12 are dead, including Wakanda's King T'Chaka. Officials have released a video of a suspect who they have identified as James Buchanan Barnes, the Winter Soldier. The infamous HYDRA agent, linked to numerous acts of terrorism and political assassinations."_

'Come on Bucky? Why now?' Steve thought literally sick to his stomach, 'Please God let Nat be alright'

Sharon walked back between them, "I have to go to work"

"We'll come with" Steve told her.

* * *

 ***~*~* June 16, 2016- Vienna *~*~***

Steve and Sam climbed out of the car as Sharon took off, "Sam go to the restaurant over there. I'm going to check some things out"

Sam nodded.

Steve looked up at the bombed building and had to close his eyes as the flashbacks started.

" _Fuck Steve" Bucky said as they pulled back up to the base in Italy._

" _Oh god" Steve said as they jumped out before Morita even parked to see multiple buildings had been bombed._

 _Bucky ran over to one of the privates doing cleanup, "Soldier, where are the higher ups?"_

" _In the mess tent, sir" He said saluting Bucky, "It's acting as triage"_

 _Steve and Bucky ran over to the mess tent and busted through the side of the tent._

" _Where's the fire Rogers?" Peggy asked as she saw them from her spot treating one of the men._

" _What happened?" Steve asked._

" _Supposedly an accidental bombing, okay soldier you will be fine… won't be pretty but you will be fine" Peggy said as she stood up, "Two bombs, 30 seconds apart. Hit one of the quarters and one of the med tents. We lost 15 people"_

" _Where is-" Bucky asked as Peggy pointed into the back where he heard laughing._

 _Bucky walked towards the back with Steve following and found Ellie wrapping a soldier's ribs telling a story to multiple soldiers around her about she, Steve and Bucky growing up when they snuck out and went to Coney Island._

" _Then he didn't sit back far enough on the truck and it hit a bump. Sargeant Barnes held me back but Steve was so little that he just bounced like a ball right into pig manure._

" _Yeah she's fine" Steve said as he sighed in relief._

Shaking his head, Steve walked over to the edge of the field and looked around, seeing Natasha sitting talking with Prince T'Challa.

He pulled out his phone and brought up her number.

"Yeah?" Natasha answered.

"You alright?" Steve asked.

"Ah, yeah, thanks. I got lucky" She told him as he saw her stand up in the distance and look around, "I know how much Barnes means to you. I really do. Stay home. You'll only make this worse. For all of us. Please"

"Are you saying you'll arrest me?" Steve asked her.

"No. Someone will. If you interfere. That's how it works now" Natasha told him.

"If he's this far gone, Nat, I should be the one to bring him in" Steve told her.

"Why?" Natasha asked.

"Because I'm the one least likely to die trying" Steve told her as he hung up.

Steve glanced over at her then walked into the restaurant and walked up to Sam at the bar as he ate, "She tell you to stay out of it? Might have a point"

"He'd do it for me" Steve told him.

"1945, maybe. I just want to make sure we considered all our options. The people that shoot at you usually wind up shooting at me" Sam told him as Sharon walked up next to them.

"Tips have been pouring in since that footage went public. Everybody thinks the Winter Soldier goes to their gym. Most of its noise. Except for this" Sharon said as she slid a file to him, "My boss expects a briefing, pretty much now… so that's all the head start you're gonna get"

"Thank you" Steve told her.

"And you're gonna have to hurry. We have orders to shoot on sight" Sharon told him as she left.

Steve opened the folder.

"So where we headed?" Sam asked.

"Bucharest, Romania" Steve told him.

* * *

Sitting in the Quinjet, Steve stared at the panel frowning.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked.

"We got to Vienna four hours after the bombing… and they already had a spotting of Bucky multiple countries away" Steve said confused.

"Maybe he is still working with Hydra Steve… you never know. I'm sure they have planes or helicopters" Sam told him.

"But he has evaded us for years" Steve told him.

Sam shrugged, "I'm going to catch a nap. Wake me up when we get there"

* * *

a/n3: Thank you for reading! This is basically the last chapter that will go pretty close to exact to "script" as far as the movies. From here on out, its similar but… things will be different ;P Thank you for the reviews!

 **Crystal-Wolf-Gurdian-967: Here is a bonus chapter! Ellie will be found REALLY soon. It's getting closer. Thanks for reading!**

 **BaDWolF89: Thanks for reading!**

 **Tori: I am a half and half, I love reading about Bucky and Nat but definitely not a HulkTasha fan. So forced.**

 **PistolHattersButtercup: We are getting closer! Very soon. Thanks for reading**


	28. Chapter 28 - Don't Stop Believing

a/n: I only own Ellie. All other characters you recognize are property of Marvel.

A/n2: Thank you to my new followers Shopaholic-Pixxie, nityag2003 and Bworms1980. Posting this chapter late tonight instead of early tomorrow as I will be out of town but getting deeper into Civil War! Enjoy!

* * *

 **Working hard to get my fill**  
 **Everybody wants a thrill**  
 **Payin' anything to roll the dice**  
 **Just one more time**  
 **Some will win, some will lose**  
 **Some were born to sing the blues**

 _ **~Don't Stop Believing by Journey**_

* * *

 ***~*~* June 17, 2016- Bucharest, Romania *~*~***

Bucky sighed as he stared at the computer in front of him.

"Can I help you anything?" The librarian asked in broken English.

Bucky looked at the lady, "You speak English?"

She smiled, "Yes… not fast or… well but yes"

"I've been searching for… for my Grandmother" Bucky told her, "She worked for the British military in the 40s and 50s…but I haven't been able to find much about her…after my Mom was born"

"Oh I know just where to look" She told him.

Bucky got up and let her sit down as he watched her work.

"What was her name?" She asked.

"Elizabeth Barnes" Bucky told her, "She was part of MI5"

Bucky watched her search for Elizabeth Barnes and MI5.

"Here we go, let's see in 1948… this sounds like it may be her"

Bucky leaned over her and read the article about two MI5 agents, who had saved the Queen's life. They were honored for their service. The photo was grainy but it was his angel girl from his memories.

"That's her… is there anything else?" Bucky asked.

She looked back at the results and shook her head, "No, nothing really"

Bucky sighed, "Thank you it's something. She was honored by the queen at least"

"Pretty cool that your Grandma was a dame" She told him.

"Thank you again for your help" Bucky told her.

"No problem" She said as she left his station.

Shutting his computer down, he left the library and headed to the market.

Walking through the market, Bucky stopped at the produced stand that he loved to frequent. After a pleasant conversation with the lady, he saw that the stand behind him was selling plums. He had done research and plums were supposed to help with memory but they were hard to find in the area.

Walking across the street, he had a short conversation with the owner of the stand as he picked some plums then paid for them. Glancing across the street, a man stared at him as he got closer the man ran off from his newspaper stand. Looking at the newspaper, he saw his own name.

"Shit!" Bucky thought out loud.

He quickly walked back to his building and stopped at the entrance when he smelt something. A familiar aftershave, "Steve"

Steve walked into the apartment that Intel had stated was Bucky's. Looking around, it was a pretty modest apartment. The bed was directly on the floor and the kitchen was in the same room as the bedroom. A small couch was in the middle of the room and the self-made shelves held few belongings.

Articles about him and the Avengers covered the windows. Along with printed out articles.

Steve walked to the kitchen and two candy bars sat on top of a notebook. He smiled to himself as he fondly remembered Bucky's sweet tooth and how it had gotten them into trouble multiple times.

Picking up a notebook off the refrigerator, he flipped through the notebook and saw a picture of himself inside alongside scribbled notes. The letters ELLIE in large font caught his eye as Sam radioed over comms, "Heads up, Cap. German Special Forces, approaching from the south"

Bucky opened his front door quietly and saw a man in a red, white and blue uniform standing by his refrigerator, 'Steve… Steve found me' He thought.

"Understood" Steve said as he heard something behind him, and slowly turned around to see Bucky, "Do you know me?

He looked at Bucky, standing there in jeans, a ball cap and layered shirts. He looked to Steve as if he understood that he was there, as if he was expecting him.

'Don't tell him that you know him. It will break his heart that you avoided him' Ellie's voice said in Bucky's head.

"You're Steve. I read about you in a museum" Bucky told him.

"They've set the perimeter" Sam told Steve over comms.

"I know you're nervous. And you have plenty of reason to be. But you're lying" Steve told him as Bucky swallowed hard.

"I wasn't in Vienna. I don't do that anymore" Bucky told him.

"They're entering the building" Sam radioed.

"Well, the people who think you did are coming here now. And they're not planning on taking you alive" Steve told him.

"That's smart. Good strategy" Bucky told him looking up as he heard people on the roof.

"They're on the roof. I'm compromised" Sam radioed.

"This doesn't have end in a fight, Buck" Steve told Bucky.

"It always ends in a fight" Bucky told him sadly.

'Especially around you' Bucky thought.

"5 seconds" Sam radioed.

"You pulled me from the river. Why?" Steve asked.

Bucky sighed, "I don't know" Bucky told him taking his glove off his metal hand.

"3 seconds!" Sam radioed.

"Yes, you do" Steve told him.

"Breach! Breach! Breach!"

A grenade crashed through the window and Bucky kicked it towards Steve, who smothered it with his shield.

Bucky lifted his mattress to shield himself from the grenade coming through the window then threw the table in front of the door to block the door.

Police officers busted through his windows on cables and Steve pulled a rug out from under one as Bucky slammed another into a wall. Then opened his door, only to have another officer come through and he kicked him down.

"Buck, stop! You're gonna kill someone" Steve yelled.

Bucky slammed Steve down to the ground and punched a hole through the floor, "I'm not gonna kill anyone" He told Steve as he pulled a backpack out of the floor then threw it out the door.

Another officer jumped in through the window and started shooting at them. Bucky put his metal arm up in front of him as Steve jumped up shielding him with his shield. Bucky put his arm around Steve, then pushed Steve through the window into an officer that is shooting at them in that direction.

Bucky made it out into the stairwell and continued to battle officers as he scaled down the floors. Steve joined in and caught an officer as Bucky threw him, "Come on, man"

Bucky broke a handrail and swung down on it to the next floor, as Steve battled the remaining cops to reach the same floor. Before Steve could get to the floor, Bucky jumped multiple floors grabbing onto the railing before pulling himself up and running out and over the balcony onto the building next to his. He grabbed his backpack and ran.

Suddenly a shadow appeared behind him as a masked man in a full body suit slammed into him, knocking Bucky down. He extended his fingers and claws popped out. He attacked Bucky with kicks and slashes from the claws. The man kicked Bucky sending him into an AC unit and Bucky narrowly avoided being slashed by claws as he held up a metal bar to protect himself.

Steve saw Sam flying towards them, "Sam southwest rooftop"

"Who the hell's the other guy?" Sam asked.

"About to find out." Steve said as he leapt from the balcony to the neighboring building as a helicopter with a machine gun flies up shooting at Bucky and the man in the black suit.

"Sam" Steve radioed.

"Got him" Sam told him as he flew down and shoved the chopper off course.

Bucky broke free and grabbed his bag, jumping off his building onto the ground below. The attacker followed and followed suit. Bucky knowing the area, ran to an underpass and jumped down running through traffic. The man in the black suit and Steve following with police cars following suit.

"Stand down! Stand down!" One of the vehicles announced.

Steve looked behind him and leapt onto the vehicle, shattering its windshield. The driver stopped and Steve pulled him out then kicked the windshield out, driving off. Steve drove past the man in the black suit, and he jumped onto the back of the car he was in. Swerving around trying to shake him he radioed, "Sam, I can't shake this guy."

"Right behind you" Sam radioed.

Bucky was weaving in and out of traffic and leapt over a barrier as Steve followed him driving through it. A motorcycle drove towards Bucky and he grabbed the handlebars, spun the bike around in mid-air and threw the rider off, getting onto it and riding away with Steve hot on his trail.

The man in the suit jumped off Steve's car and jumped onto Bucky, who threw him off and Steve swerved to avoid him. As he got to the end of the tunnel, Bucky threw a bomb up and blew up the roof of the tunnel, bringing down rubble to block his path. The man in the suit had jumped on Sam and leapt off Sam throwing Bucky off the motorbike. Steve swerved the car, jumped out and pulled the man off Bucky. He stood and faced the suited man as the police arrived and surround them, guns aimed.

Rhodey appeared from above and landed raising both hands, "Stand down, now"

Steve put his shield on his back as the officers forced Bucky to his knees.

"Congratulations, Cap. You're a criminal" Rhodey told him.

An officer put Steve's hands behind his back as the black suited man, pulls off his mask revealing that he is Prince T'Challa from Wakanda.

Rhodey looked at him, "Your highness"

Steve looked down at Bucky as he groaned as an officer put his knee in Bucky's back.

* * *

 ***~* June 17, 2016- Berlin*~***

Sam, Steve and T'Challa were loaded into a vehicle and Bucky into an armored truck. During the ride to Berlin, nothing was muttered until Sam broke the silence, "So, you like cats?"

"Sam" Steve warned.

"What? Dude shows up dressed like a cat and you don't wanna know more?" Sam asked curious.

"Your suit… it's Vibranium?" Steve asked.

"The Black Panther has been the protector of Wakanda for generations. A mantle, passed from warrior to warrior. And now, because your friend murdered my father, I also wear the mantle of king. So, I ask you… as both warrior and king… how long do you think you can keep your friend safe from me?" T'Challa asked Steve as the convoy headed underground.

The van stopped and Steve climbed out to see Bucky's pod being carried away by forklift. He looked over to see Bucky was not only encased in the pod but had heavy restraints.

Sam and T'Challa climbed out after him and Steve approached Sharon, who was standing with an official looking man.

"What's gonna happen to him?" Steve asked Sharon.

"Same thing that ought to happen to you. Psychological evaluation and extradition" The man told Steve.

"This is Everett Ross, Deputy Task Force Commander" Sharon introduced.

"What about our lawyer?" Steve asked.

"Lawyer. That's funny. See their weapons are placed in lockup. Oh, we'll write you a receipt" Everett Ross said.

"I better not look out the window and see anybody flying around in that." Sam told them following Ross.

Steve turned around as he followed them and caught Bucky's eye just before the doors shut on him.

They followed Ross who told them, "You'll be provided with an office instead of a cell. Now, do me a favor, stay in it"

"I don't intend on going anywhere" T'Challa told them.

Natasha walked up next to them, "For the record, this is what making things worse looked like"

"He's alive" Steve told her as he saw Tony up ahead on his phone.

"No. Romania was not Accords-sanctioned. And, Colonel Rhodes is supervising cleanup" Tony said into his phone.

"Try not to break anything while we fix this" Natasha told Steve.

"Consequences? You bet there'll be consequences. Obviously you can quote me on that 'cause I just said it. Anything else? Thank you, sir" Tony said as he hung up.

"Consequences'?" Steve asked.

"Secretary Ross wants you both prosecuted. Had to give him something" Tony told him.

"I'm not getting that shield back, am I?" Steve asked.

"Technically, it's the government's property. Wings, too." Natasha told them walking away with Tony.

"That's cold" Sam said.

"Warmer than jail" Tony told him.

Steve and Sam are led into the office, which overlooked the surveillance systems. Steve watched as they did something to Bucky's pod then the two guards walked away.

Tony walked into the room, "Hey, you wanna see something cool? I pulled something from Dad's archives. Felt timely. FDR signed the Lend-Lease bill with these in 1941. Provided support to the Allies when they needed it most" He said opening the box and showing the two pens to Steve.

"Some would say it brought our country closer to war" Steve told him.

"See? If not for these, you wouldn't be here. I'm trying to… What do you call it? That's an olive branch. Is that what you call it?" Tony told him sitting down next to him.

"Is Pepper here? I didn't see her" Steve said knowing that he can get her to help Tony see the voice of reason.

"We're kinda… Well, not kinda…" Tony said.

"Pregnant?" Steve asked interested.

"No. Definitely not. We're taking a break. It's nobody's fault" Tony told him.

"I'm so sorry, Tony. I didn't know" Steve said sadly.

"A few years ago, I almost lost her, so I trashed all my suits. Then, we had to mop up HYDRA… and then Ultron. My fault. And then, and then, and then, I never stopped. Because the truth is I don't wanna stop. I don't wanna lose her. I thought maybe the Accords could split the difference" Tony said as he stood up and paced, "In her defense, I'm a handful. Yet, Dad was a pain in the ass, but he and mom always made it work."

"You know, I'm glad Howard got married. I only knew him when he was young and single" Steve told him.

"Oh, really? You two knew each other? He never mentioned that. Maybe only a thousand times. God, I hated you" Tony admitted.

"I don't mean to make things difficult" Steve told him.

"I know, because you're a very polite person" Tony told him.

"If I see a situation pointed south… I can't ignore it. Sometimes I wish I could" Steve said.

"No, you don't" Tony said.

"No, I don't. Sometimes…" Steve trailed off.

"Sometimes I wanna punch you in your perfect teeth. But I don't wanna see you gone. We need you, Cap. So far, nothing's happened that can't be undone, if you sign. We can make the last 24 hours legit. Barnes gets transferred to an American psych-center… instead of a Wakandan prison" Tony told him.

Steve frowned as he thought about it and picked up one of the fountain pens, then he stood up and paced turning to Tony then glancing at the multiple screens outside of the room, "I'm not saying it's impossible, but there would have to be safeguards"

"Sure. Once we put out the PR fire, those documents can be amended. I'd file a motion to have you and Wanda reinstated-"

"Wanda? What about Wanda?" Steve asked.

"She's fine. She's confined to the compound, currently. Vision's keeping her company" Tony told him.

"Oh God, Tony! Every time. Every time I think you see things the right way…" Steve said pacing.

"What? It's a 100 acres with a lap pool. It's got a screening room. There's worse ways to protect people" Tony told him.

"Protection? Is that how you see this? This is protection? It's internment, Tony" Steve said.

"She's not a US citizen" Tony told him.

"Oh, come on, Tony" Steve said.

"And they don't grant visas to weapons of mass destruction." Tony told him.

"She's a kid!" Steve yelled feeling every part of his almost 100 years.

"GIVE ME A BREAK! I'm doing what has to be done… to stave off something worse." Tony told him.

Steve nodded, "You keep telling yourself that"

He put the pen down, "Hate to break up the set" He told him as he left the office.

Steve walked to a conference room that had access to the main control room monitors and Sam was already sitting in it. Thanks to his hearing, he can almost hear the doctor clearly as he spoke to Bucky.

The doctor was sitting facing Bucky in his pod, "Hello, Mr. Barnes. I've been sent by the United Nations to evaluate you. Do you mind if I sit? Your first name is James?"

Sharon came into the conference room and set a paper in front of Sam, "The receipt for your gear"

"'Bird costume'? Come on." Sam said exasperated.

"I didn't write it" Sharon told him as she hit a button on the table allowing the audio to play from Bucky's evaluation.

"I'm not here to judge you. I just want to ask you a few questions. Do you know where you are, James? I can't help you if you don't talk to me, James." The doctor asked.

"My name is Bucky" He told the doctor.

Steve had to smile; he knews that Bucky has to be in there somewhere.

He glanced at a photo on the table and picked it up, "Why would the Task Force release this photo to begin with?"

"Get the word out; involve as many eyes as we can?" Sharon said.

"Right. It's a good way to flush a guy out of hiding. Set off a bomb, get your picture taken. Get seven billion people looking for the Winter Soldier" Steve said.

"You're saying someone framed him to find him?" Sharon asked.

"Steve, we looked for the guy for two years and found nothing" Sam told him.

"We didn't bomb the UN. That turns a lot of heads" Steve told him.

"Yeah, but that doesn't guarantee that whoever framed him would get him. It guarantees that we would" Sharon told him as her gaze fell on the screen and her eyes narrowed.

Steve's vision followed hers and he frowned, "Yeah"

The doctor looked at Bucky, "Tell me, Bucky. You've seen a great deal, haven't you?"

"I don't want to talk about it" Bucky told him.

"You fear that… if you open your mouth, the horrors might never stop. Don't worry" The doctor said.

Steve frowned at the doctor's words.

"We only have to talk about one" The doctor told him.

The lights in the entire building went out and the emergency lights came on but the screens stayed dark.

Steve looked around and Sharon looked at him, "Sub-level 5, east wing"

Sam and Steve took off running towards the sub level. When they arrived, agents were scattered along the floor, all of them out cold. In the room where Bucky had been held the doctor laid on the ground, "Help me. Help"

Steve walked over to him, "Get up" He told him grabbing him and shoving him against a wall, "Who are you? What do you want?"

"To see an empire fall" He told him.

Sam walked into the room just as Bucky swung his fist, smashing through the wall. Bucky grabbed Sam and threw him at the pod, knocking him out.

Steve jumped in and hit Bucky then Bucky kicked and punched Steve out of the room. One of his punches pushed Steve straight through the elevator door and down the shaft.

Steve pushed himself up off the bottom of the elevator and took his jacket off then started to climb up the elevator shaft. He reached the top and heard a helicopter start up. Rushing out the door, he saw Bucky in the helicopter. He leapt up and grabbed the landing gear and pulled at it, grabbing the edge of the building. The helicopter veered in his direction and he twisted and rolled avoiding the blades.

Steve rose up only to have Bucky punch through the glass and grab his neck as the helicopter went into the water below, knocking Bucky out. Steve grabbed him out of the cockpit and pulled him to the surface, and then he swam to the shore. Throwing him over his shoulder, he carried him in between the trees.

Steve had flagged down Sam and with Sam's help they had gotten Bucky to an abandoned warehouse. There was vice so Steve opened it up and put Bucky's arm inside it, in case he was still the Winter Soldier when he awoke.

"Keep an eye out on him. I'm going to keep an eye out there" Steve told Sam.

Sam didn't look assured but nodded anyways.

Only five minutes after Steve started his watch, Sam called out, "Hey, Cap!"

Bucky looked up at him as he entered the room, "Steve"

"Which Bucky am I talking to?" Steve asked him.

"Your mom's name was Sarah. You used to wear newspapers in your shoes" Bucky said with a grin and a slight laugh.

"Can't read that in a museum" Steve said.

"Just like that, was supposed to be cool?" Sam asked.

"What did I do?" Bucky asked.

"Enough" Steve told him.

"Oh, God, I knew this would happen. Everything HYDRA put inside me is still there. All he had to do was say the goddamn words." Bucky said.

"Who was he?" Steve asked.

"I don't know" Bucky told him.

"People are dead. The bombing, the setup. The doctor did all that just to get 10 minutes with you. I need you to do better than "I don't know." Steve told him.

Bucky thought about it, "He wanted to know about Siberia. Where I was kept. He wanted to know exactly where"

"Why would he need to know that?" Steve asked.

Bucky looked at him, "Because I'm not the only Winter Soldier"

Steve walked forward and released his arm, "How many are there?"

"Five of them. A team" Bucky told him moving the plates in his arm to check it.

"Who were they?" Steve asked as he leaned against the wall.

"The most elite death squad. More kills than anyone in HYDRA history. And that was before the serum" Bucky told him.

"They all turn out like you?" Sam asked.

"Worse. From what I can remember, I at least had a conscience at times. I'd go in and out; they'd bring me back and wipe me because I started thinking on my own. They were just evil" Bucky told them, "They could beat me and throw me across the room hand to hand, even with my arm"

"The doctor, could he control them?" Steve asked.

"Enough" Bucky told him.

"Said he wanted to see an empire fall" Steve told him.

"With these guys he could do it. They speak 30 languages, can hide in plain sight, infiltrate, assassinate, destabilize, they can take a whole country down in one night. You'd never see them coming" Bucky told him.

Sam walked up next to Steve, "This would have been a lot easier a week ago"

"If we call Tony…" Steve said.

"No, he won't believe us" Sam told him.

"Even if he did…" Steve trailed off.

"Who knows if the Accords would let him help" Sam finished.

"We're on our own" Steve told them.

"Maybe not. I know a guy" Sam told him, "Let's find some place to hunker down for the night. I'm going to make some calls"

"I think I better make some calls too" Steve said, "I think I am going to call Clint and have him get Wanda. She could be invaluable for this and we need his spy background"

"Let me call my guy first and try to get a hold of him, then we can have Clint go get him if needed" Sam told him as he stepped out of the room.

Bucky looked up at Steve, "I'm sorry Steve"

"It's not your fault Buck. They… they did unthinkable things to you" Steve told him.

Bucky bit his lip and squeezed his hands together before pulling his ring finger on his left hand as if there should have been a ring there.

Steve walked over and sat down next to him.

"I have remembered most things for the last 6 or so months" Bucky told him.

"Why didn't you try to find me?" Steve asked as he felt a little hurt.

Bucky sighed, "I was ashamed. You have this… image of me and I'm not him anymore"

"You're still my best friend Buck" Steve told him, "You couldn't control what they did to you. I read the file you know… you fought them so hard at first, they had to put you in cryo. Then when they figured out the mind manipulating software… that's when they got control of you"

Bucky looked over at him, "Does she know?"

Steve frowned hoping that he wasn't talking about Ellie, "Does who know?"

Bucky stood up, "Seriously? Who? You know who" Bucky said getting agitated, "I was hoping that she didn't realize who I was when we battled when SHIELD fell, then I assume you told Ellie-"

"Buck…" Steve said as he stood up, "I'm sorry"

Bucky looked at him, "What do you mean you're sorry? Oh god, don't tell me she's here"

"No…but… Bucky… she's gone" Steve told him.

Bucky felt his legs give out on him as he sat on the ground, "What?"

Steve nodded sadly, "Yeah… she was the first person I looked for after I woke up. I can't find out how it happened but… she's dead. I've been to her grave"

Bucky put his head in his hands and tears fell from his eyes for the first time he had remembered since he became the Winter Soldier, "Nothing?"

"No… she was working for the SSR… then SHIELD but records don't say how it happened or if it happened… naturally. They only updated your record saying that she was… deceased since on record, you were her only… kin. She's not listed on my records" Steve told him.

Bucky looked at him, "Why not?"

"I wanted to protect her from Hydra and I was afraid her name would get out there" Steve told him, "She was all I had… besides you. You weren't as well known as I was"

Steve came down on the ground next to him and put his hand on his back.

"She died… all alone" Bucky said sadly.

"Peggy was here. I've been at her house. You could tell she loved it" Steve told him, "Any picture of the two of you was proudly displayed"

"She would be so ashamed of me" Bucky said sadly.

"No… she would have been able to snap you out of it right away" Steve told him.

Bucky nodded, "True. There would have been no Winter Soldier terrorizing the world. She would have marched up to me on the helicarrier, took me by the ear and pushed me on my ass telling me to sit down or she'd spank me"

"Man… really?" Steve said exasperated as Bucky laughed.

"Sorry Steve, your sister was kinky before kinky was a thing" Bucky said as Steve pushed him over.

"Let me keep my nice innocent baby sister's image in my head for the rest of my life please" Steve told him getting up.

"Innocent my ass" Bucky said with a snort, "Maybe when we met"

"Then you corrupted her" Steve said.

"No, it was that all girl school" Bucky said, "She came home and knew how to kick our asses"

"Became a spy right under our noses" Steve said.

Bucky sighed, "Do you miss those days?"

Steve nodded, "Every day"

* * *

a/n3: Thank you for reading, Bucky is officially back! But both of them now think Ellie is dead… but she will return SOON Please review so I know how you liked this chapter. Thanks for the following reviews:

 **Fatjack36: Thanks for reading and reviewing! I had a wonderful Christmas break!**

 **PistolHattersButtercup: Steve and Natasha MAY become a couple just because I love their relationship in the MCU and I want Steve to have someone but we will see. It will still primarily be Bucky and Ellie's story in the end.**


	29. Chapter 29 - Closing Time

A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.

A/n2: Finishing out the Civil War storyline and from here it will be AU. Not a lot is really known about what Steve did in the MCU after Civil War other than working with Wanda, Natasha and Sam on their own missions, so I am making my own thing up. Hope you all enjoy it! Thank you for making last chapter the most reviewed chapter; let's see if this one can top it! Longest chapter yet! This story is now at 50 reviews; let's see how fast we can get to 75!

Thank you to the new followers: Sabrina Barnes and wync! Plus for the 5 reviews!

* * *

 **I hope you have found a  
Friend. **

**Closing time  
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. **

_**~ Closing Time by Semisonic**_

* * *

 ***~*~* June 18, 2016- Berlin*~*~***

Steve pulled the car that he had "borrowed" up to the meeting spot that he and Sharon had agreed upon.

Sharon got out of her car and shook her head, "Not sure you understand the concept of a getaway car" She said looking at the small VW Bug.

"It's low profile" Steve told her.

"Good, because this stuff tends to draw a crowd" Sharon told him as she opened her trunk and revealed Steve and Sam's gear inside.

Inside the car, Bucky was staring down the back of Sam's head from the tiny backseat.

"Can you move your seat up?" Bucky asked.

"No" Sam replied.

Bucky gritted his teeth and looked back at Steve.

"I owe you again" Steve told her.

"Keeping a list" Sharon said as she glanced back at the car and saw Bucky move in the backseat behind Steve's seat, "You know, he kind of tried to kill me"

"Sorry. I'll put it on the list, too. They're going to come looking for you" Steve told her.

"I know" Sharon told him smiling at him.

"Thank you, Sharon" Steve told her as she gave him a smile. He decided that despite the fact that she was Peggy's niece and there are so many years between them, he was going to take a chance. So he leaned down and kissed her.

"That was…" Sharon said her hand resting on his chest.

"Late" Steve said with a smile.

"Damn right. I should go" Sharon whispered as she went around him and climbed in the car.

"Okay" Steve said as he looked up and looked back at the car.

Bucky and Sam were both grinning and nodding at him. The smile fell from his face and he looked at them annoyed.

Grabbing his SHIELD and Sam's suit, he walked back to the car and threw them at Bucky.

"So… was that your first kiss since Nancy Simons, Stevie?" Bucky teased.

"No, I'll have you know I've kissed multiple women since her thank you very much. Just in the USO show alone" Steve said as he started the car up.

"Your hand and that girl Peggy nearly shot at you for don't count" Bucky joked.

"Peggy and I kissed, plus since I've woke up I had a brief girlfriend and I kissed Natasha, thank you very much" Steve told him.

"Whoa wait… Romanoff?" Sam asked.

"Wait? The redhead SHIELD agent? Way to go Steve" Bucky said as he frowned then shook his head, "Wait is her name Natalia?"

"That is her Russian name from the Red Room" Steve told him.

"She was trained in the Red Room?" Bucky asked.

"Yeah, why? Did you know of it?" Steve asked him looking at him in the rear view.

"I trained some of the girls at one time" Bucky said looking out the window.

* * *

 ***~*~* June 18, 2016-** **Leipzig/Halle airport** ***~*~***

Steve drove up to the sixth level of a parking garage at the airport that Clint had parked the Quinjet at and parked next to a gray van.

Steve climbed out of the tiny car as Clint climbed out of the van.

"Cap" Clint said as Wanda got out of the van as well.

"You know I wouldn't have called if I had any other choice" Steve told him shaking his hand.

"Hey man, you're doing me a favor. Besides, I owe a debt" Clint told him looking back at Wanda.

"Thanks for having my back" Steve told them.

"It was time to get off my ass" Wanda told him.

"How about our other recruit?" Steve asked as Sam walked up next to Steve.

"He's rarin' to go. Had to put a little coffee in him, but… he should be good" Clint told him as he opened the van door and the man inside jumped.

"What time zone is this?" He asked as he got out of the van.

"Come on. Come on" Clint said pushing him towards Steve.

The man looked at Steve in disbelief and reached for Steve's hand, "Captain America"

"Mr. Lang" Steve said shaking his hand.

"It's an honor. I'm shaking your hand too long" He said as he let go and looked back at Wanda, "Wow! This is awesome! Captain America. I know you, too. You're great!"

Wanda just grinned.

He turned back to Steve and felt Steve's shoulders, "Jeez. Ah, look, I wanna say, I know you know a lot of super people, so… Thinks for thanking of me" He turned to Sam, "Hey, man!"

"What's up, Tic Tac?" Sam asked.

"Uh, good to see you. Look, what happened last time when-" Scott said.

"It was a great audition, but it'll… it'll never happen again" Sam told him with a smile.

"They tell you what we're up against?" Steve asked Scott.

"Something about some… psycho-assassins?" Scott asked.

"We're outside the law on this one. So, if you come with us, you're a wanted man" Steve told him.

"Yeah, well, what else is new?" Scott told him.

"We should get moving" Bucky told them.

"We got a chopper lined up. On the other end of the airport from the Quinjet" Clint told him as alarms started to go off and an announcement was made.

"They're evacuating the airport" Bucky translated.

"Stark" Sam said.

"Stark?" Scott asked confused.

"Suit up" Steve told them.

"Wanda take the van" Clint told her.

Clint threw some clothes at Bucky, "I figured you didn't have anything"

Bucky took them, "Thanks" He said looking at the outfit. He ripped the left sleeve off so his arm had more movement then started changing.

* * *

After a big battle at the airport, only with Natasha's help at the last minute were Steve and Bucky able to escape on the Quinjet. Steve was piloting the plane and Bucky sat in the seat behind him.

"What's gonna happen to your friends?" Bucky asked.

Steve sighed and shook his head, "Whatever it is… I'll deal with it."

Bucky looked out at the window, "I don't know if I'm worth all this, Steve"

Steve looked back at Bucky, "How many times do I have to tell you, what you did all those years… It wasn't you. You didn't have a choice"

Bucky swallowed hard, "I know. But I did it"

* * *

 ***~*~* June 18, 2016- Siberia*~*~***

Steve landed the Quinjet on an icy mountain top. Getting out of his seat, Bucky pulled out a rack of guns labeled 'Romanoff' and took a gun he knew he would be comfortable with.

He walked over to where Steve was standing at the ramp, the chill settling into his bones.

"You remember that time we had to ride back from Rockaway Beach in the back of that freezer truck?" Steve asked.

"Was that the time we used our train money to buy hot dogs?" Bucky asked searching his memory with a smile.

"You blew three bucks trying to win that stuffed bear for a redhead" Steve told him.

"What was her name again?" Bucky asked trying to remember.

"Dolores. You called her Dot" Steve said, "Ellie called her something else though"

Bucky laughed, "I should have known back then she had feelings for me. She was always so jealous. She's gotta be a hundred years old right now"

Steve clamped his hand on Bucky's shoulder, "So are we, pal"

"Hey mind yourself, pal" Bucky said dragging out the L, "I'm only 99 years old by years"

Steve shook his head as he put on his helmet and they walked to the entrance.

"He can't have been here more than a few hours." Steve told him.

"Long enough to wake them up" Bucky told him.

Steve led them into the bunker and they found an elevator and traveled down. Steve nodded to Bucky and opened up the door. Bucky with the machine gun up and Steve walked down the corridor, keeping close to the wall. They headed up some stairs and spun around at the sound of a loud thud.

"You ready?" Steve asked.

"Yeah" Bucky said standing behind him.

The doors parted and Steve stared surprised as Tony walked through and he retracted his helmet.

"You seem a little defensive" Tony stated.

Bucky kept his gun trained on Tony as Steve walked over to Tony with his shield raised.

"It's been a long day" Steve told him.

Tony looked over to Bucky, "At ease, Soldier. I'm not currently after you"

"Then why are you here?" Steve asked.

"Could be your story's not so crazy. Maybe. Ross has no idea I'm here. I'd like to keep it that way. Otherwise, I gotta arrest myself" Tony told him.

"Well, that sounds like a lot of paperwork" Steve told him as he lowered his shield, "It's good to see you, Tony"

"You too, Cap" Tony said as he looked at Bucky, "Hey, Manchurian Candidate, you're killing me. There's a truce here. You can drop…"

Steve motioned for Bucky to lower his weapon and he did.

Tony leading the way, they walked along a corridor. Tony, using the technology in his suit, was searching for heat signatures.

"I got heat signatures" Tony told them as they rounded the corner.

Bucky came in front of Steve protecting him.

"How many?" Steve asked.

"Uh, one" Tony told them as they entered a large chamber and the lights came on.

In a hazy, yellow mist, capsules appear in the light, each one containing a soldier.

Steve looked around confused as they were still in their capsules.

A speaker came on over their heads, "If it's any comfort, they died in their sleep"

Bucky walked up next to one of the male super soldiers to see he was shot in the head.

"Did you really think I wanted more of you?" Zemo asked over the speaker.

Bucky started to get uneasy, "What the hell?"

"I'm grateful to them, though. They brought you here" Zemo said

In the center of the room, a light came on in a window and Zemo was sitting inside. Steve hurled his shield at the window and it flew back.

"Please, Captain. The Soviets built this chamber to withstand the launch blast of UR-100 rockets" Zemo told him.

"I'm betting I could beat that" Tony told him.

"Oh, I'm sure you could, Mr. Stark. Given time. But then you'd never know why you came" Zemo taunted.

"You killed innocent people in Vienna just to bring us here?" Steve asked walking up to the window.

"I thought about nothing else for over a year. I studied you. I followed you. But now that you're standing here, I just realized… there's a bit of green in the blue of your eyes. How nice to find a flaw" Zemo said.

"You're Sokovian. Is that what this is about?" Steve asked.

"Sokovia was a failed state long before you blew it to hell. No. I'm here because I made a promise"

Steve studied Zemo through the window, "You lost someone?"

He clicked his tongue, "I lost everyone. And so will you"

He did something behind the window and a monitor to Steve's right displayed, _'_ _December 16, 1991'_

"An empire toppled by its enemies can rise again. But one which crumples from within? That's dead… forever." Zemo told him.

Steve looked back at the monitor to see old footage of a secluded road.

Tony walked over and looked at it, "I know that road. What is this?"

The video played and Steve suddenly understood what the video is of and watched Tony with unease, when he recognized Howard in the video.

"Sergeant Barnes?" Howard asked just before the Winter Soldier kills him with his fist.

The camera zoomed in on Maria's death as he gripped her throat, strangling her, and then shoots out the camera.

Steve watched Tony, then Tony lunged towards Bucky, who has tears in his eyes, and Steve stopped him, "Tony. Tony"

Tony looked at Steve, "Did you know?"

"I didn't know it was him" Steve told him.

"Don't bullshit me, Rogers! Did you know?" Tony asked.

"Yes" Steve resolved.

Tony pushed Steve away, stepping back. He reengaged his helmet and punched Steve to the floor and deflected gunfire from Bucky.

Tony continued to battle against the two of them while Steve tries to distract Tony so that Bucky could escape while trying to convince Tony that Hydra had control of Bucky's mind.

They ended up at the bottom of the bunker. Steve falling and rolling towards the snow and Tony looking down at him. Bucky fell a few levels up and stared down at them.

"This isn't gonna change what happened" Steve said as he got up.

"I don't care. He killed my mom" Tony told him as they traded punches and Iron Man ended up pinning Steve down.

Bucky picked up Steve's shield and leapt down to help.

As the two super soldiers' fist fought with Iron Man, the shield changed hands between them until Tony managed to zap Steve who was thrown back into the wall.

Bucky screamed and he and Iron Man fought until Bucky is able to force him against the wall then gripped the glowing core of his suit with his left hand attempting to pull it out.

A blast of energy knocked Bucky down, his metal arm completely blown away. Bucky looked at his missing metal arm in disbelief then Tony zapped him again, his body flying through the air.

Steve rushed him with his shield up and Iron Man fired right at it. Steve and Iron Man continue to fight until Tony grabbed Steve's shield.

"Let's kick his ass" Tony told his AI.

He threw the shield to the side then zapped Steve backwards. Steve flew head over heels then rose up breathing heavily as he knelt in front of Bucky, "He's my friend"

"So was I" Tony said as he punched Steve then threw him backwards, "Stay down. Final warning"

Steve struggled to his feet and raised his fists, "I can do this all day"

Iron Man raised his palm to fire and Bucky grabbed his leg. Tony spun around, kicking Bucky in the face.

Steve grabbed the Iron Man suit and lifted him over his head, then threw him down to the ground. He punched him then bashed his mask off with his shield before finally striking the suit's arc reactor, disabling it.

Steve gasped for breath holding onto his shield then sat back on the ground. Standing up, he pulled his shield out of the suit then stepped away from Tony. He walked over to Bucky, grasping his right arm and pulled up him to his feet, supporting him with his arm around Steve's neck.

"That shield doesn't belong to you" Tony yelled as Steve turned his back to him, "You don't deserve it. My father made that shield!"

Steve stopped then dropped the shield and walked away, still supporting Bucky.

Bucky sucked in air, clearly in pain as they made it outside.

"Captain"

Steve turned them around defensively as he saw the Black Panther, "T'Challa?"

"Do not worry, Captain. Zemo will not be going anywhere" T'Challa told him as he pointed back to his own airplane type vehicle, "Sergeant Barnes… I wanted to apologize to you for all that has happened. I believed you to be responsible for my father's murder, but now I know his death was the result of Zemo's machinations"

Steve supported Bucky as he sagged against him.

"It was you and Captain America who led me to uncover this truth and for that I wanted to offer you my assistance. The mental programming that you were forced to endure, transforming you into a Hydra assassin… I may know someone in Wakanda who can assist in purging your mind of it" T'Challa explained.

"I… I don't know what to say. Thank you" Bucky said weakly.

"But first, I must deliver Zemo to receive the world's justice for his crimes against the United Nations" T'Challa told them.

"Understood your highness" Steve told him, "Bucky and I have a few last loose ends to tie up ourselves"

"Make it to these coordinates and I will be able to help him" T'Challa said handing him a paper.

"Thank you" Steve told him as he led Bucky back to the Quinjet.

He laid Bucky down on one of the bucket seats, "You okay Buck?"

"I've been better… not ready to join El yet though" Bucky groaned, "God this hurts... I didn't realize they connected it to my nerves"

"Do we trust him?" Steve asked about the Black Panther.

"What else do we have to lose?" Bucky asked him.

* * *

 ***~*~* June 19, 2016- Middle of the Atlantic Ocean*~*~***

Steve hit some switches as they got closer to their coordinates.

"Steve"

Steve glanced back at Bucky, who had just woken up, "Hey… you are awake"

Bucky pushed himself up and walked to the front, sitting in the copilot seat, "Steve for everything that's happened because of me… what I've done… I just wanted to say-"

"Save it Buck" Steve said as he keyed something into the computer and the RAFT prison appeared beneath them and he put the Quinjet in hover mode, "I've told you time and again…I'm with you till the end of the line. Now I've got to save some friends who've done the same for me. Stay here and watch the Quinjet. I have the Stealth mode on but when I come back up top with everyone, can you land it?"

"I can do it" Bucky told him.

Steve hit a button in the back of the Quinjet, "Great"

"Steve… wait where is your… you idiot! You jumped without a parachute!" Bucky yelled as Steve jumped out into the water below, "You punk… you… my god" Bucky said as he watched him surface then swim towards the prison, "Ellie would kill you for that!"

After Bucky landed the Quinjet safely on the roof of the Raft and they loaded everyone up, Steve took the controls. It was a quick flight to Clint's house as he landed in the grassy field.

Clint stood up, "This has been fun but believe me when I say that I am officially retired now"

Steve stood up, "Understood Clint. Go back home and take care of that brood of yours"

Clint shook his hand, "You've got to enjoy the time you've got with the ones you love while you have it"

Steve looked at Scott Lang, "That goes for you to Mr. Lang. Thank you again for your help"

"Thank you Mr. Captain… Mr. America sir… I am glad that I could have been some help… for you" Scott stumbled over his words.

"Come on Giant Man… come meet my family and we will get you home" Clint said leading him off the Quinjet.

Sam looked at Steve, "I think I'll get off here as well… tie up some loose ends before I'm needed"

"Stay safe. I'll be in touch" Steve told him with a hug.

Sam climbed off following Clint and Scott.

Steve looked at Wanda, "Wanda do you have anywhere particular you'd like us to drop you off?"

"I just need to meet up with an old friend. Drop me off near your house in New York. I will communicate the message to them so they know where I am" Wanda told him.

"Do you want to stay there for awhile? You are free to" Steve told her.

"Sounds good. Good place to lie low" Wanda said.

"Let's go then"

* * *

 ***~*~* June 20, 2016- Tupper Lake, NY*~*~***

As the new day's sun broke over the horizon, Steve landed the Quinjet on the property in New York.

"It's right through that tree line. I cleared this area in the trees for this reason" Steve told Wanda as he glanced back at Bucky who had passed out, "I need to get him to Wakanda as fast as I can. I am going to take you into the house and grab a shower and clean clothes then head there"

Steve stood up and walked over to Bucky, "Buck, you stay here I'm going to go take Wanda to the house and grab some clothes"

Bucky's eyes struggled to focus then he sighed pushing himself up, "I want to see my house"

"Are you sure?" Steve asked.

"Yes, she bought it for us… she might not have known I was around but it was ours. I know it" Bucky said as he stood up swaying a bit and Steve supported him.

It was a short five minute walk from the Quinjet to the house and Bucky smiled when he saw it, "it's perfect"

"Come on" Steve said as he led them up to the house and found the hidden key.

"You and keys under bricks, punk… everyone does that" Bucky told him as Steve unlocked the door.

They walked in and Bucky looked around and closed his eyes imagining Ellie running down the steps yelling 'Honey you're home!'

"I have done some stuff to it but not much" Steve told him, "The rest I guess was what Ellie did when she bought it"

Bucky slowly walked over to the large picture on the wall, "Our wedding picture"

"Not that you aren't already but you were very handsome. Your sister is more beautiful than she was in your memory" Wanda said.

"She was beautiful" Bucky said smiling at the picture as he turned around.

"Do you think you can make it upstairs?" Steve asked.

Bucky glanced up the stairs, "No railing and the wall is on the left side… I can try"

With Steve's assistance and a little help from Wanda's powers when he started to sway, Bucky made it to the top of the stairs.

"Now I have done a few changes but I've changed the least in here. This room was all Ellie" Steve told him as he opened the bedroom door.

Bucky noticed the antler chandelier first when walking into the room.

"Are those antlers?" Wanda asked.

"From a Buck" Bucky said with a smile as he saw the picture of a large Buck deer standing against a sunset behind the bed.

"How about we try to get you into some other clothes. Wanda… there isn't much as far as women's clothes here. I think there are some old outfits in the closet, but go take a shower. We will lay low tonight here" Steve told her.

Wanda walked over to the closet, "Look at these leopard print pants…and this jean jacket… so vintage 80s, wait here is some 70s bell bottoms! I hope these fit me!"

Steve shook his head as she basically skipped out of the room to the bathroom next door. He looked at Bucky who was staring at the picture in front of him, "Look around you Buck… she loved you so much"

Bucky sighed, "She'd be so ashamed"

"No she wouldn't be. It's obvious that even though to her, you were gone. She wanted to include you in this house. She wanted this to be your home… and it will be your home again someday" Steve told him getting into the closet.

"Oh god"

Steve turned around with a track outfit of his in his hand from the closet to see Bucky with the bottle of Chantilly.

"It smells just like her" Bucky said dejectedly as he sniffed the bottle.

"I wish she was back too" Steve said, "But… we are going to get you some help… that way you can remember her… the good and the bad"

"I already feel like she is here with me all the time. Now that I remember her voice… she is in my head all the time. She is always with me" Bucky told him sadly.

"Here, change into this and get some sleep… you need it" Steve told him handing him some clothes, "Do you need help?"

"I've got it Steve… thank you though" Bucky told him sitting on the bed.

Steve shut the door behind him.

Bucky looking at the bottle in his hand, Bucky sprayed a slight mist on the pillow that would be hers then set the bottle on the table next to the bed. He laid back on the bed and sighed closing his eyes. Letting himself imagine that she was right here on the bed next to him.

" _This was going to be our place Buck. Our bedroom together and our babies in the room next door"_

Bucky smiled and quickly drifted off to sleep still in the outfit Clint had brought him.

* * *

 ***~*~* June 20, 2016- Wakanda*~*~***

Bucky winced as he pushed himself up, "Are you sure those are the coordinates?"

"That's what he gave me with the explicit directions of 'Don't worry you won't crash' written below" Steve said as they hovered above the trees.

"Maybe it's hidden?" Bucky asked swaying.

Steve took a breath as he glanced at a fading Bucky, after he had recently fell into the wall of the Quinjet and the pain nearly had incapacitated him, and piloted them straight into the trees.

"Holy…" Bucky said as a city suddenly appeared to them.

Suddenly a plane flew beside them.

Over the comm. system a voice suddenly said, "Captain Rogers follow me"

Steve followed the plane through the city, to the taller of two towers.

"Captain Rogers, land in the helipad area and I will meet you there" A woman's voice said.

Steve put the landing gear out and landed on the helipad area. He turned everything off then glanced back at Bucky, who was bordering on the edge of being unconscious, "Ready Buck?"

Bucky nodded as Steve helped him up.

Steve opened the ramp and they walked down, to be greeted by a young woman.

"Hello Captain Rogers, Sergeant Barnes. I am Shuri. My brother called ahead to notify that you were arriving"

"Your brother? You are the Princess?" Steve asked.

"If you think of it that way" She said with a grin, "Follow me"

Steve followed her, supporting Bucky as she led them to a lab.

"Sergeant Barnes have a seat right here" Shuri told him.

Steve helped him to the table and he sat down.

"This is Dr. Ksie" Shuri told them.

"Hello Sergeant Barnes, let's take a look" Dr. Ksie said, "Lay back"

Steve helped him lay back and the doctor held his hand out over Bucky's head and suddenly it is as if the bracelet he was wearing was scanning Bucky's body onto the screen behind him.

Steve looked at the screen amazed and Shuri smiled, "Welcome to Wakanda"

Shuri looked at Bucky, "Sergeant Barnes has passed out"

"No surprise, the pain he must be experiencing. They crudely wired the wires right into all his nerves" Dr. Ksie told her, "I can fix this"

Steve sighed in relief as the doctor went and opened a cabinet then pulled out an IV bag.

"Just an anesthetic while I remove the ruined arm" Dr. Ksie told Steve.

"You are doing it now?" Steve asked shocked.

"Sooner it is removed. The sooner we can work on repairing him" Dr. Ksie told Steve.

"Captain Rogers"

Steve looked up to see an older woman.

"I am Ramonda" She introduced.

"Ma'am" Steve said nodding to her.

"Follow me. I expect you are hungry" She told him as she saw him glance at Bucky, "He will be fine. They can contact us if anything happens"

Steve nodded as he followed her.

"When my son left… with his heavy heart I was worried he would act… brashly" She told him.

"Your son... I apologize ma'am... your highness… I did not realize I was speaking with the Queen" Steve said.

"Not any longer, I will be the Queen Mother now" She said sadly, "I am glad that my son saw the light. Your friend is meant for great things. He has suffered greatly from what my son has told us"

Steve nodded.

"All we can do is our best to help him now" She said as she led him into a kitchen area, "Shruv… could you please make Captain Rogers a meal?"

"No need to go out of your way" Steve told her.

"When was the last time you ate Captain?" Ramonda asked.

"I… I honestly do not remember ma'am" Steve told her.

"Sit… eat" She told him as she sat down herself, "I have not eaten yet as well so I will join you. Tell me, tell me your story. From what I understand, it started back in the early 1900s?"

Steve sat down next to her, "Buck was born in 1917 and I was born in 1918 ma'am. Sometimes it feels like another life"

* * *

 ***~*~* June 23, 2016- Wakanda*~*~***

A few days after they had arrived, Shuri and her staff had the pod ready as per Bucky's request. Bucky and Steve stood in T'Challa's office as Steve expressed his concerns.

"Captain, I assure you this is the only way, in order for Sergeant Barnes to be cleansed of his programming. He will have to return to cryo-sleep stasis so the Wakanda design group can do its work" T'Challa told him.

Steve sighed as he glanced over at Bucky, "I still don't know about all this. It's up to Bucky"

Bucky looked at him sadly, "I've got to give it a shot. If you think there's a change you can make it work?"

T'Challa nodded, "The scientist leading this initiative is the most gifted in Wakanda… I'd trust Shuri with my life. Whenever you are ready Sergeant Barnes, we will head down"

"It's now or never" Bucky told him.

Steve walked over to Bucky, who sat on the table as the doctor prepared his body for cryo, "You sure about this?"

"I can't trust my own mind" Bucky said with a sad smile, "So, until they figure out how to get this stuff out of my head I think going back under is the best thing, …for everybody" Bucky told him, "Memories that couldn't have happened are surfacing and… I think Hydra did more than remove my memories and implant code words Steve"

Steve pulled him into a hug and Bucky patted his back, "Don't do anything stupid until I get back"

Steve laughed, "You are taking the stupid with you"

Bucky's eyes started getting heavy.

"It's time. The solution is starting to work. Your body is ready Sergeant Barnes" Shuri told him.

Bucky walked over to the cryo pod and laid back.

"Shuri, please explain the safeguards you are taking to ease some of Captain Rogers concerns" T'Challa told her.

"Of course brother, we are using our most sophisticated bio-scanners to create a one-to-one digital representation of Sergeant Barnes' brain" Shuri explained, "All the progress we make will be tested and retested again in the digital construct… so there will be no damage in any way to the actual physical tissue. Trust me… I'm your best bet on this"

"I'll be alright Steve… maybe I'll be able to dream of Ellie this time. Quit your worrying" Bucky told him, "I'm ready"

Steve stood and watched as the pod closed then iced over.

Steve walked over to the window and looked out it. He heard footsteps coming up next to him and glanced at T'Challa out of the corner of his eye, "Thank you for this"

"Your friend and my father, they were both victims. If I can help one of them find peace…" T'Challa told him.

"You know, if they find out he's here… they'll come for him" Steve told him.

"Let them try" T'Challa told Steve.

Steve looked over at T'Challa, "This place is just amazing"

"It is all thanks to the Vibranium… have you ever went down to the lower labs to see the true form of the Vibranium?" T'Challa asked.

"No" Steve told him.

"Come with me" T'Challa told him.

Steve followed T'Challa to a wall and hit an invisible button. An elevator opened and they climbed inside. They rode multiple floors down until they got to the L1. The doors opened and T'Challa led him out of the elevator.

"Captain feel special because outside of a chosen few and the Vibranium miners, no one has been down to this level before" T'Challa told him, "This area is where the true Vibranium is mined and our special projects are stored here in the deep storage. Some of our earliest advancements are locked away in this area. Have you seen Back to the Future yet?"

"Yes, don't tell me you have created flying cars" Steve said.

"Oh yes we have. They just don't react as well as our flyers. Say a work in progress for us" T'Challa said as he opened the door to an area, "We have hover bikes as well, similar to the technology in Back to the Future"

Steve looked around as T'Challa pulled the hover bike off the shelf, "Wow that back there looks a lot like the machine that made me into Captain America"

"It's one of my father's projects that I hope to finish one day" T'Challa told him shaking his head, "He never got to it after the beginning processes. I have so much to learn"

"I am sorry for what happened" Steve told him.

"He is with our ancestors now. He is in a better place" T'Challa told him as he turned the hover bike on and it hovered over the ground.

* * *

A/n3: Civil War comes to an end. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm going to include a sneak peek of next week's chapter. Trying something new, tell me if you guys would like that!

SNEAK PEEK!

 _ **Bucky stood up and leaned against the railing in front of them, "Then how did I see her 12 years later than that in 1975, looking barely a day older than I had last seen her in 1945? She was what… 68 years old and looked 30. She said that she did a project with Howard and was quote 'Stupid and reckless' and it made her unstable. Hell Steve, she held a freaking fireball in her hand in front of me, taking the light out of the lamp post outside and moving it to the lamp in the house we ducked into"**_

" _ **She had powers?" Steve asked sitting up straight.**_

* * *

Now for the reviews! Thank you to all that reviewed!

 **Sabrina Barnes: Thanks for reading! New chapters are posted every Saturday, occasionally on Friday nights!**

 **Guest: Ellie is coming, I promise!**

 **X3sunnydaay: Ellie will be back soon!**

 **Tori: I am glad that I was able to convey their loss. I felt it was essential to their characters. Thanks for reading!**

 **PistolHattersButtercup: Thanks for reading and reviewing as always!**


	30. Chapter 30- From Where You Are

A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.

A/n2: Welcome to Wakanda! So decided to post tonight instead of tomorrow. Here in Ohio we are going to get a major snowstorm supposedly and of course I have tickets to see Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. Figures I usually stay close to home. So enjoy the new chapter less than 100 days until End Game! Thank you to all the new followers. All 13 of you!: Katherinep97, LadyPorterfield, PixieRosedust, StormyCloudss, MommaWolf18, Calliope's Scribe, , TimelessWonders, hannemonsen, DianaBlack27, Heartless-Princess33, barnhaan and stephaniejeanlovestoread!

* * *

 **I miss the years that were erased**  
 **I miss the way the sunshine would light up your face**  
 **I miss all the little things I never thought that they'd mean everything to me**  
 **Yeah, I miss you**  
 **And I wish you were here**

 _ **~ From Where you are by Lifehouse**_

* * *

 ***~*~* December 22, 2016- Wakanda *~*~***

Shuri was working with her team when she tried something in the digital construct of Bucky's brain and instead of the panel being orange as it had been the last five months, it turned green. Pausing, she called over one of the other scientists and explained her process, then had him attempt it. It had the same success. They called a third scientist over to try it as well with the same success.

"Finally" Shuri said with a smile, "I was afraid with the rebuilding of the lab, we would never find this and we have"

"Should we try it now?"

Shuri shook her head, "I need to notify T'Challa… to see if we should bring Captain Rogers in. I believe he would want to be here for this"

Touching the kimoyo bead on her wrist, she held her hand out, "T'Challa… I need an audience with you at your earliest convenience. I need you to come and see what I am doing so that I can impress you with my genius"

T'Challa appeared within her hand, "I will be there shortly sister"

Shuri closed the communication then looked back at Bucky within his pod, "I hope we can give Captain Rogers a proper Christmas present… a Christmas with his family"

"You say you made a breakthrough" T'Challa said as he walked over to her.

"I said you needed to come and see what I've been doing so I can impress you with my genius, there is a difference" Shuri told him.

T'Challa shook his head, "You tell me what it is you've done and I'll decide whether or not to clap for you"

"Fine, but for you to appreciate, you should understand how hard it is to do what you asked of me" Shuri told him walking over to the digital construct, "It's not as simple as erasing mental programming outright. There is no delete button here and a majority of his programming is linked to trigger words. The last thing we want to do is remove all of who Sergeant Barnes is… his loves, his hates, his quirks, his whole personality… when trying to destroy what Hydra made him to be"

T'Challa looked back at the sleeping Bucky.

"The hardest part is rooting out the extent of his memories that have the greatest amount of control over his physical reactions… the ones that have been manipulated due to their deep emotional trauma… of which there are very, very many. Most linked to Captain Rogers. With the construct, I can see the memories… 90% of the memories are linked to Captain Rogers. There is also a block on some of his memories. As if he walled up his memories to protect them and shielded them. I looked it up, there are people who can shield themselves. But he isn't using that shield to protect his whole body, but only those specific set of memories" Shuri told T'Challa.

"I'm waiting for the part where you tell me the good news" T'Challa told her.

"I've been running an algorithm that will be able to flush the influence of the trigger words out while retaining the core context of those original memories. Essentially I should be able to reboot him" Shuri told him, "But more exciting is that the algorithm should provide even greater advancements in Wakanda's own artificial intelligence applications in the near future"

"It sounds like you've out a lot of thought into telling me how smart you are, but I believe you are right" T'Challa told her.

"It's so much simpler than the silly shortcut Tony Stark took in creating Ultron. Of course, that's because I'm smarter than him" Shuri said with a smile, "At least for now, Sergeant Barnes can dream in peace"

"And I'm sure that would make Steve Rogers happy enough to hear… wherever he is now" T'Challa told her, "I will contact him at once"

* * *

 ***~*~* December 24, 2016- Syria *~*~***

Steve was standing with a group of militants, his face covered and a scarf around his neck as he heard in his ear, "Okay boys, our friendly terrorist shipment is headed your way"

"Copy that Natasha" He whispered as the convoy came down the road.

The terrorist group parked their convoy and pulled a box out of the back of one of the trucks marked with the radioactive symbol.

The leader greeted the leader of the group Steve had been covertly operating within then told him in Arabic, "Finally these Chitaruri fueled weapons will provide us the firepower we need to lay waste to the regime. What further proof do you need that the U.S. is on our side?"

Steve stepped forward, "That's about as much as I needed to hear" He said as he punched the leader.

Another man covered as much as Steve with a red scarf came forward and together they knocked out the entire convoy.

The door opened and they looked over defensively.

"Huh, I guess my old KGB contacts can still pull through in a pinch" Natasha's voice said as they all pulled off their head coverings to reveal Sam and her faces.

"We should move fast. Won't take long for them to point to us as the turncoats" Steve told her as the knelt next to the Chitaruri device, "Just need to make sure we get these Chitauri components stripped and unstable before another splinter cell tries to take a crack at modifying them"

"Sure, you don't want to call Tony in on this Steve?" Natasha asked.

Steve stood up crossing his arms over his chest, "I'm sure he'd got enough on his plate. Where's the chatter take us next Sam?"

"Lebanon" Sam told him.

"All right, let's keep at it… after all…. Every little bit helps" Steve told him, "Let's get this loaded up in the truck so we can get it sent off to Fury"

After getting the device in the truck and taking off, they made it back to the Quinjet and had just loaded up the Quinjet when Steve saw the bead that T'Challa had given to him blinking.

Steve turned to Natasha, "Natasha, can you contact Fury and organize a pickup. I need to do something"

"Sure" She said concerned, "Everything okay?"

Steve held up the blinking bead and she nodded, "Got it. Go"

Walking out the back of the Quinjet, he placed the bead behind his ear and tapped it.

"Captain Rogers, I request your presence in Wakanda at your earliest convenience. We have had a breakthrough" T'Challa's voice said in his head.

Steve held it down, "T'Challa I just received your message. I need transport. I am in Syria"

Instead of T'Challa's voice, Shuri's voice echoed through his head, "Perfect Captain Rogers. Give me your coordinates and I will have a flyer there for you in less than two hours"

He walked into the Quinjet and read off his coordinates to her.

Natasha was leaning against the back of the pilot's seat, "They think they figured it out?"

"They said they have a breakthrough. Can you go off to Lebanon on your own?" Steve asked.

Natasha nodded, "We can play a married couple and get intel on the area. Steve, you deserve this… its Christmas time"

Steve frowned, "is it?"

"Go be with Bucky" Natasha told him, "I'll explain it to Sam, he went to go shower"

Steve nodded as he hugged her, "Thank you Natasha"

"Merry Christmas Steve" Natasha told him.

"Merry Christmas Nat" Steve said as he grabbed his go bag and stepped off the Quinjet.

Natasha fired it up and took off.

* * *

 ***~*~* December 24, 2016- Wakanda *~*~***

Steve landed the small plane that T'Challa had sent for him in Wakanda and opened the hatch. As he walked down the ramp, Shuri met him at the base.

"Hello Shuri" Steve said as he bowed to her.

"Captain… quit with the formalities, Steve. Merry Christmas" She said as she led him towards the lab.

"You said there were developments?" Steve asked.

"We think that we found the key to removing the words, without removing his memories. At worst, it will remove some of his Winter Soldier memories" Shuri told him as one of the members of her team called for her.

"Go ahead" Steve told her, "You know where to find me"

She nodded as she followed one of the scientists.

Steve followed the now familiar path to through the lab to the place where Bucky was. Sitting down beneath his cryo chamber, he leaned back against it, "Merry Christmas Buck. It is selfish of me to wish for them to figure it out so that you could be awake for Christmas. I just…I miss old times. I miss you… and Ellie. Ma… nothing is the same"

Steve sighed as he looked back at the frozen and non-responsive Bucky, "Remember Christmas in England? You and Ellie, me and Peggy… man I should have known she actually liked me for me just from Christmas. Me and Sharon didn't work out… it was too weird in the end"

"Captain Rogers?"

Steve stood up from his spot and looked at the specialist, Dr. Ramsey, "Doctor"

"We think that we have figured it out. We have to defrost him first though, then when his heart restarts we will put him in a medicated coma before we attempt the procedure" Dr. Ramsey told him.

"What do you think the success rate will be?" Steve asked.

Dr. Ramsey smiled, "Well we can never be 100% but I have very high hopes. It is our best chance. We mapped his brain and his brains interface prior to putting him under. We believe this is our best chance"

"Will you be doing it next week?" Steve asked.

Dr. Ramsey shook his head, "We are doing it today. We hope to have him awake for Christmas"

"Today? Wow… that is faster than I thought it would be" Steve told him.

"Thanks to our technology we have better resources" Dr. Ramsey told him as Shuri returned with Dr. Ksie, "Whenever you are ready we can proceed"

"How long do you think it will take?" Steve asked.

"My mother is waiting in the living area for you. It will be a couple hours at best, I will get you when the procedure is finished" Shuri reassured him.

Steve nodded as he left the lab and walked to the royal quarters. The guards nodded at him then gained his admittance.

Ramonda looked up from her book as she sat on the couch, "Captain Rogers"

"Ma'am, please do not get up on my account. Thank you for the invite while I wait" Steve said.

"I just pray that the results go in his favor. Especially with tomorrow being such a sacred day" Ramonda said as she looked at him, "What were your Christmases like growing up?"

Steve sighed, "My father died when I was only… five, so it was just myself, my mother and my sister"

Ramonda looked at him, "You had a sister?"

Steve nodded, "She is… was actually Bucky's wife. We tried to protect her so we kept her as secret as we could. Mom would always make us sweaters and gloves, an outfit too if she could afford it or had the time to make it. We always had one store bought gift. When Bucky became my friend, my mom was just ecstatic that I had a friend so he automatically became part of the family. Sometimes I thought she liked him more than me. Bucky's mom Winnie… she was amazing. Mom was never a great cook and we could never afford that big Christmas dinner. Bucky's family was more well off, so they always hosted us for Christmas dinner. Bucky's mom made the best cherry pie; it was only for Christmas though. Cherries were a rarity back then… anything fresh was. It was canned or we had to boil it"

"What was your sister like?" Ramonda asked.

"Amazing. She was really quiet when we were little but… Buck brought her out of her shell before they ever were romantic at all. She was so strong and he influenced her so much. She went to college back when women really didn't go. Became a spy right under our noses" Steve told her.

"She was a spy?" Ramonda asked.

Steve nodded, "She was one of the agents for the SSR before it was SHIELD then she worked for SHIELD… I guess until she died"

"When did she pass?" Ramonda asked.

"1975… no records of how or why" Steve told her sadly, "It happened on New Years. Everything points to an accident. Natasha found out information about her when she worked with MI5 in England. She actually saved the Queen of England's life… so they made her a dame. I thought that was pretty cool. After 1950, she was a ghost though"

"Well… we think of Bucky as family here now, now you are part of our extended family so I hope you will join us for our Christmas dinner tomorrow" Ramonda told him.

"I'd be honored" Steve said with a smile.

Steve was standing staring out a window at the gorgeous scenery below as the door opened.

"Captain Rogers, Shuri and her team wish to see you in the lab" One of the assistants informed him.

"Thank you" Steve said.

Ramonda smiled at him and he followed the assistant.

As they reached the lab, Shuri looked up from Bucky, who was lying on a bed, "As far as we can tell, everything was a success"

"When will we know?" Steve asked.

"When he awakes. Which with his metabolism should not be long. I will be just over there" Shuri told him pointing to her desk.

Steve nodded as he pulled a stool over then looked down at Bucky, "Well Buck… looks like you will be awake for Christmas after all"

Steve started rambling about the missions he had been on lately and things he had heard about back home.

"Shut up" Bucky mumbled.

"Buck?" Steve asked.

Bucky groaned as he opened his eyes, "Steve?"

"Hey, do you remember where you are?" Steve asked.

Bucky looked around, "Wakanda…right?"

"Yeah. Shuri thinks she did it" Steve told him.

Bucky looked at Steve, he had a full beard, looked sad and dirty sporting a fading black eye, "What the hell Steve. Every time I go under, you go off and get depressed don't you? Who the hell are you fighting now?"

Steve laughed, "The Middle East"

"Oh because that is a winning battle" Bucky said with a sigh, "Read the words" Bucky said as he tried to push himself up.

"Take it easy" Steve said as Shuri walked back over.

"Hello Sergeant Barnes, how are you feeling?" Shuri asked.

"Impatient. Read the words Steve" Bucky told him, "We had Natasha tell you the pronunciations for a reason"

"You don't believe my work?" Shuri asked.

"Not that, I just want to be sure" Bucky told her.

Steve sighed as he read off each word one by one. Word by word, he glanced at Bucky, looking for a change. Instead of anger or mindlessness, a smile appeared then got bigger after each word.

After the final word was spoken, Steve looked at him, "Bucky?"

"Not ready to comply damnit" Bucky said with a smile.

Steve pulled him into a hug, "Just in time for Christmas"

"It's Christmas?" Bucky asked.

"Christmas Eve" Steve told him.

"Well Sarge, you are all fixed up. We didn't mess with your memories, so you will be able to remember everything but no one will be able to turn you into the Soviet killer assassin anymore" Shuri told him.

Bucky smiled and looked at Steve, "I can possibly be Bucky again"

"You can be whoever you want to be Buck" Steve told him as he put his hand on his shoulder.

Bucky stared at Steve, who looked like he was about to cry, "How did you ever become a Captain in the army? Crying at the drop of a hat"

"Shut it Jerk" Steve said grinning.

"You can't make me Punk" Bucky told him.

"If you two are done flirting" Shuri said shaking her head.

"Eww… no no no" Steve said shaking his head, "We aren't like that"

"Nah, he is just my annoying little brother" Bucky told her.

"Alright, all you have to do is say yes but we can make you a replacement arm using Vibranium that will just be like the Captain's shield" Shuri told him.

"Not right now" Bucky said shaking his head.

"If you change your mind, just let me know" Shuri told him.

Later that night after a light dinner, Steve and Bucky sat in Bucky quarters with the cushions on the floor.

"Just like old times" Bucky said as he laid on his cushions.

"We had to be much smaller for this to work the way it did back then" Steve told him.

"Don't forget, it was usually three of us" Bucky told him sadly.

Steve sighed, "I miss her"

Bucky nodded, "Now that I remember… every moment… I miss her. Do…"

"She'd be so proud of you Buck. So proud of all that you have overcome" Steve told him, "I am proud of you too man. I know you still have a ways to go but… we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. You've beat them. They can't control you anymore"

"So what have you been doing since I went under?" Bucky asked sitting up next to him.

"Doing covert missions with Nat and Sam, we were just in Syria then they just went to Lebanon" Steve said, "Just trying to help out against the wars in the Middle East. There has been a lot of… enhanced individuals and alien events. Some people had some of those technologies and they are not using them for the right reasons. We are just trying to prevent and worldwide disaster"

"So Captain America isn't good enough for you now? You have to be Captain Planet?" Bucky joked.

Steve shook his head, "I think there was a TV show about a Captain Planet before. I remember seeing something about that"

"How long will you be able to stay?" Bucky asked.

"I'll stay through tomorrow. I don't want you to be alone on Christmas" Steve told him.

Bucky put his arm over Steve's shoulder, "Thanks Punk… only thing that would make it better would be Ellie being here"

Steve smiled, "She is Buck. She will always be with us. I hear her in my head; she is always being that little angel on my shoulder"

"You hear her too?" Bucky asked.

"All the time. I used to hear you too" Steve told him.

"We sound a little insane… hearing voices in our heads… probably shouldn't tell others about that" Bucky said.

Steve laughed, "When have we ever been sane?"

"Did I at least tell you that you were a little shit? Wait big shit?" Bucky asked.

Steve pushed him over causing him to fall flat on his face.

"Asshole I don't have an arm there anymore!" Bucky said.

"Shit, sorry!"

* * *

 ***~*~* March 9, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Bucky woke up in his hut in Wakanda to the feeling that someone was staring at him. He turned over, and three little boys went running. He smiled as they all giggled as they ran off.

"Are you playing around with that man again?" Shuri asked outside.

"No" A little voice said.

"You're teasing him again. Don't wake him. He must rest" Shuri said as Bucky got up and walked out of his hut.

The kids talked excitedly and Shuri told them, "He's resting. Go, go!"

The kids yelled in their native tongue then ran off as Bucky walked up beside Shuri.

"Good morning, Sergeant Barnes" She said.

"Bucky" He corrected.

"How are you feeling?" Shuri asked.

"Good" Bucky told her his hair flying loose around his face as it now hit his shoulders, "Thank you"

She smiled, "Come. Much more for you to learn"

Bucky smiled and looked out over the beautiful terrain in front of him, "Ellie you'd love this" He whispered as he turned to follow Shuri.

Bucky followed Shuri down the path.

"I have some technology to share with you" Shuri told him as they walked back into the center of the city.

"It is just amazing how you have kept this city secret for so long" Bucky told her, "After the UN… I am surprised no one has came to visit"

"Well… you are safe now… my son" Ramonda said as she walked up beside them.

Bucky smiled as she took his arm, "I still can't believe all that you have done for me. You have cleared my brain of the trigger words. No one can release the Winter Soldier again. You have adopted me, giving me immunity so I am safe"

"You are an innocent victim Bucky. I just wish the people outside of this country would see the amazing man that you are" Ramonda told him as they walk into the lab.

"So what do you have to show me?" Bucky asked.

"Right this way" Shuri said as she led him to a large monitor.

She clicked on a program and told him to sit down in front of the monitor. She then clicked on the letters SR. Ringing was heard then he heard fumbling as the picture moved around.

"I got this Natasha! I'm not completely clueless. Hello" Steve's voice said as the picture was of the floor of what appears to be the Quinjet.

"Obviously you are Steve because I'm staring at the floor of the Quinjet, not you" Bucky said with a laugh.

Steve groaned, "Son of a bitch" Suddenly the picture is of Steve's face. Steve's face with a beard and the longest hair that Bucky had seen him have.

"Man Steve, you've let yourself go" Bucky teased, "Love the hair"

"Shut up. At least it isn't as long as yours" Steve told him, "Hey Buck! I didn't even know this existed until Shuri told me about it"

"It's good to see your face Steve" Bucky told him.

"So what have you been up to?" Steve asked.

"Actually I have started raising goats" Bucky told Steve and Steve laughed.

"Goats?" Steve asked.

"It's actually relaxing. The kids in the village love them and it's nice to have some company" Bucky told him, "So where are you?"

"We just left Libya. They were targeting innocent lives running the oil ports" Steve told him, "Middle East is definitely different that Nazi Germany"

"That should be obvious Steve" Bucky told him.

"So tomorrow is something big" Steve told him.

"What's tomorrow?" Bucky asked not knowing what day it is.

"March 10th" Steve told him, "Someone is going to be officially old"

Bucky groaned, "Seriously?"

"Come on, it will be your 100th birthday. Want me to come visit?" Steve asked, "I can ask T'Challa to send me a plane and I'll come see you"

Bucky smiled, "Actually… I'd love that"

Shuri was near Bucky and heard the conversation, "Brother… send a jet to Captain Rogers location. Tomorrow is Sergeant Barnes 100th birthday and he wishes to be here for it" Shuri said into her bracelet.

* * *

 ***~*~* March 10, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Bucky woke up the morning of his 100th birthday and stared at the ceiling. His head felt foggy and he knew that he had just had an intense dream about something but could not remember what the dream was about.

Closing his eyes, trying to see if the remnants would return, he smiled as he felt as if Ellie's presence was with him. He drifted back to sleep and felt Ellie pull him in.

" _Well happy birthday Buck" Ellie whispered into his ear as she straddled his hips._

 _Bucky grinned as he gripped her hips, "Well good morning, how does it feel to be married to an old man?"_

 _Ellie rolled her eyes, "Old man? Honey you are 28"_

 _Bucky put his arms under his head, "Sure feels like I am"_

 _Ellie leaned down and kissed his neck then down his chest._

 _Bucky sucked in air, "Angel, don't start something you can't finish"_

 _Ellie grinned, "Me finish? No honey, it's your birthday… you are the one finishing first"_

 _Bucky grinned as she kissed down his chest, "happy birthday to me!"_

Bucky woke up and groaned as he finally remembered his dream but his dream ended way too soon for his liking.

Sitting up, he ran his hand over his face and realized he was going to have to take a cold shower to start the day. After a quick shower to "cool down" the evidence of his dream, he opened up his closet. Thanks to Shuri, he had a wide variety of clothes. His favorites to wear had actually been the traditional Wakanda wear. With Steve coming, instead he grabbed a more modern normal outfit.

Walking out of his quarters, he walked down to the dining area and found Ramonda already at the table, reading a tablet as Shuri, sat next to her reading something on her phone. Ramonda looked up, "Good morning Bucky. Happy birthday"

"Thank you Ramonda" Bucky said as he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"I had the cook make your favorites" Ramonda told him as the kitchen door open, "Just in time"

Bucky sat next to her place at the head of the table, across from Shuri. He nudged Shuri under the table and she looked up from her phone, "Are you playing footsy with me?"

Bucky laughed as eggs, bacon and pancakes were set on the table, "No, just getting your attention. Morning"

Shuri looked at him, "You are in a good mood for an old man"

"Shuri!" Ramonda scolded.

Bucky just laughed, "I am turning 100, I might not look or feel it but I am old" He said taking a large serving of pancakes and bacon. Taking a bite of bacon, he held back a moan, "But if I had to live this long to have really good bacon again, I'm glad I did"

They ate in silence for a bit until Shuri looked up from her plate, and then touched the communication device behind her ear, "Send him to our quarters. Captain Rogers is here"

Bucky smiled as he wolfed down his remaining bacon.

"Slow down" Shuri told him with a laugh.

"No, Steve loves bacon. I don't want him to take mine" Bucky said as the doors opened and the guard announced Steve.

Steve walked in; wearing his suit but it was now not the bright red, white and blue appearance it once held. The star was tearing off and the color was weathered. It was also filthy.

"You are dirtier than my goats!" Bucky told him as he walked over and hugged him with his remaining arm.

"Hey Buck" Steve said hugging him tight.

"Hey Stevie… let me get a good look at you" Bucky said standing back, "Still a punk"

Steve laughed as he pulled him into headlock, "I'll show you a punk"

"You are lucky I don't have my arm. I'd beat your ass" Bucky said grabbing his arm and getting easily out of the hold, "Are you hungry?"

"Bucky, we can have more food sent to your quarters" Ramonda told him.

"I'd love that ma'am. Come on Steve" Bucky said as he led Steve out of the common area.

"I can't believe that the Queen of Wakanda has become like a mother to you" Steve told him.

Bucky smiled, "She is an amazing woman. No one can replace my ma but… she is doing it to keep me safe. After Killmonger and the CIA's Ross were here, she realized that to keep me protected they had to do something in case they did find me. This was her gesture. I didn't agree at first… I mean being adopted at 99 years old?" Bucky said as he put his hand on the door to his quarters and it opened.

Steve looked around as they entered Bucky's apartment, "Nice"

"Could you imagine back in our apartment, that we'd ever been close to anything like this in our lives?" Bucky asked him.

"Hell no" Steve said as followed Bucky into the bedroom then he looked over at the bed and threw himself on it.

"Get your dirty ass off my bed. I might not use it but I don't want your clothes on it" Bucky told him as he got into the closet and pulled out an outfit, "This should fit you"

"You don't use this?" Steve asked taking off his suit.

Bucky shook his head, "No, I have a hut down on the fields with the commoners. I… I just feel more comfortable there"

Steve pulled his shirt over his head as someone knocked on the door.

"Good, food" Bucky said as he opened it, "Thank you"

He took the tray from the man then turned to Steve, "Let's go eat out on the balcony"

Steve finished changing into the outfit then followed Bucky out onto the balcony, "This place is so beautiful"

"I love it here" Bucky told him as they sat down at the small patio set he had, "So how is everyone?"

"Natasha and Sam are doing a mission in England right now actually. Undercover as husband and wife" Steve told him.

Bucky laughed, "Yeah I can see that going well"

Steve shrugged, "Wanda has been sneaking off. I have a feeling to see Vision but I haven't guaranteed it. Clint and Scott are on house arrest. I haven't heard anything from anyone else. Not that I expected to hear from Tony but…"

Bucky shook his head, "I can't believe you ruined the Avengers for me"

Steve scoffed, "I didn't ruin the Avengers. The Accords did. Then Tony wouldn't listen to reason. Clint was basically in the same circumstances as you, just for a shorter time and we all forgave him. I think it was just because of Howard"

"No, it was his Mom. He could have cared less about Howard. Howard could be an ass; could you just imagine what he was like as a father?" Bucky asked.

"No… I never saw him as the fatherly type. Of course the only father figure I knew was your dad" Steve said.

Bucky sighed, "I wish they would have never given me that mission. He might still be alive"

"You had no control Bucky" Steve said as he put his hand on his shoulder.

"Ellie said she was unstable… the death squad was too. Maybe if I wouldn't have killed him, he would have figured out the instability and she wouldn't have died. I have a feeling I killed my own wife indirectly" Bucky told him sadly picking at lint on his pants.

Steve looked at him confused, "When did Ellie say she was unstable?"

Bucky sat back and sighed, "After the trigger words were removed, all my memories just about came back. At least what I can remember before, during and after the Winter Soldier. It's the whole reason I was living in Bucharest when you found me. I went there hoping to find her because it was the last place I saw her"

"When did you see her in Bucharest?" Steve asked confused.

"Um… the newspaper she showed me said 1987 so-"

"Impossible" Steve told him.

"Why? It's a pretty vivid memory" Bucky told him with a smile.

"Ellie died in 1975" Steve told him.

Bucky looked at him, "What?" Bucky asked confused.

"Your shield file, her tombstone both say that she died on New Year's Day in 1975" Steve told him.

Bucky stood up and leaned against the railing in front of them, "Then how did I see her 12 years later than that in 1987, looking barely a day older than I had last seen her in 1945? She was what… 68 years old and looked 30. She said that she did a project with Howard and was quote 'Stupid and reckless' and it made her unstable. Hell Steve, she held a freaking fireball in her hand in front of me, taking the light out of the lamp post outside and moving it to the lamp in the house we ducked into"

"She had powers?" Steve asked sitting up straight.

Bucky nodded as he closed his eyes trying to remember their conversation, "She had abilities. Light manipulation… enhanced vision… she said she could scream and it would shatter glass. What did she call herself… shit… all I remember is she said she was unstable because of what he did, that she actually blew up the New Years Ball in New York City at Time Square. She called herself the Phoenix"

"Do you have a computer?" Steve asked as he stood up.

"Um… yeah, Shuri put one in the room" Bucky said as Steve walked into the room and got onto it, "Yeah you are definitely better with technology than I am"

"I've been with Natasha for a year… I have picked up on a few things" Steve told him as he Googled whether the New Years Ball had ever exploded and clicked on the history of time Square's New Years Eve celebration, "Oh my god"

"What?" Bucky asked leaning over his shoulder.

"In 1949, the New Years Eve ball exploded. People were injured and Howard Stark took responsibility saying he was doing electric experiments in the area and it overloaded the circuits. Nothing else exploded but lights all through Time Square went out, only one remained lit. The hotel where Howard Stark was staying" Steve told him looking back at him.

"So… it could have been her" Bucky said.

Steve bit his lip and pulled a phone out of his pocket. He sighed and flipped it open.

"Who are you calling?" Bucky asked.

"Tony… he would have access to Howard's files. She isn't in SHIELD files, so I have a feeling he did this on his own without SHIELD approval. I wonder if Peggy even knew" Steve said pulling Tony's number up.

Steve sat in the computer chair as Bucky sat back on his bed.

"Well… I didn't expect a phone call from you today" Tony answered, "Is the world ending?"

Steve sighed, "I need your help. It's a lot to ask I know but… something… has came up and… the answers I need, I think you are the only one who can get them for me"

"What is it?" Tony asked intrigued.

"Your father had a project in the 40s… at least before 1949. It may have had the word Phoenix attached" Steve told him.

Tony was silent, "Are you kidding me right now?"

* * *

A/n3: Tada! I think the chapter explains itself. Thanks for making this chapter the most reviewed yet again. Six reviews! Glad to know you are all enjoying it. Now for the reviews:

 **LadyPorterfield: Thank you for reading. Next chapter will be posted next week!**

 **Kat-Sweetheart92: Thank you! I haven't written anything in years and I just had to get this story out. Glad you are enjoying it!**

 **PistolHattersButtercup: Ellie is RIGHT around the corner.**

 **Guest: Guten Tag Germany! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

 **Tori: You may be onto something, congrats… no one else picked up on that clue.**

 **Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967: Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

* * *

 **Now for your sneak peek of next week's chapter! Enjoy and thank you again for reading and reviewing!**

 _"Do either of you know anything about a Project Phoenix?" Steve asked._

 _T'Challa walked up behind them, "The Phoenix… the Phoenix is a legend that Shuri and I grew up with. Baba told us that when we needed the Phoenix, the Phoenix would awake and protect us. A protector that would rise from the ashes"_


	31. Chapter 31 - How Not To

a/n: I only own Ellie, all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.

a/n2: I have a teacher's workshop tomorrow so I am posting it tonight. Thank you everyone for making the last chapter the most reviewed chapter! I hope you all enjoy it! Thank you to all the new followers: Angelus320, JesiLea, superdevil22, Lost in Reality's Mirror, NEboni25,and kitsune-miko-witch

* * *

 _You're like second nature, baby, you're just like breathin'_  
 _A melody that you hear and you can't forget_  
 _The time goes by and I still need you_  
 _Yeah, you were at the heartbreak of no regret_

 _ **~How Not To by Dan + Shay**_

* * *

 ***~*~* March 10, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

" _Well… I didn't expect a phone call from you today" Tony answered, "Is the world ending?"_

 _Steve sighed, "I need your help. It's a lot to ask I know but… something… has came up and… the answers I need, I think you are the only one who can get them for me"_

" _What is it?" Tony asked intrigued._

" _Your father had a project in the 40s… at least before 1949. It may have had the word Phoenix attached" Steve told him._

 _Tony was silent, "Are you kidding me right now?"_

Steve looked at Bucky, "You know what I am talking about?"

"God damn do I. Outside of his obsession to find you, Project Phoenix was his obsession. I graduated from MIT in 1987 and the jackass missed my graduation working on it. I was 15 years old in 1987" Tony told him.

"What was Project Phoenix?" Steve asked him.

"Never cared to ask. I assume it was something dealing with memory issues because they had me work with this agent… she was beautiful. Maybe 25. I tried hitting on her every chance I got but she always shot me down every time. Anyways… she was having memory issues. I had to bring her up to speed with technology and current events of the time. Her music tastes sucked too. She liked that big band music that was the rage before you were a Capsicle" Tony told him.

"Did she ever tell her name?" Steve asked as he started pacing.

"Agent Ellie… that's all I got. Never got a last name, unless Ellie was her last name" Tony told him.

"Oh my god" Steve said as he looked at Bucky who sat up on the bed, "You were right, she was alive in 1987"

"Wait, she was supposed to be dead?" Tony asked through the phone.

"Tony, if she was who we think she was… you met my sister" Steve told him as he sat on the bed next to Bucky.

"Whoa wait… you had a sister?" Tony asked, "That wasn't on any SHIELD records"

"I kept her off SSR records on purpose to keep her out of Hydra's grasp" Steve told Tony running his hand through his hair, "Do you know where your Dad's files might be? She had to be part of this Project Phoenix"

"I know exactly where the files are. They are here in the building. The Avengers compound used to be one of Dad's storage facilities. I remember seeing boxes labeled Project Phoenix when I moved his stuff to the sub-basement when I started the Department of Damage Control" Tony told him, "I'll call you back, this number is the best way to get a hold of you?"

"Yeah…and Tony"

"What?"

"Thanks" Steve told him, "This has been bothering me since I woke up and… if I can get the answers I need… I'll owe you a huge debt"

"Well… as much as I found the situation annoying at the time… I liked Agent Ellie. Still don't see how a 25 year old in 1987 could be your sister, which you knew" Tony said as he hung up.

Bucky ran his hand over his face, then rested his chin on his fist, "Okay so… she was alive in 1987… Tony knew her as Agent Ellie. So she was still an agent for SHIELD at the time?"

"Sounds like it. I don't get it, why isn't there anything about her?" Steve asked him.

Bucky looked at Steve as a realization hit him, "Oh my god… Steve what if Howard created the Super Serum that I stole from him… earlier? What if she took it?"

Steve looked at him confused, "But we didn't get anything outside of super strength, enhanced hearing, enhanced healing and being able to run fast" Steve told him.

"But what if that's what made her unstable. He tweaked yours" Bucky told him as he stood up, "Thought he could enhance it… you knew Howard better than I did"

"That would be his forte" Steve said leaning back on the bed and looking at the ceiling, "What happened when you met her in 1987. Obviously you guys were separated"

Bucky frowned then smiled, "She snapped me out of the Winter Soldier. She broke into one of the houses where we were… where Hydra kept the Red Room girls. We fought. She knew Romanian, which surprised me for her being American… she just oozed the American persona but… she was strong enough to sub do me at first. She flipped me onto the ground and straddled me. She was able to hold my legs down with her feet and my arms with her hands. Even my metal one Steve" Bucky told him pacing.

"So her strength had to revival mine" Steve said looking at him.

Bucky nodded, "She had me pinned and her blonde hair… her smell… that damn Chantilly she always wore. It broke me out of the hold. Not completely but enough to know her name. Then she showed me her powers. She turned the lights on in the room without touching a light switch. She yelled at me in Russian to take off my mask and when I did, she fell to her knees in shock" Bucky remembered, "She touched my face... and memories just flooded back of us. I'd dreamt of her whenever they didn't put me in cryo. She showed me my dog tags; she had them around her neck with her wedding rings. When I remembered… I get bad headaches when a lot of memories surface at once but it must have upset her…" Bucky closed his eyes as he sighed, "The instability…she got emotional and the lights went crazy blinking. She waved her hand and it went dark but… it wasn't dark, suddenly she was holding all the light as if there was a fireball in her hand"

"God that would have freaked me out" Steve said.

"That's an understatement. I went from not knowing her, to being fucking mad at her for doing what she did, in probably two minutes flat" Bucky said shaking his head as he grinned, "I told her that her doing the stupid and reckless thing, sounded more like you than her"

Steve rolled his eyes, "Of course you did"

Bucky sat back down on the bed, "She said she did it… she agreed it only because we were dead" Bucky told him sadly, "God Steve… if it killed her, it really is our fault"

"No… she made the choice. It wasn't like Hydra or Howard held a gun to her head. She made the choice Buck, just as I did" Steve told him, "Do you remember anything else?"

Bucky closed his eyes, "She told me about New York…" He said as he gasped as he sat up, "Howard knew about Cryo"

"What?" Steve asked confused.

"She said they froze her… it was just science fiction until it happened to her. God Steve… Hydra was the first one with the cryo technology… Howard had someone from Hydra helping him, hopefully without him even realizing it" Bucky told him as he put his head back in his hand, "Both my wife and I were frozen in time. She slipped out that next morning to get me clothes… Hydra found me and took me back. I didn't come out of cryo until I killed Howard after that"

They sat in silence until Steve looked at him, "What if she is still in cryo?"

Bucky looked at him, "What?"

"What if…what if before you killed Howard… they put her back into cryo?" Steve asked him as he stood up, "But he didn't keep the project under SHIELD records so-" Steve said as his phone rang and he quickly answered it putting it on speakerphone, "Tony, what do you have for me?"

"Don't sound so eager. I just found the boxes. It literally has not been touched other than me moving it for probably 30 years" Tony told him as he heard him unsealing the box, "So far all I am finding is notes about the serum, different trials on mice. Damn this was his notes from 1948; I didn't realize he worked on it that long. Okay here is something, the doctor he worked on this project with was named Dr. Martin Reinstein"

Steve looked pensively, "That name sounds familiar"

"Well he should. He worked with your Dr. Erskine. According to Dad's notes, Erskine put a safe guard in your serum so Hydra couldn't replicate it successfully. Man… the doctor was a genius, too bad he was killed back then. He coded it to your DNA Steve. That's why none of the other Super Soldiers ever came close to yours. The serum Hydra had wasn't complete. It was coded to you" Tony told him, "They didn't even know what DNA was exactly back then. According to Dad's notes, they hypothesized that… wow, if they knew what they were onto back then and didn't use it for this Project Phoenix…they would have been groundbreaking scientists. They realized that your sister had half of your DNA… that wasn't realized until probably the 50s or 60s by other scientists"

"Does Howard's notes say anything else?" Steve asked.

"Let's see…. Really?… really, your sister married Barnes?" Tony asked.

"Yes" Steve said as he looked at Bucky, who was back on the bed.

"Well… she was Agent Barnes… working for MI5 out of England" Tony told him, "Wait… was, Dad put that she went deep dark but she found them. God… your lives are so intertwined and you guys don't even know it"

"What do you mean?" Steve asked.

"Dad noted that Agent Barnes mentioned that Hydra was deep underground. She mentioned that they were working on a big project in Siberia… they were working with the Soviets on a weapon… that it was fighting back against them as if it could think" Tony told him, "She agreed on the project and they coded the serum to her blood… well fuck Dad. They did a similar process to yours Steve but instead of using the Vita-Rays, they basically tried to jump start her muscles after they got the serum. They shocked her, they attached electrodes to her body and Dad notes that after they got to 100% power, a scream tore through the lab and shattered all the windows and glass in the room. Then the power went out. Then… she got abilities from hers"

"She could manipulate light, that scream and enhanced vision" Steve told him.

"Yeah, wait you knew about them?" Tony asked.

"Bucky's memory is coming back" Steve admitted, "He ran into her in 1987… she supposedly died in 1975. He remembered her mentioning Howard so I thought I'd ask you if you had anything"

"Well Dad said that she could push the energy away or draw the energy in. She mentioned it was warm in her hands but… she was unstable. The serum did heal her previous injuries though" Tony stated.

"Her back" Steve said remembering, "Hydra shot her and she was in a ton of pain. It messed up her internally"

"Well she passed out for a day after the procedure. He noted that she said her brain was sped up and her voice changed" Tony told him.

Bucky frowned, "No it didn't. It was the same to me"

"So according to Dad's notes, it took three months but problems started appearing. Her hands were hurting her, the more she used the energy thing and she'd randomly blow breakers" Tony told them, "And… whoa… Dad said she suddenly was able to scream orders and people would follow them not knowing that they were following them. He noted she blew the breaker, he was in the kitchen of the house and suddenly he was standing in front of the breaker box with no memory of her telling him to flip it but… she passed out when she used it"

Bucky laid back on the bed.

"Fuck… Operation Paperclip… they recruited Zola" Tony told him, "Zola was doing research into cryogenics… my god, they froze her. Zola knew what he was doing all along"

"Does it say he was part of the project?" Steve asked.

"No, just that they used his Cryogenics research and… ironically, your pod from your procedure. Dad converted it into a cryogenics chamber" Tony told him, "I'm looking through Dad's notes. They were trying to figure out how to stabilize her abilities but they didn't figure it out. At least not enough to bring her out of cryofreeze for"

"So how was she awake in 1987?" Steve wondered.

"Ah here, let's see these… shit they woke her up in March of 1987. They used mood stabilizers…they put her on a lithium IV every night. She started having memory issues; especially in the morning… she'd be extremely foggy. Shit no wonder, it doesn't give measurements but they put two bags of it in her because her metabolism was burning it off" Tony told him, "But it appeared that it did help her control the light manipulation more. I just thought she had troubles remembering stuff when she woke up, not that she was being drugged"

"So they drugged her" Steve said.

"Yeah, but they pulled her into a mission in August of 1987, so they thought she was stable enough to head to Berlin… to use her to infiltrate… the Red Room" Tony said, "Fuck isn't that where Natasha was trained?"

"Yes, and that's where the Winter Soldier ran into her and she broke through his programming" Steve told him glancing at Bucky, who had his arm over his face on the bed.

"Well shit… they actually ran into each other?" Tony asked.

Bucky looked over at Steve, "Yeah why?" Steve asked.

"Dad notes that the mission didn't work like they planned. They had to extract her because she shorted out the only electricity that there was in that area for nearly a mile. When they got to her, she lost it. She thought she saw Bucky… she begged them for two weeks. Destroying nearly every electronic in the lab. Reinstein must have done brain scans… the part of her brain that controlled the memory and the optical lobe, rewired themselves together so Reinstein thought she was literally seeing her memories" Tony told him, "So she begged them to put her back into cryo and told them not to wake her up unless they found a way to reverse her serum. They closed down the program after that day"

"Does it say where they did the experiments at?" Steve asked him.

"Not in this first box. Let me get into the other box" Tony said as rustling was heard, "What the hell?"

"What?" Steve asked.

"Its empty… well not completely empty only one thin folder is in here" Tony said as he opened it up, "It's a note to me"

"To you?" Steve asked confused.

"Yeah…" Tony told him as Steve heard him mumbling to himself, more than likely reading it, "Reinstein died in 89…Dad…he wasn't sure how to do it himself and… he knew Hydra was after him. They sent two agents to the house and nearly killed Dad. So he called up someone he hadn't talked to in years and asked for a favor, Steve… he called King T'Chaka. He asked him to guard Project Phoenix"

Bucky sat up, "T'Chaka?"

"Tony does it say that Project Phoenix was moved?" Steve asked, his mouth going dry.

"This letter was written on September 14th, 1991… god only three months before it happened" Tony mumbled, "It tells me that he needs my help to finish his work. To contact T'Chaka about Project Phoenix. Would T'Challa know?"

Steve was already on his feet with Bucky following him, "We're about to find out"

"Are you in Wakanda right now? My god, that's where you've been hiding" Tony said in disbelief.

"No… but Bucky… they helped him and erased the triggers. He is recovering here" Steve told him as Bucky led him to the common area, and no one was there.

"Shit, where is everyone?" Steve asked, "Tony I will call you if we find anything out"

"Ramonda will be in the garden this time of day, she may have a communicator on her" Bucky told Steve as he led him to the garden to see Ramonda sitting at a table reading with Shuri on a tablet next to her.

"Shuri, where is T'Challa?" Bucky asked.

Shuri looked up at him, "Actually in his room. Why? What's wrong?"

"I need to ask him something" Bucky told her, "I'm hoping he'll know"

Shuri pressed her communicator behind her ear, "Brother, Bucky needs you in the garden at your earliest convenience. It seems pressing"

"Do either of you know anything about a Project Phoenix?" Steve asked.

T'Challa walked up behind them, "The Phoenix… the Phoenix is a legend that Shuri and I grew up with. Baba told us that when we needed the Phoenix, the Phoenix would awake and protect us. A protector that would rise from the ashes"

Shuri looked at them, "No, he is asking about Project Phoenix. Project Phoenix is in deep storage. The Vibranium powers it"

Bucky and Steve looked at her, "It's here?"

Shuri nodded, "It's some pod. Baba told me to never go down and bother it but…he also said that it belonged to SHIELD… when SHIELD fell… I got curious"

"Oh my god… she's been here this whole time with me" Bucky said in shock.

"She?" Ramonda asked.

"Project Phoenix was a version of the Super Soldier serum that Howard Stark created and he made my wife into a super soldier" Bucky told her.

Ramonda took his hand, "Your wife?"

"And my sister ma'am" Steve told her.

"So in that pod… is your wife?" Shuri asked in disbelief.

"That was one of the very first Cryo-pods" Bucky told her, "If it's what we think it is"

Shuri looked at T'Challa, "Get Dr. Ksie. Meet us in deep storage"

Steve, Bucky and Ramonda were led by Shuri to the opening of the Panther in the jungle. Climbing in the elevator, she keyed in a code and an additional panel appeared. She hit the bottom floor.

"How did you even know that it existed?" Ramonda asked Shuri.

"I may have followed Baba down here a few times and snuck in" Shuri told her as they reached the bottom floor.

Steve looked around, "Wait I've been here"

Shuri led the group out into what appeared to be an old warehouse, "its back here"

"Oh my god" Steve said as he saw it the same pod from when T'Challa brought him down to show him the hover bikes, "it's the same pod they used to make me a super soldier. I thought it was familiar"

"That's what made you… you?" Bucky asked as he walked over to it and looked into the glass, "it's iced up inside"

"Well at least it's still working" Steve told him as he looked at Bucky, "I saw this when you first went under when I came down with T'Challa… I never thought it was my pod. God Buck… I could have woke her up a year ago"

Shuri walked over to it and slid the glass plate then opened it again, "Some of the ice has came off and there is a person in here"

Bucky looked inside again to see frozen hair, "I can't tell"

Dr. Ksie and T'Challa came into the room.

"Why didn't T'Chaka tell me about this?" Dr. Ksie remarked looking over the pod.

"Can you wake her?" Bucky asked Dr. Ksie.

"Oh yes, I just need to get this pod back to my lab" Dr. Ksie told them as he looked at Shuri, "We need an external power source for transport"

Shuri used her beads to call for a Vibranium train to the lowest level they could get to, "The train will only go as far as the next level up. So we have to get the pod to the next level without jostling it too much"

"Steve and I will carry her" Bucky told her.

"One armed?" Shuri asked him.

"No… I will help Captain Rogers" T'Challa told them.

Shuri's beads went off signaling the arrival of the train, "It's here"

"Okay, we have to disconnect the connections then move it as quickly as possible. We cannot let it start to thaw before its reconnected" Dr. Ksie told them.

"Are we ready?" T'Challa asked Steve, who nodded.

"I will unplug it and then count to three" Dr. Ksie told them.

Bucky watched nervously as the pod was unplugged and Steve and T'Challa ran it up the stairs as fast as they could to the train. They all boarded the Vibranium train and Shuri hooked the pod back up to electricity. He let out a sigh of relief when the pod powered back up with a clanking whirling noise.

Shuri messed with her bracelet again then they were on their way.

Steve glanced at Bucky, who was lying on the pod trying to gaze through the glass, "Doctor, when we get back… what will you be doing?"

"We will take the pod into the lab and plug it in while I get everything together. My assistant is already coordinating the materials we will need. We will have to warm her body up to temperature slowly. When the body is near 94*, we will shock her heart to try to get it to restart naturally. With Sergeant Barnes, it took 20 minutes for his heart to restart" Dr. Ksie told him, "As soon as her heart starts, I will already have the IV with fluid inserted but the fluid will flow as soon as her heart starts backup. My team is already preparing everything as we speak"

"So… basically she is dead, at this moment?" T'Challa asked.

"Yes, and so were Sergeant Barnes and Captain Rogers when they went through this process as well" Dr. Ksie told him as they pulled up to the lab, "Sergeant Barnes, we have arrived"

Bucky stood up and moved away so T'Challa and Steve could prepare to pick the pod up.

"1…2…3" Dr. Ksie said as he pulled the plug.

Steve and T'Challa picked her pod up and took her into the lab. Shuri plugged the pod in as Dr. Ksie started finding what he needed.

Steve walked over to Bucky as he watched everyone moving around, "Are you ready?"

"What if something goes wrong Steve?" Bucky asked worried.

"It won't" Steve reassured him as Dr. Ksie prepared the IV bags.

Dr. Ksie's technicians came over to help him, "Okay we have everything we need. Are we ready?" Dr. Ksie asked.

He hit a button on the side of the pod and the pod broken open with a hiss and a crack as the ice broke, unfolding the doors back. Her body laid still as marble inside the cold metal bed.

Bucky couldn't help but gasp with he saw her body and Steve gripped his shoulder tightly.

"Bring over the warm salt water!" Dr. Ksie told his technician.

They brought over the luke warm water and poured it over her body.

"Is this what they did for me?" Bucky asked.

"No… but our pod was created differently" T'Challa told him.

Watching them pour water over her body and her lips remaining colorless, was too much and Bucky had to turn away to walk over to the window to stare out at the Vibranium.

Steve walked over to Bucky as he stared out the window, "Buck… I know you want to be there when she wakes up but… she thinks… the whole reason she went back under was that she thought the memory of you weren't real"

"But Steve, you are dead to her too" Bucky told him.

Shuri looked back at them, "I will be there with her. I promise, you don't have to be far away" Shuri told them, "Sergeant Barnes it only took about 5 to 10 minutes after your heart started beating again for you to wake up"

"Body temperature is at 93*… 93.5*… 94*, let's pull her out and put her on the table over here" Dr. Ksie said.

The technician went to reach for her, but Steve picked his little sister up, remarking how much she had changed as he laid her body on the table.

Dr. Ksie dried her chest off then charged the paddles to 50, "Clear"

Bucky held his breath as her body was shocked.

The technician checked her pulse and shook his head as a flat line showed on the display.

"Okay charge to 100… clear"

'Don't do this to me El' Bucky thought squeezing his eyes shut as he walked over to the table.

A gasp of air was heard as she started breathing again.

Steve patted him on the back, "Let's go stand out of the way by the window"

"Body temperature is at 96* now. IV is flowing"

Bucky put his back to the window and watched them work.

"Temperature now sitting at 99*"

"My core temperature is 101… if her serum is off mine, hers will probably be high too" Steve told him coming back to stand next to him.

"Temperature has evened out at 100"

They both looked up as the lights around them pulsed.

Steve looked at Bucky, "Well… I guess she is waking up"

Everyone stood there for over five minutes waiting.

"Vitals are normal…heart rate is lower though, but close to Sergeant Barnes heart rate when he was asleep"

Dr. Ksie swept his hand over her body and looked at the board behind him then over to Bucky, "Is your wife a heavy sleeper?"

Bucky laughed in relief, "A bomb wouldn't wake her up if she wasn't ready"

"She's just asleep" Dr. Ksie said in disbelief.

Bucky rolled his eyes, "Of course she is. Well she won't wake up until she is ready then. Everything else looks fine?"

"Yes… vitals are good, her core temperature is perfect… just waiting on her" Dr. Ksie told him.

"Can…does she have to stay here?" Bucky asked, "I'd love if she could wake up on a real bed, comfortable"

Steve put his hand on Bucky's shoulder and squeezed.

"I will come with" Shuri told him, "We will take her back to your quarters"

* * *

a/n3: She is back! Thank you for reading and for the following reviews:

 **LadyPorterfield: Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

 **Tori: The Phoenix is rising.**

 **PistolHattersbuttercup: Hope this didn't disappoint!**

 **Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967: For what was lost, was now found. Thanks!**

 **Sabrina Barnes: Thanks for reading!**

 **X3sunnydaay: Hope the new chapter didn't disappoint**

 **BadWolf1989: Here is more! Thanks for reading!**

* * *

SNEAK PEEK:

"Agent Barnes, try to calm down… the reason you are still this way is because we have the technology now to help you. There have also been some developments since you went under" Shuri told her hands up in front of her, "Two people in your life have returned"

"Returned…what are-" Ellie said as two figures burst through the door.


	32. Chapter 32 - Losing Sleep

a/n: I only own Ellie, all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.

a/n2: We hit 70 reviews! Thank you everyone! As a special treat and the fact I finished another chapter last night, I thought I'd surprise you all with what you have all been waiting for! Without further ado… here is Losing Sleep.

* * *

 **Fall into me**  
 **Let me breathe the air you breathe**  
 **I can take you anywhere you want to be**  
 **When it comes to us**  
 **Every single touch is something special**  
 **When we're wrapped up in those sheets**

 **~ _Losing Sleep by Chris Young_**

* * *

 ***~*~* March 10, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

It had been five hours since Ellie could have woken up and Bucky stared at her as she laid in his bed, in the same spot… not moving. Only the rise of her chest showing that she was alive.

Bucky sat in the computer chair just watching her as the sliding glass door to his balcony opened and Steve walked in. He looked up at him, "What if something is wrong?"

"You know Ellie… she doesn't wake up easy. She isn't a morning person unless she wants to be. We don't know if she went under rested Buck. They said she thought she was going crazy seeing you…maybe she wasn't sleeping" Steve told him as he sat on the edge of the bed at her feet then looked back at him.

"While you are waiting… how about you get dressed into something… a little nicer" Steve suggested really noticing Bucky's outfit, a pair of old beat up jeans and a ripped shirt.

"What's wrong with this?" Bucky asked.

"Nothing…nevermind" Steve said as he looked at Shuri, who had just came into the room, "Shuri… I think I am going to take Bucky to get some food. I am starving and I know he is"

"The kitchen is open Captain" Shuri told him, "I will watch her"

Bucky looked torn.

"Go brother" Shuri told him, "I will watch her and I will alert you as soon as she wakes, if she wakes up while you are gone"

Bucky nodded then leaned over kissing Ellie's forehead. A smile appeared on her face and his heart felt like it would explode, "I'll be back baby"

"Come on Buck. I'm starving" Steve told him.

Shuri was messing around with Bucky's computer accessing her own files about a project when she heard rustling on the bed. She turned around to see Ellie on her side facing her, her eyes still closed. Ellie sighed then slowly opened her eyes.

She cleared her throat and blinked taking in her surroundings. Her eyes stopped on a picture of her and Bucky, then Bucky and Steve next to it.

"Hello Agent Barnes" Shuri greeted as she stood up.

Ellie frowned looking at Shuri, "Who are you?" She asked.

"I am Shuri-"

"Where am I?" She asked in a voice much higher.

Shuri grinned as she felt the compulsion attempting to take her over, "No need for your powers Agent Barnes, I will tell you all you want to know. You are in Wakanda. I am the princess of Wakanda. You were sent here"

Ellie sat up and glanced behind her, "What is that behind you?"

"This is a computer" Shuri told her.

Ellie looked at it amazed then at Shuri, "Where is Howard? What year is it?"

"Agent Barnes, you were sent here in 1991 because Mr. Stark thought that Hydra was closing in on him and he wanted to protect you. He passed in 1991" Shuri told her.

"Oh god" Ellie said as she put her head in her hands, "What about Peggy? Is Peggy here?"

"I'm not sure who you are talking about Agent Barnes but I can search for her if you like" Shuri told her.

"What year is it?" Ellie asked.

Shuri sat down next to her, "It is 2017"

Ellie looked at her, "What?"

"It is 2017" Shuri told her.

Ellie stood up with shaky legs, "Why was I woken up? I gave strict directions that I was not to be woken up unless they could remove the serum and-" Ellie said as she looked around as the lights pulsed and her hands crackled with electricity, "I am still this way!"

"Agent Barnes, try to calm down… the reason you are still this way is because we have the technology now to help you. There have also been some developments since you went under" Shuri told her hands up in front of her, "Two people in your life have returned"

"Returned…what are-" Ellie said as two figures burst through the door.

"Shuri is…" Bucky trailed off as he looked at her standing in front of him, "El"

Ellie looked at him, "Buck?"

Bucky walked over to her and pulled her into a hug and she held on to him. Grasping at his shirt, sobbing when she felt the warm skin under it. Burying her face in his chest, she heard his heartbeat and her knees just about gave out.

She looked up at his face and touched the rough whiskers on his face, "How?" Ellie asked tears falling down her face.

"Hydra got me after our night together but… I got saved" Bucky told her glancing back at the door.

Ellie looked back at the door way to see a man standing there with tears on his face. He had longer dirty blond hair and a beard but his eyes, "Oh my God…Stevie… how?"

Steve walked over to her, "When I crashed the plane… they found me in 2011… I was frozen in ice. When they thawed my body… I woke up"

Ellie laughed as she threw her arms around his neck, "Oh Steve"

Steve buried his face in her neck as he put his arms around her holding her to him, "I love you El"

"I love you too" Ellie told him as she looked at Bucky as Steve sat her down on the ground, "So it's 2017… Steve has been awake since 2011… we are all almost 100 years old in 2017"

Steve laughed as he looked at Bucky then put his arm over Ellie's shoulders, "Buck is 100… today is his birthday"

Ellie's eyes lit up, "They woke me on your birthday?"

Bucky smiled, "Happiest birthday I've ever had"

Ellie threw her arms around his neck again and snuggled into his chest, "I thought this would never happen. I always dreamt of this but…I feel like I am dreaming"

"Well tonight's birthday celebration will be even better now" Shuri said.

Bucky looked at her, "Birthday celebration?"

"Well…technically it should be starting soon. T'Challa wanted me to pull you away if I could. Just family Bucky" Shuri told him, "Dinner and cake. I'll go let everyone know she is awake and… to find her some clothes"

Ellie looked down at her shorts and tank top that she had went under in, "Thanks"

"Happy to help" Shuri told her as she left the room.

"So we are in Wakanda" Ellie said looking at her brother after the Princess had left, "Isn't that where your shield comes from?"

Steve nodded, "Howard was wrong… my SHIELD wasn't all they had. You've missed a lot"

"Obviously" Ellie said looking at Bucky and reaching up to touch his shoulder, "What happened to your arm? It was metal"

"It got blown off" Bucky told her, "I've gotten used to not having it"

"Bucky is a goat farmer here in Wakanda" Steve teased.

Ellie looked between the two of them, "You are serious"

"There is a lot that has gone on. They offered me protection and safety. This is my room here but I have a hut out in the fields. I stay out there instead" Bucky told her.

Ellie walked over to the sliding glass door and looked out, "Wow… it's beautiful here"

"Not as beautiful as you" Bucky told her as he put his arm around her from behind and rested his head on her shoulder.

"I've missed a lot" Ellie whispered.

"Not any of the important stuff" Bucky told her, "We're here together… by some weird twist of fate"

"Who would have thought… Buck gets lost…captured and they put him under ice to keep him young between when they can use him. I crash into the ice to keep you safe, wake up nearly 70 years later. Then we find out you are in ice too" Steve told her leaning on the railing next to her, "And we all end up being basically the same age as we were"

Ellie leaned her head back against Bucky's shoulder, "How old are you guys? I was 30 when I went under"

"I'm about 32 now" Steve told her.

"They had me in and out so much but last time I tried to sit down and figure it out, I'm about 34 to 36" Bucky told her.

"Damn… I'm still the young one" Ellie told them.

Bucky smiled as he played with the necklace around her neck, "But… we have the longest running marriage like ever"

Ellie laughed looking up at him, "We've been married for almost 74 years Buck…that's hilarious"

Bucky touched her face, "Are you okay with this? Waking up in 2017?"

Ellie sighed, "It's not going to be easy" Ellie told him sadly, "I… I told you how I was unstable. Howard hadn't figured it out other than… the medicine! I-"

"We are going to figure it out without drugging you" Bucky told her as she looked at the ground and tried not to laugh at the fact she still had polish on her toe nails, "Even if we have to go out and live in my hut without electricity until then, okay?"

Ellie nodded as she looked up at him and gazed into his eyes, "I love you"

Bucky leaned down and kissed her.

Ellie pulled him closer putting her arms around her neck to pull him down closer to her then jumped up wrapping her legs around his waist.

"And that's my cue to get out of here! Bye!" Steve yelled as he left the room slamming the door behind him.

Ellie grinned against his lips and pulled him over to the bed, "I did that on purpose. I wanted some time alone"

"I love Steve but I love this smart woman in front of me" Bucky said with a grin as he toed off his shoes then laid her back on the bed and leaned on his elbow above her, "I missed you so much"

"How was your arm blown off?" Ellie asked running her hand over the shoulder area and where it ended.

Bucky laid down next to her and pulled her onto his chest, "I don't want you to hate me"

"Never… that will never happen" Ellie told him placing her head over his heart.

"When Hydra found me. They wiped me again. From what the records we have found, they did it five times until I stopped yelling your name. Then they put me in cryo again. They woke me up in 1991, to try to obtain some more super soldier serum" Bucky told her playing with her fingers, "The man and his wife… were driving it to some new location. I shot their tires out and they crashed. They told me no witnesses. I... I punched him until he was dead but when I woke up, they wiped me again. I had no clue who I was. The man did though" Bucky said sadly, "I killed Howard"

"Oh Bucky" Ellie said sadly.

"Tapes show, he even said my name… he recognized me and I didn't even register it. I just killed him then I strangled his wife. A man by the name of Zemo was trying to tear the Avengers apart… he… he was smart. He knew how important I was to Steve. When SHIELD fell, my records were part of it too because of Hydra. He used me, to hurt Steve and Tony. Tony blew my arm off trying to kill me"

Ellie buried her face in his chest, "I've missed a lot"

"Don't worry; it took me a while to get caught up too. Steve isn't Captain America anymore, I'm not the Winter Soldier… you are alive. That's all that matters" Bucky told her rubbing her back.

A knock sounded on the door, "Bucky? Can I come in?"

"Come on in Shuri" Bucky told her.

The door opened and Princess Shuri walked in, "I brought her some clothes. Hopefully some of mine will fit her. These are my less… fancy clothes"

Bucky grinned and looked at Ellie, "Shuri is the fashion queen here in Wakanda"

Shuri flicked him off, "I'll let you get dressed. Everyone is out in the common area"

"Thanks" Bucky told her as she turned around and left.

Ellie sat up, "You are on first name basis with the Princess of this country?"

Bucky cleared his throat, "Well… things went down and Zemo caused a big mess. Killing King T'Chaka, the king of Wakanda. Zemo framed me for it. The UN went after me, Steve defended me… then the whole thing went down. T'Challa, the at the time Prince… realized that it wasn't my fault. I was a victim of Hydra. I wasn't innocent but I was brainwashed into doing things I wouldn't have done. So he brought me here and they were able to remove the trigger words and brainwashing that Hydra did for so many years. I owe them my life. Not only that but… the Queen Mother, Ramonda… she is amazing. You will love her. She has adopted me" Bucky told her with a smile.

"You now have immunity" Ellie said with a smile.

Bucky nodded, "If they ever find me and come after me… they can't touch me. The kids call me the White Wolf here"

"I'm the Phoenix… and you're the White Wolf" Ellie said shaking her head, "Just amazing"

"Get dressed; I want you to meet your new family" Bucky told her.

He touched the dog tags and her rings, "I can't believe you kept my dog tags"

"Of course I did" Ellie told him as she reached up and took them off then handed him her rings, "I think these belong back in their proper place"

Bucky smiled as he flipped them around in his fingers, and then slid them onto her ring finger. He ran his thumb over them.

"The prongs are a little tarnished now and the band is missing some diamonds but it's still as perfect as ever" Ellie told him.

Bucky pulled her hand to his mouth kissing the back of it.

Ellie quickly pulled her tank top off and looked over at him, "I see you eying me Mr. Barnes"

Bucky grinned as he pulled her close and kissed her, "Mmm it might be over 70 years old but I have a license saying that I can"

Ellie moaned, "Don't start something you can't finish"

* * *

Bucky held her hand as he led her out into the common area. Steve was sitting at the table with Ramonda, T'Challa, Nakia and Shuri.

"Took you two long enough" Shuri said with a grin.

Steve blushed.

Bucky grinned cockily, "We just lost track of time catching up"

"So that's what they are calling it now" Shuri said as Ramonda scolded her.

Ramonda and T'Challa walked over to them.

"Queen mother, I would like you to meet my wife Ellie, Ellie this is Ramonda" Bucky introduced.

"We are so pleased that you are with us" Ramonda told her as she glanced at Bucky with a smile, "I have a soft spot for your husband and I have not seen him this happy since he came here"

"He has told me what you have done for him. I thank you" Ellie said as she bowed.

"We don't do that here" T'Challa told her, "I am T'Challa"

"He's the king" Bucky told her.

"Pleasure to meet you sir" Ellie said.

"Come have a seat. We will be having dinner shortly" Ramonda told them.

Bucky pulled Ellie's chair out and they sat down next to Steve, "Take it easy when you eat babe"

"Oh I remember when I woke up last time and Howard had Jarvis make a huge dinner… I was so sick afterwards" Ellie told him with a smile.

"Jarvis was a creation all the way back then?" Steve asked.

"Creation? Edwin Jarvis was Howard's butler" Ellie told him confused.

"That makes sense" Steve said.

"Ellie, this is T'Challa's girlfriend Nakia, Nakia, this is my wife Ellie" Bucky introduced.

"Nice to meet you" Nakia said with a smile.

"You as well" Ellie said as Shuri got an alert and projected something into her hand from her bracelet.

"There is someone approaching" Shuri told them, "The northwest section, it's… Iron Man"

Steve jumped as his cell phone went off, "Tony?"

"So I think I have found Wakanda… but all I see is farms. I have come for a truce" Tony told Steve.

Steve looked at T'Challa, "Tony is here and he is coming in peace"

Shuri configured something on her bracelet, "He can come in"

"Go ahead in Tony. Just fly at the tree line" Steve told him.

"Fly at the tree line, what do you mean fly at the tree… holy shit. I like T'Challa even more now" Tony told him.

"Just look at for the two towers in the middle of the city with the bridge in between. I'll meet you out there" Steve told him.

T'Challa and Steve got up and left the common area.

Bucky looked down at his plate, "Maybe I should leave"

"No, my son… this is your home now. If he starts something then… he will be leaving, not you" Ramonda told him.

Ellie took his hand, "I don't know who this Tony is but…if he has something to say, he can say it to me"

"Glad to hear that Agent Ellie" A voice said, "Glad to know all these years later, you are still the same"

Ellie looked up at the voice, "Tony… Tony Stark?"

"Damn, still as gorgeous as ever" Tony said with a grin, "I had the biggest crush on you as a kid. Dad would just laugh at me… now I see why"

Tony looked at Bucky, "Barnes… look. My emotions got the best of me and I turned a blind eye to you. You weren't at fault for your actions. It was Hydra and I've seen Hydra did some pretty nasty things"

Bucky looked up at him.

"So I'm sorry. I'm really sorry about your arm too" Tony told him glancing at his missing arm.

"You were trying to kill Steve… I couldn't let you" Bucky told him.

Ellie looked at Tony confused, "Why were you trying to kill Steve?"

"Because he wouldn't let me kill Barnes…never mind that…I'm sorry. I call a truce. I am even willing to give back the shield" Tony told Steve.

"You took his shield?! Anthony Stark!" Ellie said standing up.

"God, don't go all Auntie on me now. That was Aunt Pegs job not yours" Tony said as he looked at Steve, "I'm sorry for that too… that didn't help when everything went down just a few days after her funeral. I know you loved her"

"I did" Steve told him, "But she is a better place now"

"How long ago did Peg die?" Ellie asked.

"A year ago" Steve told her, "Everyone else is gone. Dugan died last year too"

"Look… I'm sorry what went down. I am willing to talk to Fury to see what he can do" Tony told them, "But I am willing to let you guys all move into the Avengers compound. There are more rooms for you Bucky and-"

"We only need one. We've been apart for 70 years but that decision is up to my husband" Ellie told him looking at Bucky.

Bucky sighed, "I appreciate the offer Stark but… I feel safe here right now. I know I don't have to watch my back here. The trigger words might be gone but… I still have some… flashbacks and nightmares. I find comfort here"

"He's right Tony. You may forgive him but… because of those accords… not only is Bucky a wanted man but now Natasha, Sam, Wanda and I are too" Steve told him, "We can't exactly walk back into the United States with open arms"

"And I'm considered dead… I'm still considered dead right?" Ellie asked.

"You knew you were?" Bucky asked.

Ellie nodded, "It's really trippy to see your own grave. When I woke up in 87, Howard took me there"

Tony sighed, "Well the offer is open"

* * *

After spending the evening and into the night, sitting around catching up, slowly everyone wandered off to their sleeping quarters.

The last three were Steve, Ellie and Bucky. Ellie was snuggled up against Bucky's side half asleep.

"You should get to bed" Steve told them.

"What?" Ellie asked half asleep.

"Go to bed El" Steve said as he got up and kissed her forehead, "I'll see you in the morning"

"Night Stevie" Ellie said as he walked off to the quarters that T'Challa have provided him.

"Come on babe, let's head to bed" Bucky said as he stood up and held his hand out.

Ellie took it and let him pull her up. They walked back to Bucky's quarters and Bucky led her inside.

Ellie looked over at the bed and laughed, "Was it that bad when we left it?"

Pillows were everywhere (who needs 8 pillows, Ellie had said at the time), and the sheets were on the floor.

"I guess so" Bucky said as she started striping down, "I missed this sight"

Ellie grinned as she pulled her shirt over her head, "You just saw it a few hours ago"

Bucky put his arm around her and kissed her neck, "Doesn't mean I didn't miss it"

Ellie finished changing back into her shorts and tank then crawled into bed as he stripped down to his boxers, "Buck… don't take offense if I kind of sleep to myself tonight. I just…"

"It's been awhile since you've had someone next to you" Bucky told her climbing into bed with her, "I know… when I was with Hydra, I couldn't even sleep. They'd freeze me instead"

Ellie looked up at him and her eyes ghosted over his arm, "I'm sorry…I have always wondered if I went with you guys-"

"You could have been killed… no, I hate that we both had to go through this that way but…we made it back together in the end. Now we get to live our long lives together" Bucky told her.

* * *

a/n3: She is back! Thank you to the new followers: Sagge, lilygreennie, Kingdom Hearts Slayer, Mitty123, TikiKiki and mimichamp! Now for the reviews, you guys are amazing!

 **X3sunnydaay: Thank you so much! Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

 **Tori: Well she hasn't blown anything up… yet ;)**

 **LadyPorterfield: Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

 **PistolHattersButtercup: No cliffhanger this time! I swear last one in a while!**

 **Guest: Glad you are happy with her being back!**

 **Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967: Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

 **MommaWolf18: I was planning on bringing her back earlier but it just didn't fit!**

* * *

 **Here is your sneak peek for the week!**

Bucky was currently tending to the goats while Ellie organized their clothes, to take to the stream, inside the hut. He saw Ellie rise and come out of the hut carrying a basket then sway grabbing the side of the doorway. He set down the bag of feed and started walking towards her as she took another step, her head fell backwards and she fell to the ground, "El!"

Ellie barely opened her eyes and moaned when he reached her and pulled her into his arm.

"Damnit" Bucky said as he looked around for anyone, "Come on El, baby wake up"


	33. Chapter 33 - With Arms Wide Open

a/n: I only own Ellie, all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.

a/n2: Posting this chapter today because I am going on a little road trip tomorrow to see Sebastian Stan's new movie Destroyer tomorrow. Just a reminder that Chapter 32 was posted on Monday. Thank you to the new follower Ashes2Dust18! Nearly to 75 reviews!

* * *

 _Well I just heard the news today_ _  
_ _It seems my life is going to change_ _  
_ _I close my eyes, begin to pray_ _  
_ _Then tears of joy stream down my face_

 **~ With Arms Wide Open by Creed**

* * *

 ***~*~* April 9, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Ellie had officially been awake for a month. She and Bucky had decided that staying in his hut was fine with the both of them, so they set up their little home out in the fields with the commoners. Ellie tended a garden with the women of the village while Bucky raised and took care of goats. Overall, their first month together had gone off without a hitch.

It wasn't until a little into her second week awake, when she had started experiencing some setbacks. She had tried to keep it to herself and was mostly successful, but now into the second week of the symptoms, Bucky was starting to notice. Thanks to the super serum, she was hungry all the time, but it made her nauseated just as much, as her stomach didn't seem to be handling food. She never actually got sick but she had come close, especially when she was near the goats. So to her, it was nearly constantly.

Her sleep had also been a hard adjustment. She was still struggling between the tiredness and lethargic feeling, and not being able to actually fall asleep. Her head was experiencing a nearly constant headache, and sometimes would beat similar to a tribal drum. It came and went.

Bucky had noticed she was quieter and was napping often but Steve said his body was all over the place as soon as he woke up, so he just worried and let her do her thing.

Bucky was currently tending to the goats while Ellie organized their clothes to take to the stream inside the hut. He saw Ellie rise and come out of the hut carrying a basket then sway grabbing the side of the doorway. He set down the bag of feed and started walking towards her as she took another step, her head fell backwards and she fell to the ground, "El!"

Ellie barely opened her eyes and moaned when he reached her and pulled her into his arm.

"Damnit" Bucky said as he looked around for anyone, "Come on El, baby wake up"

He glanced up and saw M'Kathu, "M'Kathu!"

M'Kathu turned around and rushed over when he saw Ellie on the ground, "What happened?"

"She just passed out" Bucky told him holding her to him, checking her pulse and thankfully finding one.

"Let's take her to Shuri" M'Kathu said as he waved W'Kabi over, "She is ill!"

W'Kabi walked over and touched his kimoyo bead, "Shuri"

Shuri appeared in his hand, "Yes W'Kabi"

"I am bringing the girl Ellie to you, she has passed out" W'Kabi told her.

"Bring her straight to my lab" Shuri told him.

"Come, you can take one of my rhinos to get there faster" W'Kabi told Bucky as he whistled and one came running to him, "Get on"

Bucky climbed on then W'Kabi climbed on behind with Ellie in his arms.

W'Kabi yelled in Wakandan and the rhino took off.

They reached the lab and Bucky put Ellie over his shoulder and followed W'Kabi inside.

"What happened?" Shuri asked.

"She was gathering our clothes to wash. She looked dizzy and I was heading over to her because she had to grab onto the edge of the doorway coming out of the hut, but her head just went backwards and she was out" Bucky said as they laid her on the table.

Shuri scanned her with her Kimoyo beads and looked at the projection on the screen, "I'll call in Dr. Ksie"

Bucky grabbed Ellie's hand and kissed it, "Come on baby wake up"

Ellie groaned, "Buck… my head feels like it's going to explode"

Bucky glanced around as the light started to pulse, "Just breathe"

Ellie started crying, "Something is wrong Bucky"

Bucky kissed her head, "We are with Shuri, and she will figure it out"

"I don't want to go back under" Ellie sobbed.

"Look at me" Bucky told her and her bright blue eyes looked into his, "We are going to figure this out. We have the smartest team in the world with us and they will figure out how to channel this. She has already helped to stabilize your powers thanks to the Kimoyo beads. She will help you through this"

"But they aren't stabilized. I'm not stabilized" Ellie told him crying, "I'm so sick all the time. I can't sleep, and this damn headache won't go away"

"Let's see if we can find out why that is" A woman said as she walked up with Dr. Ksie following her, "Hello Ellie, I am Nalia Ksie"

Ellie looked at Dr. Ksie, who smiled.

"Meet my wife Ellie. She specializes in women's medicine. I thought she would provide better insight" Dr. Ksie told her.

Nalia scanned her body then looked at the readings on the board, "How long have you been feeling this way?"

"Two weeks" Ellie told her.

"And you have been awake for a month now?" Nalia asked glancing at her husband, who nodded, "Astonishing"

"What is it?" Shuri asked.

Nalia touched the board then zoomed in onto her abdomen, "Ellie, you are with child"

Ellie looked at Bucky, who started grinning, "What?"

"The most interesting part is you are 8 weeks along" Nalia told her, "Your baby is about as big as a coffee bean"

"But 8 weeks ago I was under" Ellie told her confused.

Nalia looked at her then Bucky, "Before you were put into cryo, were you with anyone?"

"Yes but…" Ellie said as she looked at Bucky, "It was about a month before…oh Bucky"

Bucky smiled as he squeezed her hand, "We get our second chance baby"

Ellie started crying again but instead of tears of pain, tears of happiness, "Our baby was conceived in 1987… and its 2017, so does that make it 30 years old?"

Bucky laughed as he leaned down and kissed her, "God I love you"

"Did you experience your period since waking?" Nalia asked her.

"No, but when I was… unthawed in 1987, it took months for it to start back up so I thought that is why it was weird again" Ellie said wiping her eyes, "It's morning sickness, that's why I can't eat! Thank god"

"I will get you some of our special root here. It is amazing for morning sickness" Nalia said as a sound filtered through the room, "That is your baby's heart"

Bucky leaned against the bed staring at her stomach, "But… it's so fast"

"That is normal it's… about 170 beats per minute. Very healthy sounding" Nalia told him, "I will say… your due date in somewhere in November, first few weeks or so. We will get a better determination closer to time"

Ellie gazed at the projection and smiled as she watched the tiny heart beat, "But everything looks okay so far. No… three arms or two heads? I had the super serum and Bucky had a version of it too"

Bucky's hand squeezed hers as he sat up straighter, "Oh god, I didn't think of that"

"Everything appears fine. It's too early to do any tests on the baby. Around 20 weeks, maybe we will take a sample or attempt testing but, from right now, two arms, one head and two legs. Looks to be a typical developing 8 week old baby" Nalia told them, "Congratulations… you two have made history once again"

Bucky looked at her, "We are moving into the palace"

"Buck, I like the hut" Ellie told him.

"No, you need comfort and that little bed isn't enough" Bucky told her.

"I am finally going to be an auntie! Mother will be so excited" Shuri said, "This calls for a celebration!"

* * *

Bucky opened the door to their room and they walked inside. Ellie sat the basket with their clothes down and walked over to the bed, lying down, "I'm so glad there is a reason for me being so tired all the time. When I first got the serum, I felt so… badass and good all the time. No more pain in my back. I had energy. I thought the serum was going bad or something"

Bucky crawled into bed next to her, "I can't believe it"

Ellie took his hand and placed it on her belly then smiled at him, "Believe it daddy"

Bucky leaned down and kissed her, "I love you so much"

"So we were the first to freeze our baby… guess that is a thing now" Ellie said shaking her head, "I still can't wrap my head around technology"

"We need to tell Steve" Bucky said rubbing her still flat belly.

Ellie closed her eyes, "You do that"

Bucky kissed her forehead then pulled her close to him as she drifted off.

He sighed in relief as he looked up in the ceiling. For the last two weeks, he had worried constantly about Ellie. Worried that something had gone wrong when they woke her up and they would have to put her under again until they found the answers. He had noticed that she wasn't herself but he didn't want to push her.

Bucky smiled as she let out a little snore as she snuggled closer to his body.

Closing his eyes, he put his hand on her head and kissed the top of her head.

 _Walking down the hallway of the hospital, in the now familiar path to Sarah Rogers room, Bucky heard his name._

 _He stopped and looked at the woman, "Wow… you have to be a cousin of Ellie and Steve"_

 _The woman smiled, "I'm Belle, Isabelle...Rogers. I was just in talking to mo… my Aunt Sarah"_

" _How is she?" Bucky asked taking in her appearance._

 _He was in a bit of disbelief how much she looked like Ellie. She definitely appeared older and more weathered in appearance than Ellie. Instead of Ellie's curly hair, she had straight hair but both women were the same height. Belle also wore a ring on her finger and appeared stronger._

 _Belle sighed as she looked in the room, "She is starting to fail. I don't think she has long left"_

 _Bucky stood next to her._

 _Belle looked over at him, "Look Bucky… don't give up on Ellie. She does really have feelings for you… she just doesn't know how to deal with those feelings"_

" _Really?" Bucky asked._

 _Belle nodded, "Just… give her a bit of time. She is trying to be strong for Steve and her Mom… be strong for her and just… be there for her"_

" _I will… thank you Belle" Bucky told her, "You should come around more. Steve always hates being the third wheel. Can you dance?"_

" _I know a move or two" She said with a smile, "I'm just in another time and place sometimes but if I am around… I'll save you a dance"_

 _Bucky nodded as she stepped closer to him, "What are you-" he said as she kissed him._

 _Belle pulled back breathless, "I … just had to see if the rumors are true. Go ahead in, looks like she is awake again"_

" _Nice meeting you Belle" Bucky said licking his lips._

" _You too Bucky" Belle said as she walked down towards the stairs._

 _Bucky turned towards the room._

" _Oh, hey Bucky?"_

" _Yeah?" Bucky asked looking at Belle._

" _Don't tell Steve or Ellie that I was here" Belle told him, "Or what I told you"_

" _Secret is safe with me" Bucky told her as he opened the door to Mrs. Rogers room._

 _She opened her eyes and smiled at him, "Bucky"_

" _Hey Sarah, you look great" Bucky told her with a smile._

" _You lie through your teeth James Barnes" Sarah said as she coughed, "Look… Steve and Ellie will be here soon. I have to talk to you"_

" _About what?" Bucky asked._

" _I don't have much longer Bucky… I won't be around for Ellie or Steve to get married" Sarah told him._

" _Sarah, don't talk like that" Bucky said shaking his head._

" _No, I know it's true. I know neither are you are ready for it but it is going to happen soon. I talked to Steve and he agreed… I want you to have my ring" Sarah said taking her engagement ring off._

" _Sarah, no… I can't" Bucky said closing her hand around it, "I'm not family"_

 _Sarah smiled at him, "But you will give it to Ellie when the time is right… I know it. You have had feelings for her for a lot of years and I know…" She said as she coughed, "Ellie loves you too"_

A knock sounded on the door, waking Bucky out of his memory.

"Come in!" He whispered as loud as he could.

The door creaked open and Ramonda poked her head in and smiled, "I hear congratulations are in order"

Bucky smiled, "Thank you"

"If you two need anything, anything at all. Don't hesitate to ask. It's been awhile since there has been a baby in our tribe but… we are excited. I told T'Challa. He sends his wishes. He is with Nakia on a mission" Ramonda told him.

"I just… how did I get so lucky? I did so many bad things" Bucky told her.

"No, you did not my son" Ramonda told him as she sat on the edge of the bed, "The people who did all those unspeakable things to you did them. You are a strong warrior, you are a great man… never forget that"

Bucky swallowed hard, "Thank you"

"Now, get some rest. We will be having a celebration dinner tonight" Ramonda told him, "I am having them make kebab and barbeque"

Bucky nodded as she patted his arm then left the room.

He laid with Ellie for almost an hour, just taking her in and being lost to his thoughts when a noise came from his computer. Slowly as he could he untangled himself from her and walked over to the computer, turning the screen on.

Clicking the blue message on the screen, he sat down at the computer, "Were your ears burning or something?"

"Why? Were you talking about me?" Steve asked through the screen.

"Actually yeah, thinking of you that is" Bucky said as he glanced back at Ellie.

Steve frowned, "She's asleep? Isn't it like 1 o'clock there?"

Bucky grinned, "She's tired"

"Ewww Buck really… I don't-"

"Not from that Uncle Asshole, get your panties out of your ass" Bucky told him.

"Don't go making Uncle Sam jokes!" Sam's voice yelled in the background.

"I wasn't" Bucky told him.

Sam's face appeared next to Steve's, "I didn't even know 100 year olds could have babies… way to go Bucky"

Bucky laughed at Steve's confused face, "Poor Uncle Steve is so confused. Do I need to explain the birds and the bees again?"

Steve's eyes got wide, "No!"

Bucky laughed, "Yeah…we just found out today. She nearly gave me a heart attack. She passed out on me. Turns out we are already 8 weeks along"

"But she has only been awake for a month" Steve said confused.

"We ran into each other in Bucharest" Bucky told him.

"Wait…in 1987?" Steve asked.

Bucky nodded, "Dr. Ksie explained it that it is basically what happens now. They… fertilize an egg and freeze it. We just… did it the old fashion way and Ellie was frozen with it"

"Damn… so two 100 year olds… are having a… 30 year old baby but the baby is only 8 weeks along and you both look 30?" Sam asked.

"Basically" Bucky told him.

"Some weird world we live in isn't it?" Steve told him, "I'm happy for you two. What are you guys going to do?"

"She's still… really out of it. I was getting worried Steve. She hasn't been well… I'm just glad we know why now" Bucky said.

Ellie rolled over, "Is that Steve?"

"And Sam" Bucky told her.

Ellie pushed herself up slowly and walked over, "Hey Uncle Steve"

"Hey Mommy Ellie… wow that is weird to say" Steve said with a grin.

"I just can't believe our luck" Ellie said as Bucky put his arm around her, pulling her onto his lap, "So where are you guys?"

"Europe right now" Steve told her as Natasha walked by and he watched her.

"Fun or business?" Ellie asked as Steve ignored her, "Steve!"

"What?" Steve asked looking back at the screen.

Ellie tried not to laugh, "Nevermind. We will let you go"

"Alright, I got stuff to do here anyways" Steve told her.

"Love you Steve" Ellie told him.

"Love you more. Bye Buck" Steve said as he hung up.

"So how long do you think Steve has been with Natasha?" Ellie asked.

Bucky laughed, "Steve and Natasha? Nah, last I knew he was with Sharon"

"Who is Sharon?" Ellie asked.

"Peggy's niece" Bucky told her.

Ellie scrunched up her nose in disgust, "Really?"

"Thank you!" Bucky said with a laugh as he laid his hand over her belly, "El…I don't want to upset you but… I have to tell you something and it's been weighing on my mind since you woke up. I've just been a coward and haven't told you"

Ellie's stomach sank, "What?"

"I cheated on you… when I was with Hydra" Bucky said ashamed.

Ellie sighed as she turned around in his lap and touched his face, "Buck… you didn't know that you were cheating on me right?"

"Well no, it felt wrong but I figured it was because I was breaking my conditioning" Bucky told her.

"As long as our baby doesn't have a sibling running around somewhere… I understand. Do I like it? No. I want to be the only woman to ever be with you other than those floosies from your Brooklyn days" Ellie told him with a grin.

Bucky laughed pulling her closer, "Floosies"

"Oh come on Emily Jane, was a floozy" Ellie told him rolling her eyes.

Bucky looked down, "What if I told you that… I know her… still"

Ellie froze, "What?"

"It's not like I am with her or still see her really… actually…if you are right about Natasha and Steve that is really gross" Bucky rambled.

"Natasha?!" Ellie asked sitting up.

"Yes" Bucky said with a sigh.

"But wasn't she like…5 back then?" Ellie asked standing up.

"What?! No, she was like 18. She kept me sane" Bucky told her, "She understood my heart was somewhere else even though I didn't know where"

"No seriously… I'm confused. Steve said she was born in the 80s" Ellie told him pacing.

"80s? No, what?" Bucky asked confused, "We were together before you and I met in Bucharest. Then they discovered us and punished the both of us"

"All that matters is that you don't have romantic feelings for her… right?" Ellie asked looking at him.

"No, I never did honestly. She used to say that love was for children. We kept each other sane" Bucky told her pulling her closer.

"Why has she never mentioned it?" Ellie asked.

Bucky shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe she didn't want to make Steve uncomfortable"

Ellie shook her head then turned towards the computer to change the subject.

"What are you looking up?" Bucky asked.

"Doc said we were eight weeks along… just looking up more information" Ellie told him typing away, "I like these keyboards so much more than typewriters"

Bucky laughed as he lifted up her hair and kissed her neck.

"Okay, so baby B is 3/4th of an inch long… damn" Ellie read, "He is starting to practice moving as his hands and feet have started moving. His face is beginning to take shape and eyes are now hollows on the side of his head. Oh look how cute he is Bucky"

Bucky rested his chin on her shoulder, "You keep calling it a he. Do you want a boy?"

"Honestly… as long as it's healthy I don't care" Ellie told him as his arm went back around her waist and rested over where their baby laid, "But a boy would be easier. I know what to do with a boy"

"Come on… you were such as cute little girl" Bucky told her, "Imagine a little girl, that looks just like you did but with dark curls instead of your blonde ones"

"So you want a girl?" Ellie asked surprised.

"Honey I don't care. Like you said, as long as this one is healthy… I could care less, but I just think a little girl that looks just like you would be adorable" Bucky told her.

Ellie scrolled more through the webpage, "According to this the baby's heart is supposed to beat around 150 beats a minute. What did Nalia say the baby is?"

Bucky frowned, "170s, but she said it was normal"

"Here is the deal" Ellie said as she turned around straddling his lap, "We can't worry ourselves sick with this baby okay?"

Bucky bit his lip and nodded.

"Our baby is going to be fine okay? I have serum running through my veins and you have serum running through yours. That has to make this baby the healthiest baby to ever have lived" Ellie told him.

"Oh shit…are you going to have some super powered baby that is going to punch its way out?" Bucky asked.

Ellie hit him and he laughed as she climbed off his lap, "Not funny"

"It's a serious question, come on El. I am joking though" Bucky said as he pulled her back to him, "Can we consider that a fight?"

Ellie looked up at him, "Why?"

"You know… makeup sex is the best sex" Bucky said with a grin.

"Seriously?!" Ellie said as she rolled her eyes and walked out of the room.

* * *

A/n3: Thank you for reading and reviewing!

 **Sleepingbriarrose12: Thanks for reading and reviewing! I appreciate it!**

 **Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967: Thanks!**

* * *

 **Here is next week's sneak peek:**

Ellie bit her lip, "Buck, what if we..."

"What if we are what?" Bucky asked.

Ellie looked at him with tear filled eyes, "Is it bad of me that when I woke up... I thought things would just go back to the way they were? But... they never will. What...what if... we are just two totally different people now...and things will never be close to what they were?"


	34. Chapter 34 - Church Bells

**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**

 **A/n2: So that new trailer for End Game… I'm not emotionally ready. I haven't decided what to do about Infinity War or End Game right now as far as the story. When End Game comes out I'll decide whether this will go AU totally or just parallel. Thank you to the new followers: Motheroffriedchicken, Mditty123, mossme, stefaniewilliams32, AyeraeW, amandarstogsdill, KayleeFlower23, and JLB429. And I am guessing you guys hated the last two chapters because I received a total of three reviews in two chapters. Remember please drop me a line whether you like it or not so I know!**

* * *

 **She could hear those church bells ringing, ringing  
And up in the loft, that whole choir singing, singing  
Fold your hands and close your eyes  
Yeah, it's all gonna be alright**

 _ **Church Bells by Carrie Underwood**_

* * *

 ***~*~* April 16, 2017- Wakanda's Fields *~*~***

Ellie woke up inside their hut on the Wakandan farm lands and rolled over feeling for Bucky and he was not there. Sighing, she laid on her back. Waking up had not been as easy as she thought it would be. When she first awoke and saw Bucky walk through the doors to their palace room, her brain automatically went to romanticized thoughts. They were in the future, together against all odds. Bucky had risen from the dead, along with Steve and they were all together again.

But it was not 1945, it was 2017 and things had changed. They had all seen more than they should have, they had done things that their 1945 selves could have never imagined. In a perfect world, they would have been able to fall into things as they once had. But as Ellie had found out, by night one, they were different people than they once had been. She and Bucky had fallen asleep late into the night, only after they had moved apart in the bed. It may have been 2017 but in her brain, she had not slept in the same bed with a person outside of Bucharest since two nights prior to his fall.

Bucky had fallen asleep easier but woke her up in the middle of the night in the midst of an intense nightmare. When he finally awoke, he had her pinned to the bed. It had taken him two weeks to come back to the bed with her.

They had just started to get back to a semblance of what they used to have been when she found out that she was pregnant. Bucky had not touched her since. Unlike their previous pregnancy, other than knowing they were pregnant, Ellie really didn't feel pregnant. She had no actual morning sickness still but her appetite was as if she was eating for five instead of two. Thankfully, since she had stayed in the hut instead of visiting the hospital frequently as she was when she first woke up for tests; her headaches had decreased along with the dizziness.

Shuri and Dr. Ksie had came to visit her at the hut and theorized that the headaches that she was having was from her not using her powers. But there was no way to know whether if she used them to test them if there would be any affect on the baby, so she stayed as far away from the palace as she could. She had yet to even set foot in the village. Bucky had only gone a couple times a month since he had woken up and told her that there was not much as far as technology there, but she still did not want to risk it.

Swinging her feet over the bed, Ellie set her feet on the floor. Breathing in, she tried to battle the wave of nausea that was trying to take over. On the small table next to the bed, pieces of toast and jam sat on a plate with an apple that had been cut up alongside bacon. A note sat next to it from Bucky. 'Angel, I am heading out to the fields. One of the elders brought this for you. I didn't want to wake you up. Love Buck'

After quickly finishing her breakfast, she walked out of the hut and stood at the door. Bucky was only about 400 feet away chasing one of the goats and another went under his feet nearly tripping him.

"Damn goat" Bucky said as he went to a knee next to it, "I think I will call you Sam the goat. Sam would get a kick out of that, you stupid goat. Don't eat my shoelace"

Ellie smiled as Bucky laughed as the goat chewed at his fingers.

Daliah, the owner's wife of the hut closest to theirs walked out of their hut and over to Ellie, "Good morning child"

Ellie smiled at her, "Good morning ma'am. How are you today?"

"As good as can I be for my age. I hear whispers around the village. A great blessing has been brought upon you" Daliah said, "What a blessing the Lord has given you"

"Yes he has blessed me. I never thought that I would be nearly 100 years old… wake up 30 and have a baby" Ellie told her.

"The lord has a plan for your destinies and he is sure determined to make sure it comes to pass" Daliah told her.

"It had to be the most difficult plan for him in the history of the world for us three… but thanks to him… it worked and we are here" Ellie told her with a smile.

Ellie's Kimoyo beads went off and she touched the symbol that was lit up.

"Ellie I am glad you answered. We just received word from Captain Rogers that he needs to bring Agent Romanoff to us. She is injured most severely" Shuri told her.

"Oh no, I'll be there shortly so that I can be there when he arrives. Thank you Shuri" Ellie said as she ended the call, "I am sorry Daliah"

"No, go be with family" Daliah told her.

Ellie walked through the field and two goats ran up to her bleating at her legs, "Buck"

"What's wrong?" Bucky asked concerned as he turned around.

"Natasha has been hurt… it's bad I guess. Steve is bringing her here" Ellie informed him.

"Shit, El, if they really are together… Steve isn't going to take this well" Bucky told her.

"I know… Shuri didn't say where they are or how far out they are" Ellie told him, "I told her that we'd go up to the palace and wait until they arrived"

"Come on, we can get the Treni Maglev" Bucky told her as he took her hand.

"The what?" Ellie asked.

"The train" Bucky told her as she waved at Daliah as they ran past.

"It's called the Treni Maglev?" Ellie asked.

Bucky nodded, "It takes you through the farthest parts of Wakanda. We can get off and take the Subway from there to the palace"

"Shit… I've been awake for over a month and I know nothing about this place" Ellie said.

Bucky squeezed her hand, "We have time. Let me know if you get tired. I doubt they will be there by the time we get there"

"Depends where they were. Steve said that they were going to the Middle East last I talked to him" Ellie told him as they got within sight distance of the train depot.

Bucky led her up to the ticket area, "Luhlobo luni lokuqeqesha ukuya kwiTempilence Temple? (When is the next train to the Tranquility Temple?)"

"Isiqingatha seyure" The man replied.

"It's in h-"

"Half an hour, yes I got that. Mnumzana ukhona na ukhetho olukhawulezayo?" Ellie asked (Sir is there any faster option?).

"Hayi, kuphela isitimela" He told her (No, only the train).

"Iikhokiti ezimbini ke nceda" Ellie told him (Two tickets then please).

"560.94 Burr" He told her.

Bucky handed him 600 Burr, "Since when can you talk Wakandan?"

"Shuri has been giving me lessons" Ellie told him as she pointed at her head, "My brain is literally... sped up now so it really only takes me one time reading or learning about something and its stuck"

Bucky took her by the hand and they walked inside the station and sat on a bench.

"I always hated train stations" Ellie told him with a sigh.

Bucky squeezed her hand, "Me too... they always took you away from me"

Ellie looked over at him, "But I always came back"

"That you did" Bucky said as he looked up, "I...I am glad... this weird twist of fate happened and we are back here... in the future, together again. I just wish the circumstances would have happened differently"

Ellie nodded, "I agree...I mean you are 100, Steve will be 100... I am further behind of course but... you've been though so much... so much that I don't think you have even told me the surface of"

Bucky sighed as he let go of her hand, "I don't... I don't want you to be ashamed of me"

Ellie laughed as she looked at the sky trying to get the tears to blink away, "Me ashamed of you? Never. Its all my fault Buck, you should be mad at me"

Bucky looked at her, "What do you mean?"

Ellie sighed, "After Steve went down... I... I lost it. I lost you and him... then the baby... I couldn't handle it. I tried to kill myself"

"What?!" Bucky exclaimed turning towards her.

"I know... but... I felt like I had nothing else to live for and... by some miracle...someone pulled me out of the way of the train" Ellie told him as she blinked back the tears, "I... I couldn't handle being back home and being with Becca and your mom, so when Peggy came to visit... I asked her to REALLY train me. When I went past what she knew, I went to England and worked with MI5... but I knew through MI5 that Hydra was still out there. Not everyone went down with the ship. So I kept searching and I dropped some intelligence to Peggy and Colonel Phillips but... I don't even know if you remember it but... there was an Army base. A man went in that had a metal arm and killed soldiers. But not everyone"

Bucky frowned, "No... I don't remember that"

"You stopped... after you killed two of them and told the third man that you were sorry and that you didn't want to do what you did. I even told Peggy that it sounded like you were being blackmailed" Ellie told him as she looked down at her lap, "But I didn't go looking for you"

"El... babe you didn't know it was me" Bucky told her as he took her hand.

"But then the rumors of a weapon that was fighting back to the Hydra cells, as if it could think... then...before I went on ice the first time, I heard about a soldier attacking some high ranking official. Same characteristics but his wife said that she and her daughter were spared. Described you to a T. And the daughter's name was Elizabeth" Ellie told him, "You faught them so hard and... I could have saved you"

"No... they would have killed you or worse, turned you into a weapon too" Bucky told her, "Angel... the only times I had a clear mind... all I thought of was you. But you were like a fire to keep my memories. They knew about Steve, they brainwashed me into forgetting about Steve but they didn't know about you. They didn't know your name, in all the torture... all I would give them was my angel. You were my anchor. The only times that I snapped out of programming were because of you. Even when I was fighting Steve... I remembered him from when he was sick and battered and bruised from all the fights he used to get in but... saving him wasn't about him, I had to find you and I figured he could lead me to you"

Ellie bit her lip, "Buck, what if we..."

"What if we are what?" Bucky asked.

Ellie looked at him with tear filled eyes, "Is it bad of me that when I woke up... I thought things would just go back to the way they were? But... they never will. What...what if... we are just two totally different people now...and things will never be close to what they were?"

"Oh Angel" Bucky said as he pulled her close to him and kissed the top of her head, "Is this why you've been avoiding me?"

"What? I haven't been avoiding you!" Ellie said buring her face in his chest.

"Yes honey you have. You stay in the hut or with the other ladies and... you rarely... its rarely just us" Bucky told her sadly.

"I... figured you needed your space. You... you won't even sleep in the same bed with me every night" Ellie told him sadly.

"For your safety Ellie!" Bucky said as he stood up, "I could have killed you that night! Not just you but the baby too!"

Ellie looked at him, "Bucky you were in the middle of a dream-"

"It doesn't matter!" Bucky said as the train pulled into the station.

Ellie sighed as it stopped in front of them and Bucky got on. She followed slowly behind, handing her ticket to the conductor.

"Hello ma'am, good day. Happy Easter" He said in English.

Ellie looked at him, "It is Easter?"

"Yes ma'am. The Temple will have their services all day if you are interested"

Ellie bit her lip, "Thank you and Happy Easter to you as well"

Ellie walked through the car and found Bucky in the middle passenger car looking out the window, "Can I sit here?"

"Of course you can" Bucky snapped.

Ellie sat in the seat in front of him as the train started moving, "I'm sorry" She said as she stared down at the hands in her lap.

Bucky sighed, "No, its my fault. I... feel horrible about that night. What if I woke up and it had been your throat that I had been holding down and not your shoulder. What if I woke up from that nightmare and you were dead"

"Buck, I am stronger than you think" Ellie told him shaking her head, "I woke up as soon as you touched me. I knew what you were doing. Do you remember Bucharest?"

"Other than the mindblowing sex? Not much" Bucky frowned.

"We battled and even with your arm, I held my own. I held YOU down. That is how I snapped you out of it. My perfume" Ellie told him.

Bucky looked at her, "You held me down?"

"Yes. We were fighting hand to hand and I flipped and got our of your grasp. Then I flipped you and straddled you. I held your legs with my feet and BOTH arms with just my bare hands. I could feel your arm battling to try to shift and throw me off, then suddenly it stopped moving and was fighting with itself to stop the movement of your arm" Ellie told him.

"Really?" Bucky asked in disbelief.

Ellie grinned as she put down the table in between their seats and rested her arm on the table, "Prepared to battle?"

"Seriously? Arm wresting?" Bucky asked.

"Why? You scared?" Ellie asked with a grin, "Don't want to be beat by a girl?"

Bucky laughed, "There's my girl. No I don't want your feelings hurt when I beat you"

Ellie waved her fingers, "Well let's see what you've got then"

Bucky moved closer and set his elbow on the table then took her hand, "Are you sure?"

"Are you scared Bucky?" Ellie asked.

"Never" Bucky said as he leaned forward and kissed her.

"No cheating. Ready, in 3...2...1" Ellie said, "Go"

Ellie pushed against his hand for two seconds tops, before it hit the table hard, "Stop that! You didn't even try!"

Bucky looked at her wide eyed, "I did so! What the hell!"

"No you didn't. Really try this time" Ellie told him getting closer.

Bucky took a big breath and took her hand in his, "Okay... ready?" She nodded, "3...2...1.. Go"

Ellie felt more resistance this time and could even feel the muscles in his hand tightening and bulging. After 7 seconds, Bucky's arm went down and through the table.

"Shit!" Ellie said moving back, "Sorry"

Bucky looked at her in disbelief, "My god... you... are way stronger than me"

"We never really tested my strength" Ellie told him with a shrug, "But I can lift everything easily"

"No seriously El... I just thought that the serum you got was basically my version. A better version than the super soldiers than they created with Howard's serum. I think you could go against Steve" Bucky said looking at the splintered table between them.

"But do you see what I am saying. I'm not a China doll" Ellie told him picking up some of the pieces off the floor, "Yes I am pregnant but I can hold my own"

Bucky shook his head, "Do you really even know the full scope of your powers?"

Ellie shrugged, "I got them in '49... August 23rd. I blew up the New Years Ball in '49... and I told Howard to put me under when we discovered the research on Cryo. People were injured. So I had them for three months before I went under. Never really got the grasp of them. We just had discovered the persuasion thing"

"Persuasion?" Bucky asked as they stopped at the next stop.

"Back then I hadn't really channeled it but I do have a little control of that one. I blew the breaker in Howard's house and I yelled for him to go flip it. He didn't remember me giving him the directions. He suddenly was in the basement staring at the flipped breaker" Ellie told him as a passenger came on and she licked her lips. She took a breath and cleared her throat speaking in a higher tone than usual, "Sir... go sit in the middle seat in the second row on the left"

The man's face relaxed as he walked down the aisle to the front of the car, stopped at the second row, turned to his left and sat in the middle seat.

Ellie closed her eyes then opened them as they looked at the man, who shook his head then looked out the window.

Bucky looked at her, "Um... okay, did you know your eyes go really weird when you do that?"

"Do they? Do they sparkle or glow?" Ellie asked looking back at him.

"No, well almost like sparkling" Bucky told her, "They get really blue though"

"I was hoping they didn't glow. We really don't know if it pulls in on electricity for that power. I shouldn't have done it with the baby" Ellie said rubbing her stomach.

"So you learned that in three months?" Bucky asked in disbelief.

"Well from when I first had them yes, but I woke up once in '87. Howard woke me up in March... on the 25th. I had him put me under on September 5th though so about 5 more months that time. I thought I was going insane for the last month though. I was so unstable" Ellie told him, "After Hydra took you... I thought I imagined everything. They did tests and they found that I was literally seeing my memories as if they were a picture show. I still can visibly see my memories. But I was seeing you and I thought I was haunted by you. So I went back under"

"So you can manipulate lights, persuade people on top of all me and Steve can do?" Bucky asked.

"I can also see in the dark, my eyes just adjust and let more light in" Ellie told him as she looked out the window at the river that the train tracks followed, "Wakanda is such a beautiful country"

"We have about four more stops. The Mine might have a few people get on if the shifts are over, airport doesn't get many people as it is but a lot will get on at the suburbs" Bucky told her, "I have never had it stop at the silo"

"How much longer do you think?" Ellie asked him.

"45 minutes tops" Bucky told her.

Ellie nodded as she laid her head back on her seat and closed her eyes, resting her hands on her still flat belly.

She heard Bucky moving around after the next stop and looked at him as he came over and knelt down next to her, "What are you doing?"

"Hello pretty lady"

Ellie frowned, "What are you doing?"

"I am just a simple stranger and I came by, and I cannot believe how beautiful of a dame you are" Bucky told her, "You are a swell dish, can I please have this seat?"

Ellie looked at him concerned, "Buck, it's me Ellie"

Bucky sighed, "I know but I am trying to be romantic Ellie"

"Oh!" Ellie gasped with a smile, "Fine… well I am not accustomed to riding with stranger's sir. I am just a simple city girl"

"Sweets, we are not going to be strangers much longer. The name is Barnes, James Barnes but you can call me Bucky" Bucky told her, "I think that you are just ravishing"

"Have a seat Mr. Barnes" Ellie said patting the seat next to her.

Bucky sat next to her, "Shit this doesn't work I can't hold your hand"

Ellie looked around and saw that the only passenger from the mines had sat in the way back of the car and the previous man still remained in his seat up front. Ellie reached down, grabbing the recline lever and pushed Bucky back into a slight recline then straddled his legs.

"Well hello there" Bucky said running his hand up her bare leg, "Mighty forward with a stranger now aren't you?"

"Only the ones I like" Ellie said with a grin.

"Well in that case ma'am" Bucky said as he put his hand under her bottom, picking her up then flipping them so she was reclined and he was leaning over her.

Ellie looked up at him with flushed cheeks and wide eyes.

"How'd I get so lucky to find a dame like you?" Bucky asked shaking his head.

"Well if you'd ask me on a date kind sir, you'd find out if you can keep me" Ellie told him.

Bucky smiled, "Then that's what we'll do… find out who we are from the beginning all over again"

"That sounds lovely. So Mr. Barnes, what is your ideal date?" Ellie asked him.

"How about dinner and dancing? Or even a movie, I'll even buy you a popcorn" Bucky told her.

"Wow, you must be rich. Dinner or a movie?" Ellie asked.

Bucky frowned.

"What?" Ellie asked, "What's wrong Buck?"

"Shit… I never thought of it you know. It's not like I have a job. T'Challa is paying me some money every month to keep security basically on the farm lands and to work with Border Patrol when they need a hand. Babies are expensive" Bucky told her.

Ellie grinned, "Well I haven't exactly looked into it but we should be set"

"How?" Bucky asked.

"Well when I went into Cryo, I had Howard invest what money I had into his Stark Industry stocks. I owned 25% of his company. When I woke up in 87, I found out that Howard kept up with my finances in hopes that I would wake. I then owned 40% of Stark Industries, along with various other things. Plus they deemed you after 25 years, killed in action so your pay went to my trust that Howard was keeping, plus to make it appear that I was still living, he was paying me wages every month and doing my taxes for me. Buck, we don't have to worry about money. I just have to find out how to access it. I mean I was a millionaire back then, I am sure we are pretty set with interest and such" Ellie said touching his face.

"Howard took such great care of you and I killed him" Bucky said sadly.

"No, you didn't… Hydra did. There is a difference. You know if you had ANY control of your mind, you wouldn't have hurt him or Maria" Ellie told him, "I wonder if Tony knows where our money is stored"

"I'm sure he does. Or he can at least know who could" Bucky told her.

"Well, it's not like we can make the phone call from here so… want to neck?" Ellie asked.

Bucky laughed then groaned as the train started stopping causing him to fall back onto the floor on his rear.

The doors opened and about six individuals came in their car.

"Great" Bucky mumbled.

Ellie closed her eyes and breathed in then opened them, "Passengers please move to the first passenger car for your seat. Thank you"

Bucky started to rise and Ellie put her hand on his shoulder forcing him to sit down as all the passengers on their car, walked to the exit of their car to go to the first passenger car.

Ellie closed her eyes then looked down at Bucky, who looked around, "Last time I am using that until we can figure out whether it affects the baby"

Bucky shook his head as he stood up then leaned over her, "So you want to neck huh?"

"Well we never did get to do it as teenagers" Ellie said with a grin.

"No we did not" Bucky said as he kissed her neck causing her to giggle as his beard tickled her.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 16, 2017- Hospital of Wakanda *~*~***

After getting off the subway at the hospital, Bucky took her hand, "El, listen I know you are worried and are getting worked up but we are going into the hospital and there are a lot of really important electronics in there. You have to stay calm"

Ellie nodded, "Agreed"

"Let's go" Bucky said as he squeezed her hand and they entered the hospital.

The hospital was relatively empty after they entered the doors and the receptionist looked up.

"Ndixolele, nguShuri apha?" Ellie asked. (Excuse me is Shuri here?)

The woman looked both she and Bucky over, "Inkosazana isele isele" (The Princess has already left)

Ellie frowned and turned her wrist over, tapping some combinations on her Kimoyo beads.

"Sister Ellie, where are you currently?" Shuri asked as her picture was projected onto Ellie's hand.

"Bucky and I are here at the hospital-"

"No, no sorry. I forgot to notify you. Agent Romanoff was worse than we feared. We are here at the lab" Shuri told them.

Ellie groaned, "It took us three hours to get here, the Metro is running behind so we may be awhile"

"We will have to take the Metro to the transport center at the temple then take the L2 to Kiometer 95 then transfer to the L3-"

"Brother, brother... no need. Go to the palace and I will have transport for you both there. I will send you a Dragonflyer" Shuri told them.

"10-4" Ellie said as she closed the transmission.

"At least its closer" Bucky told her, "let's go, we can take the path"

Ellie let him take her by the hand and lead her back out onto the street, "Wait"

"What?" Bucky asked.

"Listen" Ellie said closing her eyes.

In the distance at the temple, the bells were ringing in celebration of Easter and she could faintly hear singing.

"Easter is the day of rebirth" Ellie said as she looked at him and took his hand then placed their hands on her belly, "Everything is going to be alright... I believe that"

Bucky smiled as he leaned down and kissed her, "I love you"

"I love you more" Ellie told him, "Lead the way"

* * *

a/n3: Thank you for reading. Remember please review so I know how you are liking this story! Thank you to the one reviewer from last chapter!

 **Crysta;-Wolf-Guardain-967: Thanks for reviewing!**

* * *

SNEAK PEEK FOR NEXT WEEK!

" _Steve, she has already lost a lot of blood" Wanda said._

 _Natasha's eyes fluttered open, "Steve?"_

" _I'm here" Steve told her grabbing her blood covered hand._

" _I'm sorry" Natasha said as she coughed and blood flooded down her lips._


	35. Chapter 35 - Hard to Say I'm Sorry

**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**

 **a/n2: Thank you to those who read and reviewed last chapter as well as my new followers! Special thanks to makajo88, nimKypto, ChaseyLane, jtcat305, Lutz0508, psychosae, NICOLE1408 and I Want My Toque for following the story! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **After all that we've been through  
I will make it up to you, I promise to  
And after all that's been said and done  
You're just the part of me I can't let go.**

 _ **~ Hard to Say I'm Sorry by Chicago**_

* * *

 ***~*~* April 16, 2017- Mount Bashenga – Shuri's lab *~*~***

The dragon flyer touched down on the landing pad and Ellie unfastened, grabbing Bucky's hand. She led him to the entrance to the Vibranium lab and they quickly made their way down the walkway to the bottom level where Shuri's lab resided. As soon as they set foot inside of Shuri's lab, the woman herself walked over to them.

"How is she Shuri?" Ellie asked looking over at the team that was running around.

Shuri sighed, "Not good. She suffered a class 4 hemorrhage. She was shot in the back three times. One shot went straight through her grazing her large intestine. Second shot hit her kidney but the third shot…hit her femoral vein and nicked her femoral artery. One of the shots bounced around her internally hitting a few organs"

"Shit, is she alive?" Bucky asked walking up next to them.

"By the grace of God and Captain Rogers, yes. Captain Rogers is type O blood. He used the Quinjet's resources and gave her a direct infusion which gave her a fighting chance. Captain Rogers miraculously landed the Quinjet just as Agent Romanoff coded and was able to administer CPR until my team was able to take over" Shuri told them, "We have lost her twice now on the table but she is a fighter"

"How is Steve?" Ellie asked looking around for him.

"He is in a separate room sleeping. The fact that he had to have given her at least half of his blood supply and did not pass out was amazing in itself. His body needs time to recover in itself" Shuri told her pointing towards the few rooms her lab had, "He is over there in room 4"

Ellie hugged her, "Thank you Shuri, not just for Steve and Natasha but for Bucky too"

"Do not mention it sister. I am just glad to finally have one" Shuri told her with a smile.

Ellie and Bucky walked down to room 4 and opened the door. Ellie paused in the doorway, holding Bucky back when she discovered Steve was not the only one in the room. A brunette young woman, who physically appeared to be very young, looked up at them.

She stood up, hands raised in front of her, "Who are you?"

"Question is, who are you?" Ellie asked seeing red light coming from her hands.

She grinned as she noticed Ellie's eyes glowing, "You are enhanced too"

Ellie frowned, "And you are immune to my persuasion"

Red pulsed clearly through the young woman's hands, "Because I am like you. I am Wanda Maximoff, the Avengers call me the Scarlet Witch"

"Oh you are Wanda" Ellie said as she looked at Bucky, "Remember Steve said she could manipulate energy" She looked back at Wanda, "We mean no harm. I am Ellie and this is Bucky. I am sure Steve has told you about us"

Wanda frowned, "Bucky and I have met, yes but… not you"

Ellie walked over to her and held out her hand, "Hello Wanda, I am Ellie Rogers-Barnes, Steve's sister"

Wanda looked at her in disbelief, "You are supposed to be dead"

"Well as of a month ago, I was to Steve. I was in cryo-freeze" Ellie told her, "I know your powers, Steve told me. Feel free to check me"

Wanda looked at her hand then grasped it in hers, gasping.

Ellie stepped back from her as soon as she let go, "Do I pass the test?"

Wanda sat in the chair next to Steve's bed, "You are all connected so much"

"Who? Me, Stevie and Buck? Yeah we knew that" Ellie told her sitting on the edge of Steve's bed.

"Not just that. I saw your memories… you have met most of the Avengers without them having been Avengers at the time" Wanda told her.

"Wait what?" Ellie asked confused.

"Well Steve obviously, and Tony. But you've met Natasha before when you saw Bucky" Wanda said looking back and forth between them.

"So Natalia is Natasha" Bucky said with a sigh.

"But you also met Thor" Wanda said.

"Wait, Thor is an Avenger? Steve never mentioned him" Ellie said confused.

"He isn't here on Earth right now. In fact we haven't seen him since Sokovia. I really didn't get to know him or Dr. Banner. You haven't met Clint either" Wanda told her, "Also you are pregnant"

Ellie smiled, "Yes we are"

"The child is happy" Wanda told her with a smile.

"Wait, you can sense the baby?" Ellie asked glancing at Bucky, who was frowning.

"Yes" Wanda said as she closed her eyes, "It is still very early but…I just feel a sense of peace and happiness if possible coming from it" Wanda informed her.

Ellie looked at Bucky, "Wanda might be able to tell us about my powers and the baby"

Bucky looked at Wanda, "Ellie is afraid to use her powers. She is afraid that they will affect the baby"

Ellie sighed, "I just don't know the full extent of my powers in the first place. Then I woke up pregnant… doesn't help"

"Wait, you woke up pregnant?" Wanda asked.

"Yes, before I went in Cryo the last time, I ran into Bucky in Romania. I snapped him out of his programming" Ellie told her.

Wanda grinned, "And the first thing you both thought of was let's go screw?"

Ellie looked at her wide-eyed and Bucky laughed, "I like you"

Ellie hit him in the stomach, "James Buchanan Barnes, shush"

"Ah I always wondered where the Bucky came from" Wanda said as she glanced over at Steve, "He is waking"

Ellie took his hand, "Stevie, Stevie wake up"

Steve groaned as he opened his eyes, "Ellie, what are you… oh that's right I am in Wakanda… Natasha!"

"Lay back down" Ellie told him as she pushed him back onto the bed, "She is still in surgery"

"She is still alive?" Steve asked.

"Yes" Wanda told him, "It has been touch and go for awhile though"

Steve closed his eyes and laid his head back remembering what had gone down.

 _Looking over at Natasha and Wanda, Steve peered down at the base down below._

" _Steve, I think we are vastly outnumbered here. Without Sam as our eyes, we really don't know what we are walking into" Natasha told him._

" _Natasha, they killed 31 children. This man is the only one to survive the missile attack. He is the head honcho of the whole operation. He needs to be in custody" Steve told her._

 _Wanda put her energy out, "I sense 4 maybe 5 people in the home"_

" _I will go in first, then you both back me up" Steve told them._

" _Steve I don't think that is… wise" Natasha said as he took off, "God he can be such an idiot"_

" _Let's go" Wanda said as she and Natasha followed and went to the back of the house._

 _By the time they made it into the house, Steve was battling three on one with some of the leader's bodyguards. Two body guards were trying to escort him out the backdoor and Natasha hit the two body guards with her widow bites as Wanda subdued the leader with her powers._

" _I am making him relive the deaths he's caused" Wanda told Natasha._

" _You watch him, I'll go help Steve" Natasha told her as she snuck through the house and saw he was fighting hand to hand with the only guard remaining, then a flash of light caught her eye._

 _A sixth man was in the shadows aiming at Steve's back as he knocked the guard he was battling to the ground and bent down over him._

" _Steve!"Natasha yelled as she threw herself towards him as the shots rang out._

 _As if in slow motion, she shielded him with our own body as she tried to push him out of the way. She felt three piercing blows to her back as she fell to the ground next to him._

 _Steve threw a knife at the man who had shot at him, lodging it in the man's throat, then leaned down over her, cradling her, "Natasha! Natasha… look at me!"_

 _Natasha blinked as she coughed, "Steve…he-"_

" _Shhh… Nat, stay with me. Wanda!" Steve yelled._

" _Oh god" Wanda said as she saw Natasha lying on the floor, a puddle of blood already surrounding her body._

" _We need to get her out of here" Steve told her, "And now"_

 _Wanda lifted her up using her powers, "Let's get to the Quinjet and see how bad it is"_

 _Steve ran as Wanda flew them through the air as fast as she could to the Quinjet. Once they made it, Wanda laid her on the table as she hooked Natasha up to the monitors._

" _Steve, she has already lost a lot of blood" Wanda said._

 _Natasha's eyes fluttered open, "Steve?"_

" _I'm here" Steve told her grabbing her blood covered hand._

" _I'm sorry" Natasha said as she coughed and blood flowed down her lips._

" _Nothing to be sorry for, Wanda keep her alive. I know where to take her" Steve said as she passed out again and he saw that her heart rate was dangerously low._

"Steve?"

Steve blinked as he saw Ellie standing over him, "Sorry, what?"

"I was asking how you are feeling?" Ellie asked moving closer to him.

"Horrible. I should never have gone into there. If she dies, it's my fault" Steve told her sadly shaking his head.

"Well you brought her to the best place that you could Steve" Bucky told him as he put his hand on Ellie's shoulder, "Shuri's team is the best there is. They can work miracles"

"It's the first place I thought of. Shuri was glad to help too" Steve said as he pulled his phone out of his pocket, "We've been here three hours… I wonder how much longer it will take"

Ellie pushed him back on the bed, "You need to rest, and you gave more blood that was humanly possible"

"I'll go check on her" Wanda told him with a smile.

"Thanks Wanda" Steve said as she left.

Steve sighed as he laid his head back and closed his eyes, "I really messed up guys"

"She wouldn't have done it, if she didn't think it was right" Ellie told him pushing his hair back out of his eyes, "She knows what she is getting into with the missions. She knows she has you as her backup. You saved her"

"No… she saved me" Steve told her sadly as he opened his eyes, "Those bullets were meant for me. I could have took the hit"

"Wait, she jumped in front of those bullets for you?" Bucky asked shaking his head, "You punk… you finally found someone that would take a bullet for you"

"It's not like that Buck" Steve told him shaking his head, "We are partners. I would take a bullet for you and Ellie in a heartbeat"

"But we are family" Bucky told him with a knowing smile, "I'd take a bullet for you too but-"

"No, when I had nothing when I woke up, there was Natasha. She was my family until I found you again then you didn't remember me, she was still there. She didn't agree with me finding you but… she helped. She pulled your file from the Shield dump on the internet because she wanted to make sure if I found you and saved you that none of that information would go public" Steve told him, "She was my lifeline in this modern age"

Ellie patted his hand, "Get some more sleep. I'll be right here"

"Yeah punk, we aren't going to leave your side until you tell us to get lost" Bucky told him as he pulled a chair over for him and Ellie.

Steve nodded and closed his eyes, only to quickly fall asleep.

"He is weaker than he wants to say he is" Ellie said as she sat on Bucky's lap, staring at Steve lying in the bed, shaking her head to get rid of the memories of a smaller version of him on a similar hospital bed as he fought for his life.

"How are you feeling?" Bucky asked glancing around, "I've noticed no pulses"

"Actually, I don't have a headache either. It's almost like I feel in control" Ellie told him as she saw Steve's phone on the bed, "In fact, so in control I think I am going to make a phone call on a cell phone"

Bucky chuckled as she got up and grabbed Steve's phone then sat back on his lap. He rubbed her hip with his hand, "Don't short his phone out"

"I won't" Ellie said as she felt the slight pull of her powers trying to drain the battery and willed it to stop and smiled when the battery only dropped 1%.

"Do you even know how to use one of these?" Bucky asked her as she flipped it open then stared at the blank screen.

"Can't be that hard" She said as she looked at the screen and touched it like she had seen Shuri done once before, "Okay that didn't work"

Bucky laughed as he took it from her and used the buttons to pull up the contacts, "Steve struggles with technology. It's not a touch screen"

"I would think touch screens are easier than this" Ellie said as she found Stark under Steve's contacts, "I assume this would be Tony, there is no Tony"

Ellie put the phone to her ear and listened to it ring.

"Well hello there Capsicle"

"Actually Tony it is me, Ellie" Ellie told him.

"Agent Gorgeous, hello. How are you?" Tony asked.

"Doing better, getting more control of everything" Ellie told him.

"Glad to hear it, not that I never enjoyed our conversations but I have a feeling there is a reason you are calling" Tony said.

"Well… first off, there… something happened. Steve, Wanda and Natasha went on a mission and it went south" Ellie informed him as she laid back in Bucky's arm, "Natasha might not make it"

"Shit, how bad?" Tony asked as she heard rustling on the other line.

"Bad enough that Steve gave her a direct transfusion just to get her here to Wakanda and she still died twice on the Quinjet and Steve is passed out because he gave her nearly half of his blood" Ellie told him.

"Fuck, do they have it handled? I have Dr. Helen Cho that can do tissue regeneration and she might be able to help" Tony told her.

"I'll let Shuri know but she sounded like they were going to be able to save her" Ellie told him, "But the primary reason I was calling… when I went under the first time, your dad took all my money and invested it into Stark Industries so that when I woke up again, I'd have money"

"Okay… and you wanted to know where that money is?" Tony asked.

"Well… we don't want to depend on T'Challa's money" Ellie told him, "If we had our own that would be helpful"

"Do you know anything about how he stored it?" Tony asked.

"When I woke up he said that he took the money that I had and invested it into stocks. I owned 25% of the company at that time" Ellie told him as Bucky started drawing on her belly with his thumb.

"Fuck… I have a feeling I know what it is now. Keep going" Tony said as she heard keys clicking in the background.

"When I woke up in 87, Howard had kept up with what he called my portfolio. I owned 40% of Stark Industries and a large part of a company that Howard wanted controlling interest in eventually called Apple" Ellie told him, "But after they refused to listen to his ideas, he said he took the buyout and started Stark Tech with my money."

"Shit… so basically you own Stark Tech? You are Phoenix Trust?" Tony asked in disbelief.

"I guess. But that was just the stocks, Bucky's back pay and your Dad was giving me some money every month to make it appear I was still alive… well until 1975. I know in 1987, I was a millionaire. I had almost 3 million before I bought the house" Ellie told him, "I told Howard to keep paying taxes and everything out of my trust. Steve says he has been keeping up with the house since he's been awake"

"Wait… you have a house?" Tony asked as she heard a ding, "and Steve knew about it?"

"Yeah, he says he goes to it every few weeks" Ellie told him looking at Steve still sound asleep.

"What the fuck…he's lived in this same compound with me and I never knew that. He's stealthier than I thought. Hold on, hey Pepper sweetheart… I have a question" Tony said.

"Tony what is it, I am a little busy" A woman's voice said in the background.

"Um… remember that Phoenix Trust we always wondered about?" Tony asked.

"Did you finally find out who it is?"

"I'm talking to her. You see… Capsicle has a sister, who was friends with my Dad. Dad put all her money into the Phoenix Trust and basically played with her money until she was done being… an Elliesicle" Tony told her as Ellie rolled her eyes.

"Wait what?"

"Put me on with her. What is her name?" Ellie asked.

"The gorgeous and amazing and beautiful Pepper Potts. My fiancée" Tony told her, "Here is Elliesicle"

"Hello?"

"Hello ma'am, I am Ellie Rogers- Barnes. I am sorry that we couldn't have this conversation properly face to face but, as I was telling Tony… who I must say, bravo for being able to keep up with that one. He hasn't gotten any better than when he was a teenager" Ellie told her.

Pepper laughed, "Well thank you, I like you already"

"Exactly! She is the wittier form of Cap with a better sense of humor!" Tony said in the background.

"My apologies Miss Potts, I got off topic. I was part of something Howard developed called the Phoenix project. Have you ever met my brother Steve?" Ellie asked as Bucky started kissing her neck.

"Yes, I love Steve" Pepper told her.

Ellie swatted Bucky away, "Well they tried to recreate the serum they used on him and it was a slight success. Slight in the way that I have powers, where he is just… super in strength and speed. Because of my additional… enhancements, I was not stable so Howard figured out a way to put me into cryo freeze until they could figure it out. He invested my money at that time into Stark Industries" Ellie told her as Bucky pulled her hair up and nibbled on her earlobe.

"I know all about the Phoenix Trust. I am actually the executor until the owner came forth per the contract. So Howard had that much belief that he would be able to cure you?" Pepper asked.

"Howard could be a jackass, but he was an extraordinary man" Ellie told her as Bucky nipped at the spot the drove her crazy and she fought back a moan.

"Like Father like Son" Pepper said, "Well Ellie… let me pull up the record really quick. There is a lot in it though. Like billions"

Ellie coughed as she choked on air and accidentally zapped Bucky, "What?"

"Let's see… at the start of the trust in 1987, Howard took the money from Stark Industries investment and what you had in the bank to create the trust… it was $2,489,745. The bank he had it through… this is amazing, how the hell did he get an 8% interest?" Pepper mumbled as Tony mumbled something in the background, "Per contract, Howard had $2,000 per month pulled into the trust to keep it active. Just with those numbers, the trust sits at $30,227,768 pre-investments"

"So I am a millionaire? I thought you said billion at first" Ellie said looking at Bucky, "We have $30 million"

"Holy shit" Bucky said in disbelief rubbing his stomach where she zapped him.

"That's before investments though. Howard sadly played with your money but it paid off. You own $5 billion in Stark Industries stock and you are a 40% owner of Stark Tech so that sits around 2.5 billion itself. I'd say you were one of the top 10 richest women in the USA right now" Pepper told her.

"Holy…" Ellie said in disbelief.

"Now that you are… active. I'll need you to sign some paperwork" Pepper told her as Ellie heard rapid clicking in the background.

"Well I am currently in Wakanda and I don't really know if I can fly. My powers still aren't completely stable and I'm afraid what it might do to a plane. If I were to surge" Ellie told her biting her lip.

"We can come to visit you guys. It won't be right away. I'll have to get everything drawn up and the lawyers on everything. It will be within the next month" Pepper told her.

"I appreciate it Pepper and I cannot wait to meet you" Ellie told her with a smile as she settled back against Bucky again.

"I cannot wait as well. Hold on, what Tony?" Pepper asked as he said something in the background.

"Bye Agent Gorgeous!" He yelled.

Ellie laughed, "Bye Tony"

Ellie shook her head as she hung up, "Tony hasn't changed at all"

"So you've met all the Avengers just about" Bucky said as he put his hand on her belly.

"How many of them are there?" Ellie asked as she turned in his lap so she was sitting sideways so she could see him, "Steve never really talks about them"

Bucky sighed, "That's my fault. He broke up the band so to speak for me"

"It wasn't you jerk" Steve grumbled.

Ellie and Bucky looked over at Steve to see his eyes cracked open.

"Go back to sleep" Bucky told him as Steve's eyes fluttered shut again.

Steve opened his eyes and yawned, "So you've met my… teammates?"

"Well Wanda of course now, Tony when he was younger but I guess I've met Thor… he is an Avenger? How can he do that from Asgard?" Ellie asked him.

"Wait you met Thor?" Steve asked as he pulled himself up to sit.

"Yeah, when I was trying to break up the Red Room… he saved my life" Ellie told him as Bucky rubbed her leg.

Steve smiled, "Glad he's one of my closest friends"

"He saved my life and I had dinner with him. He told me all about Asgard. He was looking for something, a quest his father sent him on" Ellie told him.

"So Wanda, Thor, Tony…"

"And Natasha" Ellie told him glancing at Bucky.

"El…" Bucky warned squeezing her leg.

"How did you meet Natasha?" Steve asked confused.

"When I went to break up the Red Room" Ellie told him as she sat up in Bucky's lap, "Peggy and Howard sent me in to save the girls"

"But Clint saved Natasha in 2005" Steve said confused.

Ellie sighed as she got up and sat down next to him, "Bucky knew her when she was young Steve, I saw her when she was only 16 at most"

Steve looked at Bucky.

Bucky nodded, "She is right"

"But how? Natasha was born in 1984, she would have been 3 years old in 1987" Steve told her.

"Because she wasn't born in 1984, Steve" Bucky told him, "She was born in the early 70s"

"No, no… she wouldn't lie about that" Steve told him.

"She didn't… she doesn't know" Bucky told him pointing at his head, "Brainwashing remember? Hydra's specialty. They could easily implant memories or erase them"

"Why would they do that?" Steve asked looking at his hands.

"To punish me" Bucky told him as he got up then squeezed Ellie's shoulder and she reached up to squeeze his hand.

"To punish you? Why would Hydra punish you by wiping her?" Steve asked confused looking up at him.

Bucky stared at him for a minute then sighed as he walked over to the window to look out at the Vibranium, "I trained Natasha in the Red Room. For at least two years. They'd wake me up when they needed me to teach her new skill, and I was with her for her first two missions" Bucky told him as he turned around then leaned back against the window, "But… the Red Room handlers didn't have the drugs that Hydra did. So I started… feeling again. Not really remembering but feeling things. I wasn't numb and Natasha… she was very close to me"

Steve glanced at Ellie then back at Bucky, "As in…"

Bucky closed his eyes, sighed then nodded.

Steve shook his head, "No, she was… young"

"She was 16… and willing and wasn't a child anymore. I didn't have my will" Bucky told him shaking his head, "I didn't… It was her way of rebelling against the head lady. It wasn't really romantic it was just…yeah" Bucky said as he sighed, "After a few months of her sneaking off to see me and us having… our rendezvous… I started remembering Ellie. I just didn't know who she was. I just remembered having feelings and serious feelings for someone that wasn't Natalia"

"Natalia?" Steve asked.

"She was Natalia Romanova in the Red Room" Bucky told him, "But they found her, found out about us…"

Bucky closed his eyes and swallowed hard, "They put her in the chair and drugged me… so I couldn't move… I was barely conscious they drugged me up so bad. They made me listen to her screams as they ripped me from her mind…repeatedly until I stood in front of her and she didn't know who I was. It nearly killed her then. That is when they made her go through the graduation ceremony that the other Widows had to go through. I knew she was someone else and not the same Natalia after that. She killed all the other girls. She was their perfect weapon" Bucky sighed. "Then I was deemed not necessary so they wiped me and sent me back to Siberia"

Steve chewed his lip, "So she doesn't know?"

Bucky shook his head, "Hydra was efficient. They had practice with me; she didn't have the bastard version of your serum running through her veins. That's why I had repeated wipings, my brain healed itself if they didn't do it after every mission" Bucky told him as he looked back at him and Ellie, "Hydra didn't know that though"

Steve looked at Ellie, "And you knew?"

"I didn't know that she didn't know. I only knew that the young girl who was working in the house where I found Bucky, was the same when Bucky told me" Ellie told him.

"She doesn't look 46 though" Steve said confused.

"I don't know but… I thought you should know" Ellie told him.

Wanda walked back into the room, "Shuri said everything is going well. That she should be out of surgery soon… what did I miss? The energy in the room is thick"

"Steve didn't know about Natasha and Bucky knowing each other… in their past" Ellie told her.

"Oh, I just thought that Natasha knew how to wall up those memories" Wanda told them looking between Steve confused on the bed, Ellie who appeared torn between comforting Steve and consoling Bucky, who was a jumble of thoughts by the window.

"No, they wiped her like they did me" Bucky told her, "As a punishment, I had to watch her so I know it was done"

"And this was Hydra?" Wanda asked him.

Bucky nodded.

"Why the hell did I ever say yes to them?" Wanda said shaking her head.

"That's how you got your powers?" Ellie asked her.

Wanda nodded holding her hand up letting red tendrils flow, "Human experimentation on myself and my brother. Pedro ran faster than a speeding bullet but not fast enough to avoid bullets when he went to save Clint"

"I'm sorry" Ellie said subconsciously grabbing Steve's hand.

"I'm with the right people now, using them for the right reasons" Wanda told her.

Shuri walked in the room, "Party is in here I guess. Agent Romanoff is out of surgery. They will be bringing her in here"

"Is she stable?" Steve asked sitting up straighter.

"Yes. You saved her life Captain Rogers. Not only was she experiencing blood loss that should have killed her, but her large intestine was hit, her kidney had a bullet lodged in it and a third bullet hit her hip and femoral vein and artery and basically bounced around in her body, hitting her uterine tube, ligaments, went through her reproduction system before ending in her mesentery. A normal person would have died from the femoral artery just being nicked on its own. Captain Rogers, I think the serum in your blood saved her. The serum in her own, isn't as strong" Shuri told him.

Ellie looked at her then at Bucky, who shook his head as if he could read her thoughts.

"Wait, she has a serum?" Steve asked.

"Yes, different markers than your own but it slows down the aging process just the same and speeds up healing, but yours literally Captain, we could see the muscle sewing itself back together. We had to go in and repair her organs but thanks to our technology we could, and our advancements along with the serums saved her. There should be no long lasting damage. It will depend on how the serum works but I could see her being back to normal activity within a month instead of months" Shuri told him.

"Thank you Shuri" Steve told her as Natasha's bed was wheeled into the room.

"Now she won't wake for awhile. She started waking a bit and groaning during her surgery so we had to give her a higher dose. We assume it's the serum" Dr. Ksie told them.

"Thank you" Steve said looking around the people in the room, "Dr. Ksie you have done so much for me and my family. First Bucky, then Ellie and now Natasha… I could never express my gratitude enough"

"How is Natasha, Doc?" Bucky asked.

"She will be fine, it will take about a month but, she is a lucky girl" Dr. Ksie told him, "I have to go check on some other patients but I will be back to check on her later tonight"

"Thank you again Dr. Ksie" Ellie said as he left and she looked at Steve, who was staring at the pale Natasha in the bed next to his, "She is going to be okay Steve"

Steve sighed and closed his eyes, "I feel every bit of my 100 years right now. I haven't felt like this since… 1943"

Ellie laid down next to him resting her head on his chest.

Steve pulled her close to him and kissed the top of her head, "Thanks for being here for me guys"

"Until the end of the line bud" Bucky said as he sat in the chair next to his bed again, "Get some sleep… we aren't going anywhere"

Wanda sat down in the chair by the window, "Same here"

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a/n3: Nearly at 2 months away from End Game! It is coming up fast but not fast enough at the same time. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Now to the reviews:

 **Kat-Sweetheart92: Thank you for reading. As of right now, Infinity War will have a part in this story but at the moment, not sure about End Game until I see it. It all depends on Bucky!**

 **LadyPorterfield: Nat will be alright, so will Steve. Thanks for reading**

 **MommaWolf18: Ellie doesn't even know how strong she is. Thanks for reading**

 **Tori: Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

 **Vintagebaker: Thanks for reading and reviewing**

 **Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967: Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

* * *

 **Now for next week's Sneak Peek of Chapter 36: Iris!**

 _Natasha turned on the water. Grabbing Steve's shirt she pulled him down to her, "Steve, I went through a lot of the files from the Hydra dump. Dr. Reinstein was one of their agents"_

 _Steve stared at her, "Are you sure?"_

" _I'll get Nick to look into it further but… what if Hydra had a hand in her powers?" Natasha asked concerned._


	36. Chapter 36 - Iris

**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**

 **a/n2: Two more weeks until Captain Marvel, what do you think we will learn from it? At this time, there are no plans to incorporate any of that story into this one but you never know depending on how the movie goes! Also there is Russian and Chinese in this chapter, I am not a speaker of either language so the translations were straight from Google.**

 **Thank you to the new followers: RaysonInTheSun, Azura Soul Reaver, AuroraNova46, Kara70, PistolHattersButtercup, SilverMysticDemon, and Badwolffor3ver!**

* * *

And I don't want the world to see me  
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
When everything's meant to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am

~ Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls

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 ***~*~* April 17, 2017- Mount Bashenga – Shuri's lab *~*~***

Natasha felt her consciousness coming back from the drugged dream world that she had been trapped in. She heard the distant sounds of hospital equipment and also snoring and breathing of multiple people. She blinked as she willed her eyelids to open. What appeared to be the starry sky was all that could be seen through the window as beams shone through it over the occupants inside her room. In the bed beside hers, laid Steve sound asleep with his own monitor going strong next to him and on his chest a woman with hair as blond as his usually was. She slept with a smile on her face as he buried his face in her hair. Next to his bed was Bucky asleep in his chair with his feet up on Steve's bed.

"Glad to see you awake"

Natasha looked over at the chair next to her bed, "Wanda"

"You gave us a scare" Wanda told her leaning up, "You died twice on the Quinjet alone"

"That bad?" Natasha asked mentally inventorying her body surprised at the lack of pain.

Wanda nodded, "Your kidney, large intestine, reproductive organs, fracture to your hip from the bullet… femoral artery and vein" Wanda informed her.

"How the hell am I alive?" Natasha asked in disbelief.

"Steve… he gave you a direct transfusion and it was the serum in his veins, along with your own" Wanda told her.

Natasha looked at her after looking away from Steve, "I don't have serum"

"But you do… the Red Room was Hydra. Hydra had their own version of the serum that they had for Bucky. They are identifying the markers in your blood to see if it was close to his" Wanda told her.

Natasha looked over at the trio next to her and bit her lip, "It would explain why I didn't die when James… I mean Bucky shot me before… both times. Or the battle with Hulk... or a lot of times in between" Natasha said.

"You just called him James" Wanda said with a little smile.

"That's his real name on his file" Natasha told her with a frown.

"How about Yakov?" Wanda asked trying to gauge her reaction.

The heart monitor rose as Natasha's heart rate climbed, "How do you know that?"

"Question is… what do you know?" Wanda asked as Steve opened his eyes at the rise in the beeping of her monitor.

"Natasha you are awake" Steve said sleepily.

"Who is that?" Natasha asked pointing to Ellie.

"This is Ellie, my sister" Steve said as Ellie stirred.

Ellie opened her eyes and looked over at Natasha, "Hello Natasha"

Ellie climbed off Steve's bed and walked over to her, hitting Bucky's leg causing it to fall off the bed and he almost slid off the chair, "It's a pleasure to… finally meet you"

Natasha frowned, "You look different in person than you did in your pictures. You… you look familiar"

"Natasha that is what I was telling you about when you woke up. When I met Ellie, she allowed me to see her memories so I could confirm who she was… and I saw you" Wanda said calmly.

"Wanda-" Steve warned.

Wanda looked at him and shook her head, "No, Steve she needs to know" Wanda said.

"We've met before?" Natasha asked confused looking over Ellie, who couldn't be much taller than her. She noticed that Ellie had the same eyes that Steve does.

"I was sent to infiltrate the Red Room by Shield" Ellie told her as she glanced at Bucky who was frowning.

"But… why don't I remember that?" Natasha asked.

"Well you escaped with the other girls when the Winter Soldier defended you all. Then I…screwed that up by breaking him of his programming… then they captured him again" Ellie told her.

"Wait… I knew Bucky back then?" Natasha asked looking at him.

"Yes" Bucky said gruffly.

"When was this?" Natasha asked him.

"1987" Ellie told her.

"What? But I was four" Natasha told her.

"No…" Bucky said as he stood up, "You weren't. What was Hydra's go to thing when they didn't want you to remember something? Wait… Sputnik"

"They wiped me, like they did you?" Natasha asked as she grabbed her head.

"Nat!" Steve said as he stood up as her monitor started going off.

"Wait…" Wanda said as she closed her eyes and felt her energy, "She is remembering"

"I remember…they implanted a word to block her memories like they did with my trigger words but I couldn't say it or else it would trigger my shutdown code" Bucky said, "I never remembered it to even say it until now"

Natasha gasped for air as if she had just ran a marathon and opened her eyes looking over at Bucky, "Yakov"

"Yeah… nice to have you back Natalia" Bucky said.

Natasha frowned, "They… wiped me to punish you"

"they didn't realize that while I cared for you, we were each other's anchors… there was no real romance there" Bucky told her, "At least on my part"

"No, you are right" Natasha said confused, "But now I get where the love is for children came from. It was after us… that is when they did the graduation ceremony"

"But… how am I… I remember being born in 1971 now" Natasha said running her hand over her face, "I remember Russia in the 70s… I remember my parents. Why don't I feel 46?"

"It's the serum. You barely age" Steve told her, "And now we know"

Ellie looked at Bucky and Wanda, "How about we go back to our apartment for the night and let Steve and Natasha get some rest?"

"That is a good idea" Wanda said, "Do you have a room for me?"

"You can use Steve's apartment that he used for the night" Bucky told her.

Ellie leaned down and kissed Steve's forehead, "Night Stevie… try to get some sleep"

"Thanks El" Steve told her as Bucky have him a hug.

Ellie turned around and touched Natasha's hand, "Try to get some sleep and don't let him bother you too much. He can be a talker"

"Enough El" Steve warned.

Ellie grinned, "Remind me to tell you some stories. He was always an annoying little shit growing up" Ellie teased.

"Goodnight Elizabeth" Steve said.

"Oh full naming me, I'm in trouble" Ellie said with a grin, "Goodnight"

"I can't take you anywhere" Bucky said pushing her out the door.

"Are you going to punish me? Put me over your knee and spank me?" Ellie asked.

"I heard that!" Steve yelled.

"I know!"

Wanda laughed, "Your sister is something"

"I'm starting to realize that I only saw the one innocent side of her… Bucky saw all of her" Steve said shaking his head.

"Obviously all of her" Natasha said with raised eyebrows.

"Not you too" Steve groaned lying down.

Wanda laughed, "Good night. I better follow them"

"Good luck, I followed them most of my life… not easy to do. They tend to lose you because they are only paying attention to each other" Steve told her.

Wanda shut the door behind her and smiled as she felt the energy in the room change.

Hurrying after Ellie and Bucky, she caught up with them at the elevator in their own little world.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 20, 2017- Royal Palace *~*~***

After one day, Steve was released from Shuri's lab as Natasha was transferred to the Wakanda Hospital, then she too was released after only two days thanks to the serum running through her veins. T'Challa informed him that the palace apartment that he had used in his previous visits, was now his to use as he saw fit. He was free to make it his own. Wanda and Natasha were also assigned apartments on the same floor.

Wanda had been in Ellie and Bucky's apartment frequently during her brief stay and Ellie found it easy to get along with the young girl. They had similar personalities and after discussing her powers, Ellie realized they were similar in that aspect as well.

Ellie looked at Wanda, who was sitting on the couch next to her as the TV played, "Wanda… you said you thought that would could sense whether the baby felt my powers right?"

Wanda looked at her then turned the TV off, "Yes. So what are your powers?"

"Well I can remember things better now, I read books in hours and can remember them word for word basically. I am strong and I heal fast. My eye sight is insane and I have… a type of night vision. But I can also control lights" Ellie told her.

Wanda turned towards her on the couch, "What do you mean by controlling lights?"

"I can take the light from that lamp and hold it in my hand then transfer it back or to another source" Ellie told her.

Wanda moved closer to her and her power flowed from her hands and surrounded Ellie's belly, "Try it"

Ellie looked at the lamp and held her hand out, absorbing the light into her hand. She then moved it over to the light that was off on the ceiling.

"That was interesting… the baby had no reaction but I could feel the energy flowing through your body. I was almost as if there was electricity flowing through your body" Wanda told her as she got up and turned off all the lights and objects in the room, unplugging all but the small lamp, "Close your eyes and breathe then think about it and will the lamp to turn on"

"You are watching the baby right?" Ellie asked concerned.

"Yes but, I think your body is protecting him" Wanda told her holding her force field around Ellie's belly.

"Him?" Ellie questioned.

"Him, it… I can't tell" Wanda told her as she sensed the baby, "Whenever you are ready"

Ellie closed her eyes and opened them focusing on the lamp. Ellie felt her body pulse and her body tingle as it always used to when she drew energy in. She held her hand out and noticed her arm had beams of light flowing down them as if through her veins down to her hands. She willed the energy to move to the lamp and the light bulb lit up.

Wanda grinned, "The baby didn't feel a thing"

"Did I just make electricity?" Ellie asked Wanda wide-eyed.

"Yeah you did" Wanda told her, "Your power is very similar to mine. I bet after enough practice you could even fly"

"Fly?!" Ellie asked as she heard some music down the hall and deciding to experiment.

Placing her hand on the lamp, she focused and felt as if she was moving through the lines in the walls to Steve's record player. With extreme focus, she turned it off and only a slight sound of a guitar continued.

"Okay that is enough" Wanda said as she heard the music stop, "Was that you?"

Ellie felt something wet on her face and wiped it to find blood, "Oh god, is-"

"The baby is fine but you almost depleted your energy. You have to slowly build it up. The baby… it almost has a shield as if it's learned to shield itself from your powers" Wanda told her as she jumped up to get her tissues, "I can create a similar shield so it's possible"

"Until I get stronger, let's keep this to ourselves" Ellie told her wiping her nose, "I don't want to worry Steve and Bucky"

"I will say, I've heard that my eyes glow red when I use my powers but… your eyes are beautiful when you use yours. They… sparkle like diamonds" Wanda told her.

* * *

Bucky was walking down the hallway and heard a song he hadn't heard since he and Steve lived together in Brooklyn. The song stopped and Bucky heard sniffling as a guitar melody continued.

Walking over to the door, Bucky pushed Steve's apartment door open to look inside. Shutting the door behind him, he walked back to Steve's bedroom and saw Steve was holding his guitar and stopped as a sob took over. Bucky walked over to him and sat in front of him.

Steve looked up, "Buck… I-"

"You never have to pretend with me Steve" Bucky told him as he hugged him.

Steve held onto him, "I thought I lost her. It was like losing you all over again"

Bucky patted his back, "She's still here, I'm still here and Ellie is still here. Natasha is still here"

Steve sniffed and wiped his eyes.

Bucky shriveled up his nose as he felt his shirt was damp, "Eww Steve, you got snot or something all over me"

Steve chuckled, "I figured I better get you ready for the baby and throw up"

Bucky leaned back against Steve's bed and Steve sat back next to him, "I don't know… do you think I can be a good Dad?"

Steve nodded then looked over at him, "You are going to be a great Dad Buck. Look how good you took care of me when we were growing up. We don't know what is going to happen in the future but with your serum and Ellie's serum… this kid will have to be the healthiest kid in the world. If I had a kid, even with my serum… they'd probably have some of my health issues"

"There are medications and stuff for that now. We didn't have those luxuries back then" Bucky said as he grabbed Steve's guitar off the floor and strummed down the strings, "I miss having an arm. Play me something"

"You know, I've never played for anyone but you" Steve told him as he took it.

"Because you have always been embarrassed by it. Dames love musicians" Bucky told him closing his eyes.

Steve shook his head as he strummed a few notes, "I need all the help I can get in that department"

Bucky nudged him with his shoulder socket, "So what is up between you and Natasha?"

Steve rolled his eyes, "Nothing is going on. We are just friends"

"Friends that would jump in front of bullets and nearly kill themselves for you… alright" Bucky said closing his eyes.

"Do you want a new arm?" Steve asked playing a simple melody.

Bucky looked over at him, "Don't think I didn't notice the subject change" He said with a sigh, "I know Shuri is positive that she got all the trigger words out but… all of it is still in there… all the memories from when I was… him. I guess I am just afraid that… if I had a new arm that… he might take over again"

Steve shook his head, "You don't realize how strong you are Buck. The only reason that you went into full Winter Soldier was because you didn't have your memories. Now you do, they are back and you won't let it ever happen again"

Bucky sighed and closed his eyes and he leaned back against Steve's bed, "Maybe I'll talk to Shuri… I really want to be able to hold my kid and do all that fun stuff"

"You know… it's not in my cards to have a kid. I shouldn't even be here right now… I should have died in the 1920s from pneumonia or scarlet fever… but now I get to be that cool uncle that spoils them rotten and gives them tons of sugar then sends them home" Steve said with a grin.

"You punk, you do that and I'll have a special sleepover at Uncle Steve's house in the middle of the night" Bucky told him.

Steve sighed, "Do you think we will ever get home? Will the accords end? Will you be seen as innocent?"

"I would love and I am sure Ellie would too, for the baby to be raised back at home but… until that is an option this is a pretty good place to start over" Bucky told him.

Ellie's head poked into the room, "Thought I heard you playing guitar"

Steve looked at her surprised, "You know I can play?"

"Since you were younger" Ellie said as she sat down next to Steve on his other side and took his hand, "Mr. Cooper gave you his guitar right? I used to hear you out on the fire escape playing"

"You and Mom never said anything" Steve said.

"It was your…special thing. We never wanted to bother you" Ellie told him, "Mom and I tried to let you have as normal life as possible and what freedom you could have"

Steve looked over at her, "What do you think Mom would… think of… all this?"

"Well I know she'd be so proud of you. I think that she would have been upset about Project Rebirth but would have been so relieved at the same time" Ellie told him shaking her head as she laid her head on his shoulder, "We used to be so worried about you all the time. Whether you were getting enough to eat, whether you were warm enough… I don't know how many times I would wake up in the middle of the night to make sure you were still breathing and mom was sleeping in your room"

"Really?" Steve asked.

Ellie nodded against his shoulder, "I remember many nights waking up and you would be shivering so I'd just crawl into bed with you to keep you warm… in fact first time Bucky and I ever slept in the same bed, you were between us"

Bucky grinned as he glanced over at her, "I forgot about that"

"When was that?" Steve asked glancing between the two of them.

"I was like 12 or 13" Ellie told him looking at Bucky for confirmation.

"Sounds about right" Bucky said nodded.

"You and Bucky were having a sleepover and Mom was working a double. I woke up to check on you by pure habit and Bucky was just staring at you. Your teeth chattering woke him up. So I told Bucky we needed to warm you up. So we climbed in there with you and all of us ended up falling asleep in your little tiny bed" Ellie said with a smile.

"Didn't your mom come and wake us up and tell us to go to our own beds and me the couch?" Bucky asked with a smile.

"Mom wasn't stupid, she knew my feelings for you even back then. Especially when she woke me up and I was sprawled out on top of you more than I was on Steve" Ellie said as Natasha waltzed in the bedroom and froze as she saw them, "Hi Natasha"

"Hey…" Natasha trailed off.

Steve looked at her and smiled getting up causing Ellie to fall against Bucky, "Need anything?"

"I was wondering if you wanted lunch. Thanks to you I'm hungry all the time now" Natasha teased.

"Welcome to the Super Serum club… now imagine eating for two on top of it. I swear I am in the kitchen more than I am out of it. I'm hungry too" Ellie said as she got up and held her hand out for Bucky then pulled him up causing him to stumble, "Sorry"

"Steve remind me after lunch to have Ellie challenge you to an arm wrestling competition" Bucky told him causing Ellie to laugh.

"Why?" Steve asked holding his apartment door open.

"You'll see" Bucky said as they walked to the community kitchen, "You guys have a seat. I'll make lunch"

"I'll help" Natasha told him, "Three hands are better than one"

Ellie and Steve sat at the island next to the kitchen and Ellie picked up the book she had been reading about the 60s.

"Я рад, что он снова ее получил. Он скучал по ней, и вы тоже (I'm glad he has her again. He missed her, and you too)" Natasha said as Bucky collected ingredients.

Bucky stopped and looked at her then Steve, who looked between them, "I'm glad to have them both back too"

"Ты не понимаешь, как тяжело он это выдержал, когда проснулся, а она ушла, а тебя нет Он был потерян. (You don't realize how hard he took it when he woke up and she was gone, you were gone. He was lost.)" Natasha said as he handed her some pasta and sauce that he found in the cabinet.

Bucky sighed as he lowered his head then looked over at her, "Я понял, он никогда не делал добро сам (I figured, he never did good on his own)"

Natasha looked at him, "Я честно думал, что он был самоубийством. Так что я застрял у него в начале (I honestly thought he was suicidal. So I stuck by him at the beginning)"

Bucky looked at the pot of water, he had put on the burner, "Как брат, как сестра тогда (Like brother, like sister then)"

Natasha stared at him then glanced at the siblings talking about the book Ellie was reading, "Нет, не Элли" (No, not Ellie)"

Bucky poured the pasta into the now boiling water, "Да, выяснил это. Она пыталась после моей смерти (Yes, found that out. She tried after I died)"

"We are right here you know" Ellie said looking over at them.

"We aren't saying anything bad. Just talking about the past" Natasha said with a shrug.

"Sure" Ellie said going back to her book.

Natasha glanced at Bucky then back to Ellie, "Может ли она говорить по-русски? (Can she speak Russian?)"

Bucky looked over at Ellie to see a small smirk on her face as she discussed what happened in 1964 with Steve, "Нет, я так не думаю. Я случайно говорил по-русски, занимаясь любовью на днях. Кажется, она этого не понимала (No, I don't think so. I accidentally said some Russian while making love the other day. She didn't seem to understand it)"

"Так мило, заниматься любовью (So cute, making love)" Natasha teased as she started the sauce on the stove.

"Закрой это Романофф (Shut it Romanoff)" Bucky said glancing over at Ellie and Steve, "Так что происходит с тобой и Стивом? (So what is happening with you and Steve?)"

"Stivom? Hmmm Elli… and now Stivom? Sure sounds like they are talking about us El" Steve said looking at them with a grin, "it's not nice to talk about people behind their back… or in front of them in a different language"

Bucky shook his head as he took a drink, "Если мы скажем что-нибудь с их именами, Стив и Элли ничего не узнают. Мы могли бы буквально сводить их с ума (If we say just anything with their names Steve and Ellie won't know a thing. We could literally drive them crazy)"

"Oooh, я знаю, задавайте глубокие личные вопросы, которые он никогда не хотел бы знать, например, сколько вам было лет, когда вы с Элли спали вместе впервые? (Oooh I know, ask deep personal questions that he never would want to know, like how old were you when you and Ellie slept together for the first time?)" Natasha asked with a grin looking at the siblings.

Bucky rolled his eyes, "Он знает, что во вalремя нашего медового месяца (He knows that, on our honeymoon)"

Natasha shook her head, "Конечно, вы были традиционной парой 1930s годов (Of course, you were the traditional 1930s couple)"

"Не сказал бы так, мы также просмотрели целую коробку презервативов на нашем медовом месяце (Wouldn't put it that way, we also went through an entire box of condoms on our honeymoon)" Bucky told her.

"Таким образом, вы были тогда еще (So you were a stud even back then)" Natasha said as she took the pasta off the stove and drained the water.

"Только для нее (Only for her)" Bucky told her as he glanced at Ellie with a smile, "Что насчет него? Что-нибудь случилось? (What about him? Anything ever happen?)" He asked looking at her.

Natasha shook her head, "Нет, не между реальными нами. Играя роль и стараясь не быть убитым на задании, да, но это все (No, not between the real us. Playing a role and trying not to be killed on a mission, yes but that's it)" Natasha told him pouring the sauce over the pasta.

"Хотели бы вы, чтобы это было реально? (Would you want it to be real?)" Bucky asked.

Natasha sighed as she leaned on the countertop with both hands and looked at him, "Я не знаю. Я видел его с Пегги, он отличается от тебя. Счастливее. Когда он думал, что ты умираешь, он не мог справиться с этим. (I don't know. He deserves much better than me)" Natasha told him.

"Ты делаешь его счастливым, вот и все, что имеет значение (You make him happy, that's all that matters)" Bucky told her.

"Я думаю, это не было бы плохо. Я забочусь о нем (I guess it wouldn't be a bad thing. I care about him)" Natasha said glancing at Steve, "Плюс он действительно милый в режиме капитана. Интересно, переведет ли это в спальню? (Plus he is really cute in Captain mode. I wonder if that would translate to the bedroom)"

"Вы можете заставить его покраснеть легко, если вы скажете ему, что у него красивая задница, он изменит цвет ваших натуральных волос (You can make him blush easy, if you tell him he's got a nice ass, he will turn the color of your natural hair)" Bucky told her with a laugh.

Natasha laughed as Ellie coughed on her water that she had just drank, "Вы поняли каждое слово, которое мы сказали, не так ли? (You have understood every word we have said haven't you?)"

Ellie grinned sheepishly, "Da"

"You speak Russian?" Bucky asked her in disbelief.

"What?" Steve asked looking at Ellie.

"Possibly. I know a few languages. My brain is basically sped up on the serum so I understand stuff pretty fast" Ellie said shrugging, "When you woke up… you spoke it in your sleep. I took some lessons with MI5 but Shuri helped me with a program to learn it now"

"What languages do you know?" Natasha asked.

"English obviously, French, German, some Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Korean, Romanian, and…Italian, oh and Gaelic" Ellie said.

"Well lunch is ready" Bucky said as he mixed the pasta in with the sauce then added cheese.

They all sat down and ate, then Ellie looked at Steve, "Which languages do you know Steve?"

Steve chewed as he thought about it, "German, Spanish, Japanese, French and Italian"

"I can speak French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Latin and Japanese, I can just understand others though" Bucky told them.

"所以你們兩個都不懂中文? (So neither of you know Chinese?)" Ellie asked.

Both boys stared at her confused.

Ellie grinned and looked at Natasha, "好吧，至少如果我們想要進行私人談話，我們可以用中文一起說 (Well at least if we want to have a private conversation we can speak together in Chinese)"

Natasha laughed, "真正 (True)"

"但是，一個簡單的問題，你和我的兄弟睡了嗎? (One quick question though, have you slept with my brother?)" Ellie asked.

Natasha looked at her, 那事和你沒關係。我們只是朋友。他太...純粹了(That's none of your business. We are just friends. He is too... pure)"

"他並不像他看起來那麼純潔。從高中開始就沒有 (He isn't as pure as he seems. Hasn't been since high school)" Ellie told her.

Bucky looked between the two girls then to Steve, "Okay now I get how annoying it is for someone to talk in front of you in a different language about you" Bucky said.

Natasha looked at her, "真？中學？ (Really? High school?)"

"是的，來吧他差不多100歲了。如果有感情，不要害怕採取行動。我幾乎可以保證他們是共享的 (Yes, come on he is almost 100 years old. Don't be afraid to act on it if the feelings are there. I can almost guarantee they are shared)" Ellie told her as she finished her lunch then stood up and washed her plate, "Ok Steve, want to do this arm wrestling thing? I want to go take a nap now that I have a full belly" Ellie asked as she turned around and looked at them.

Steve looked at Bucky, who was grinning.

"What? I really want to see this" Bucky said.

"Seriously?" Steve asked looking between them.

Ellie rolled her eyes, "He just wants to know if I will beat you since I beat him" Ellie told him

Steve looked at her, "You beat Bucky?" Steve skeptical.

Ellie nodded as she went over to the table, "I really don't know my strength. Howard never really measured it in any way"

Steve sat next to her and glanced at Bucky, who was grinning with a bit of his tongue sticking out, "I really don't like how eager Buck is. I think this is the most excited I've seen him since he woke up"

Ellie laughed as she rubbed Bucky's arm, "Relax a bit Bucky. I won't be strong as Steve"

"You might" Bucky said as he sat on the other side of the table.

Steve put his hand in hers, "On three?"

Ellie nodded.

"1…2…3" Steve said as Ellie quickly pinned his arm.

"Ha!" Bucky yelled jumping up.

"I didn't even get a chance to try!" Steve yelled looking at her.

Natasha looked at Ellie apprehensively.

"Sorry, I went on three" Ellie defended.

"Gees Louise El" Steve said as they put their arms up, "Go on what would be four"

"Fine" Ellie said moving closer to the table..

"1…2…3" Steve said.

Ellie pushed against his arm and felt more resistance than she did with Bucky.

"You are strong" Steve said as their arms went back and forth as to who was closer to the table.

Ellie nearly had Steve's arm pinned when his strength resurged and their arms were equal again. Ellie took a big breath and pushed hard against his hand.

Steve yelped as his hand hit the table hard and pulled away his hand shaking it, "You shocked me"

"Sorry" Ellie said shaking her hand, "You were about to win before that. Sorry I didn't mean to"

"I mean not a little shock… a full out electric shock" Steve said staring at his hand.

Bucky looked at her, "The lights didn't even pulse"

Ellie shrugged sheepishly, "I've kinda been working with Wanda. She sensed the baby and it is shielding itself, so it's okay. We have similar powers, me and Wanda that is" Ellie told Bucky, "From what Wanda and I are figuring out… I can pull energy but… I can also create it"

Ellie held her hand out and closed her eyes, opening them she focused energy into her hand. As it had done before, energy flowed through her arm to her hand making it spark and glow in her hand.

"Your eyes… they sparkle" Steve said staring at her hand.

"Wanda thinks I might be able to fly once I get more control of them" Ellie said as she closed her eyes and stopped the light in her hand, "But I really don't want to explore the full extent until after the baby is born"

Bucky looked at Steve, "We got the short end of the stick"

Natasha looked at her, "You've been working with Wanda?"

Ellie nodded, "She sensed the baby to make sure it wasn't being… hurt by my power but I really only used like half strength" Ellie told her placing her hand on her still flat belly.

"What strength was that?" Steve asked.

Ellie looked at him, "Like 25%"

"Wait what?" Bucky asked surprised.

"Yeah, I used about 75% or maybe a tad bit more when I was working with Wanda and I got a nose bleed so I haven't tried it again" Ellie told him sitting back.

"I still wonder how Howard changed everything to get you your powers" Steve said.

Ellie shrugged, "Who knows. He administered the serum and I didn't get closed in the pod like you but they shocked me. I think something about the electricity did it"

Steve sat up straighter and glanced at Bucky then Natasha, "They shocked you?"

Ellie nodded, "I had little pads all over my body and they literally put electrical charges to ramp up the serum and activate my muscles. It was so painful" Ellie said as she shook her head and closed her eyes, "Then the numbing agent quit working on my vocal cords and I broke all the windows-"

"Numbing agent?" Steve interrupted, "I never got anything other than penicillin"

Ellie looked at him, "He said he learned from you, how you screamed. He was afraid it would damage my vocal cords"

Natasha sat next to Steve, "And you just happened to get powers using your voice" Natasha said.

Ellie bit her lip in thought, "I've never thought of it but… he also put drops in my eyes and I have vision powers"

Natasha looked at Steve then at Ellie, "What was the doctor's name?"

"Dr. Reinstein, he was Erskine's assistant for Project Rebirth" Ellie told her, "He cracked the formula to key it to my DNA"

Natasha nodded and gave Steve a look, "Hey Steve, do you have any of my favorite wine?"

Steve frowned, "Should you be drinking with the meds?"

"Just help me" Natasha said as she pinched him then got up and walked into the kitchen, "Nevermind tea sounds better. Anyone want some tea?"

"Sounds good to me" Ellie said as Bucky took her hand in his then started examining her palm.

Natasha turned on the water. Grabbing Steve's shirt she pulled him down to her, "Steve, I went through a lot of the files from the Hydra dump. Dr. Reinstein was one of their agents"

Steve stared at her, "Are you sure?"

"I'll get Nick to look into it further but… what if Hydra had a hand in her powers?" Natasha asked concerned.

"What means would they have had to do it though?" Steve asked.

"Means for what?"

Natasha and Steve jumped.

"I nearly thought you guys were in here making out, but you weren't. You are keeping a secret" Bucky said turning the water off, "What is it?"

"Nothing, just a mission we were supposed to look into for Fury" Natasha told him.

Bucky grabbed a bottle of water out of the refrigerator, "I'm onto you guys"

* * *

a/n3: So Hydra possibly was involved in Ellie's powers. What do you think? Please review so I know! Thanks to the following people for their reviews!

 **AuroraNova46: Thank you for reviewing. I hope you enjoyed this chapter**

 **Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967: Thank you again for reviewing! I appreciate the kind words!**

* * *

Here is your sneak peek of next week's chapter, Haven't Met You Yet!

 _T'Challa walked into the living quarters, "Hello everyone"_

" _You do know that all this" Tony said pointing towards everyone, "Is all breaking the accords right?"_


	37. Chapter 37 - Haven't Met You Yet

**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**

 **a/n2: Not a whole lot of response for the last few chapters. Please remember to read and review so I know people are reading this, whether it is a love it or more soon! Thank you to the new followers: sweetreader, liveyourlife-ria, Sliverkitsunegrlangel, Role with life, reannah, April2016, cometothedarksidewehavecookies, and sierra halle**

* * *

 _You'll come out of nowhere and into my life_  
 _And I know that we can be so amazing_  
 _And baby your love is gonna change me_  
 _And now I can see every possibility_

 **~ Haven't Met You Yet by Michael Buble**

* * *

 ***~*~* May 9th, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie woke up on the morning of her 12th week doctor's appointment and ran her hand over onto Bucky's spot. Sighing when she felt the empty bed, she sat up rubbing her eyes. Getting up, she walked over to the closet and grabbed her normal every day wear, a tank top and shorts. The weather in Wakanda had turned hot and humid within the past month. Every day like clockwork the rain would start around 3pm and it would cool everything down if you were lucky until the sun set. If not, the sun would make everything into a steam bath instead.

Walking out of her and Bucky's apartment in the palace, she walked to the community kitchen to see Natasha and Wanda already eating.

Wanda looked over at her, "Mor…" Wanda said as she squealed.

Ellie covered her ears, "What was that for!"

"You are showing!" Wanda said as she walked over to her, "Oh it's so cute! I've been communicating with it for a month now but I can see it!"

Natasha swallowed the bite she was chewing on, "Barely, but yes you can tell there is something there now"

"Anyone know where Bucky is?" Ellie asked walking into the kitchen, "I woke up and he is gone"

"Steve went out running earlier, Sam came last night after we all went to bed" Natasha told her looking at her over her spoon, "Does he usually run with Steve?"

Ellie laughed looking through the cabinets, "Not that I know of. I didn't realize Steve was a runner"

"Oh yeah" Wanda said nodding, "Every day before the sun comes up"

"My Steve?" Ellie asked pouring herself a bowl of cereal, "I guess now that he can, he would. Only time you will catch me running is if I am running away from something or to save someone"

"Amen girl" Wanda said high fiving her as she walked past.

"You are having your checkup today aren't you Nat?" Ellie asked sitting next to Wanda.

Natasha nodded, "Hopefully they give me the all clear so I can get back out there. There is a mess in the Middle East and we were just starting to crack the surface"

"Be careful though. Steve cares about you a lot" Ellie told her as she took a bite.

Natasha sighed, "I didn't think, I just reacted. Steve… he probably could have taken those bullets a lot better than I could have but…" She trailed off as they heard laughter from the elevator.

A hot and sweaty pair of men stepped off the elevator. Both were shirtless and Steve had just pushed Bucky, who had fallen into the wall leaving a small dent.

They both stopped when they saw the girls staring at them.

"Hey guys" Steve said scratching the back of his neck.

Bucky looked at Ellie, "What's wrong?"

"I… I have something to show you… in the room" Ellie said as she grabbed his hand and led them back to their apartment.

Wanda snorted into her cereal as they heard the door slam, "Word of warning, don't go back there unless you absolutely have to for awhile"

"Why?" Steve asked as he walked into the kitchen.

"Never mind" Wanda said giving Natasha a knowing look.

"You have your checkup today right?" Steve asked opening the refrigerator.

"Yes, I hope they give me the all clear so I can get back to everything. Fury even called me asking if I was ready to go back, I guess there is something else that went down in Syria" Natasha told him as he opened the bottle of water and tilted his head back, downing it without having to breathe.

"I… what is that?" Steve asked as he heard something as he threw away the bottle.

Wanda snorted and coughed on the milk in her cereal.

"Nothing Steve, so… Steve, Steve don't go down there!" Natasha said as Steve walked down towards the apartments.

"I hear… oh my god" Steve said covering his ears as he walked quickly back to the kitchen.

Wanda fell out of her chair laughing, "She told you not to go down there"

"That's my sister!" Steve said turning on the water, "God, now that I've heard it I can't not hear it"

Natasha tried to keep her straight face but started cracking up too.

"Funny, real funny" Steve said as Ellie let out a particularly loud moan, "Godddd"

"Steve, they are married and they are pregnant, obviously it happens" Natasha told him.

"Still… that's my best friend and my sister… it suddenly got weird" Steve said as he heard Ellie say 'Harder', "Okay I'm out of here"

Natasha laughed as she stood up, "Come on, let's go on a walk. I wanted to go into the town anyways before my appointment"

"Gladly" Steve said as he grabbed a shirt and put it on following her to the elevator.

* * *

Ellie sighed as she opened her eyes. Smiling she looked to see Bucky was sound asleep as she laid on his chest.

Laying a light kiss on his chest, he groaned, "Seriously Ellie, you tired me out… let me rest a little"

Ellie giggled against his skin, "You weren't a onetime man before"

Bucky cracked one eyelid open and looked at her, "Really? Angel that was five in a row thank you very much"

"Which for us… is like one" Ellie told him as she straddled his waist.

Bucky groaned as he grabbed her hips as she moved against him.

"Okay, my serum can't be super soldier… mine has to be more like half super… more like great soldier… really solid" Bucky said grinning up at her.

"That you are" Ellie said leaning down and kissing him.

"Hmmm we never got to this point with the other baby. The Doctor Spock book said it would come but… I like it" Bucky said as he put his arm around her and flipped them over.

He leaned down and kissed her neck when a knock came on their door.

"Um… Ellie, your doctor's appointment is in an hour" Natasha said.

"Mood killer!" Bucky yelled to the door.

"Bucky shhh!" Ellie said giggling as she cleared her throat, "Thanks Natasha, I'll be out in a second"

"Oh no you don't, you got the engine going… you have to keep it going" Bucky said running his hand up her side.

"Bucky stop, we have our appointment in an hour" Ellie said as she pushed him back onto his back on the bed, "She said that we can get the first ultrasound today. I want to see the baby" Ellie said as she stood up and went to the closet.

Bucky sat up, "Wait we can see the baby?"

"Yes, so get up" Ellie said throwing clothes at him.

Bucky got up and put his clothes on.

Ellie walked out of their apartment, "Hey Nat, ready?" She asked as she saw Natasha sitting in the sitting area watching TV.

Natasha shook her head, "You two… poor Steve. You do remember he has super hearing right?"

"Wait what?" Ellie asked confused.

Bucky laughed as he walked over pulling his shirt on, "I think Steve heard stuff that he wishes he hadn't Angel"

"From who?" Ellie asked still confused.

"Us… in our bedroom" Bucky explained with a grin.

"Why was… oh shit" Ellie said groaning running her hand over her face, "Super hearing"

Bucky and Natasha laughed and Ellie elbowed him.

"That is embarrassing!" Ellie told him, "What if we would hear Steve in that way"

Bucky snorted, "He'd actually have to have sex to do that. I don't think he even… never mind"

"Ewww Bucky" Ellie said covering her ears, "Let's just drop this and go"

* * *

 ***~*~* May 9th, 2017- Wakanda Hospital *~*~***

Natasha laid on the table in the hospital as Dr. Ksie scanned her body with his kimoyo bead and projected her body on the display screen.

"This is just amazing… even by our medical and technological standards" Dr. Ksie said as he looked at Natasha, "You are… from what I can tell 100% healed. I don't even perceive any scar tissue. The organ injuries, the fracture… from appearances and all my findings, they are all healed. It's truly remarkable"

Natasha pulled her shirt down and sat up, "So I can go back to normal activities?"

"I don't advise being shot again but physically you can go back to all normal activities with the normal precautions, even lifting… which I assume with Captain Rogers serum you can lift more now" Dr. Ksie said.

Natasha looked over at Ellie and Bucky, "We should have a contest or measure just how strong we all are"

Ellie looked over at her, "We actually discussed this because I really don't know the range of my abilities. I really don't know how to quantify it though"

"If you are interested I am sure we could attempt to quantify and measure your abilities. At the very least how much you can lift or how fast you can run" Dr. Ksie told her.

"What about… other abilities?" Ellie asked.

They all looked at her.

"What you do mean by other abilities?" Dr. Ksie asked interested.

"I can control electric I guess you can say, I thought it was just lights but I basically can control forms of electricity" Ellie said, "I put my hand on a lamp in our apartment and turned off Steve's record player in his room the other day"

"So your powers can travel?" Dr. Ksie asked curious.

Ellie nodded.

"We won't do it here but next time you are in the lab we can test them out a bit. Are you two ready to see your baby?" Dr. Ksie asked.

"Do you think that we will be able to see the sex of the baby?" Ellie asked as she climbed onto the bed.

"No, next ultrasound… more than likely. Honestly every baby looks more like a girl at this stage. If it is a boy, the testes haven't dropped yet" Dr. Ksie said.

"Do you guys want me to leave?" Natasha asked pointing at the door.

"Hell no" Shuri said as she walked over, "We are going to be the Aunties. We have to be here for this"

Bucky looked at Ellie, "We should have invited Steve"

"Hold on" Natasha said as she called him, "Hey Steve, where are you? No, nothing is wrong. We were just wondering because I'm going to be here for the ultrasound and so is Shuri and… alright see you in five"

"Where was he?" Bucky asked Natasha.

"He said that he would see us in five minutes" Natasha told him.

"So Ellie, while we wait. How are you feeling?" Dr. Ksie asked.

"Honestly, amazing. I really didn't have any morning sickness but the nausea that I did have, is gone" Ellie told him.

"Well, we will double check through the ultrasound but you should be around 12 weeks. Your uterus should be moving upward in your abdomen so less trips to the bathroom in your future. The tiredness should be going away but the headaches and dizziness will continue, especially with your body just because of the baby's needs. We drew some blood and let's see…" Dr. Ksie said looking at the results on his tablet, "All the levels look great. Pretty near perfect in fact. From these preliminary blood tests, everything is looking to be right on track"

"So doesn't appear that the serums are causing anything abnormal?" Ellie asked as Bucky took her hand.

"No, not as far as blood results at least. But the serum does affect both of your DNAs. The baby will have 50% of each of your DNA. Keep in mind, your DNA is mutated" Dr. Ksie told them, "That doesn't mean that something will be wrong but there is no real… study or way of knowing how it will affect fetal development. Everything is looking positive though. I just want you both knowing everything"

"I appreciate that Doc" Ellie said as she rubbed her thumb over Bucky's hand which was squeezing hers.

"I had tried to recreate the combined mutations in my computer models and the models show an increase in rate of development as well as an increase in the needed nutrients" Shuri told them.

"If that's so, we just need to monitor it. The increase could be stressful on Ellie's body. Positive is that we are at 12 weeks. The percentage rate of a successful pregnancy just jumped dramatically to 88%" Dr. Ksie said as Steve ran into the room tripping over the carpet and falling.

"Way to go Steve" Bucky said as Natasha helped him up.

"Did I miss it?" Steve asked scrambling up.

"No, we haven't even done it yet" Ellie told him.

"We will do a traditional ultrasound first then we will do a Wakandan ultrasound" Dr. Ksie said, "Go ahead and lay back Ellie"

Ellie laid back on the table and pulled her shirt up under her breasts.

"This will be cold" Dr. Ksie said as he squirted some gel onto her belly then turned the machine next to him on, "First I'll do it in 2D, then 3D"

Dr. Ksie put the device on her belly then moved it across her skin. Ellie bit her lip and squeezed Bucky's hand waiting for something to be said or heard.

A sound filled the room and Ellie let out a sigh of relief.

"Nice strong heartbeat" Dr. Ksie told them, "The baby is measuring a little further along, more towards 13 weeks but nothing extreme" He hit some buttons and the picture became clearer.

"Oh Bucky" Ellie said looking at him, "Look there is the head…"

Bucky stared at the screen as the baby moved around, "Oh my god… it's a baby"

Dr. Ksie laughed, "Here is the skull, brain… two arms, two legs… that quivering is the heart… stomach is here… pelvis… bladder"

"How does a baby pee?"

Everyone looked at Steve.

"What? It's an honest question" Steve said innocently.

"The baby pees in the amniotic fluid" Dr. Ksie told him, "The fluid it is floating in. The black space around it"

"So wait…it's basically floating in its pee?" Bucky asked taken aback.

"A very small percentage" Dr. Ksie said looking at the women.

"Really boys?" Natasha asked looking at them, "That's what you are wondering about?"

"Let me just do a quick measurement… fluid measures at the proper rate in the back of the neck. Less possibilities of Down's syndrome. The placenta is in the proper place. Everything is looking great" Dr. Ksie told them, "Let me switch over to the 3D mode"

Bucky kissed the back of her hand, "The baby is beautiful"

Steve walked closer as Dr. Ksie put it into 3D, "It looks like an alien"

Bucky and Ellie looked at him.

"Thanks Steve" Ellie said.

"Just saying… or a blob" Steve said turning his head.

"Oh wow… look you can see where its eyes are… and oh El, look its nose!" Bucky said amazed.

"Further along we will get a clearer and clearer picture" Dr. Ksie told him.

"I love technology" Bucky said with a smile.

"You are such a geek" Ellie said with a smile.

"Everything is looking great. I am really happy with the results" Dr. Ksie told her, "But I still want you back here in 2 weeks. Not for an ultrasound, just a checkup"

Ellie sat up and took the towel he offered her to clean herself up, "Will do Doc"

Bucky just stared at the now still screen that held the image of their baby, "How new is this technology?"

"For ultrasounds? Within the last ten to 15 years. We've used this on internal medicine for a longer period" Dr. Ksie told him, "Good seeing you all"

"Thank you Dr. Ksie" Ellie said pulling her shirt down, "So what did you think Steve?"

"That was amazing" Steve said, "Technology has advanced so much"

"Hold on, wait a minute, it's my turn. Lay back down there" Shuri told her as she brought her equipment over, "Time for the royal treatment my sister"

"That's right, you were doing it your way" Bucky said.

Shuri turned her screen on then hit a combination of kimoyo beads and ran her wrist over Ellie's body.

Above the screen a representation of a baby appeared.

"What was that about technology Captain Rogers?" Shuri asked with a grin.

"It's almost as if I could pick it up" Steve said amazed looking at it, reaching out towards it.

"You can see everything" Bucky said amazed running his hand over what would be the baby's back and his hand went through it.

"Unfortunately the baby is curled up… we cannot see if it may be a girl or a boy. I think I could tell" Shuri told them.

"Let's try this" Ellie said as she pushed on her stomach.

The baby moved slightly then rolled over.

"You stubborn little thing" Ellie said pushing from the other side.

The baby rolled on its back legs wide open then the feed cut off.

Shuri stared at it, "My god… the baby is able to shield. It's literally blocking my frequencies"

"So… guess we do have a super baby" Ellie said to Bucky.

"Well… shielding is okay. He can fight off attacks that way" Bucky said looking at Steve.

"I think he just wanted to show off that he could do it so that he wouldn't show us if he is a he or a she" Shuri said as she shook her head.

Ellie laughed, "Thank you Shuri and sorry the baby is not more cooperative"

"Not a problem. I am always here for you and my little niece or nephew" Shuri said with a smile.

"Actually Shuri, I have a question" Bucky said looking at her.

"I'm all ears" Shuri told him.

"You mentioned that you might be able to make me an artificial arm" Bucky said.

Shuri squealed, "I already have a prototype made. I will bring it to your apartment tonight. I can't wait to show it to you"

Ellie watched her basically skip out of the room, "What brought the change?"

"I want to be able to hold our baby El… I probably could get used to doing things with it one handed but… I miss having two arms. Everything was easier that way" Bucky told her as he pulled her close, "I just want to be able to hold you and touch you again. When we are together, I miss being able to run my hand over your body as I am over top of you"

Ellie's cheeks turned bright red, "Bucky, Steve is right… where'd Steve go?" Ellie said looking behind him.

Bucky kissed her neck, "Want to go back to the apartment?"

"Mmmm yes" Ellie said as she pulled him down into a hard kiss, "Let's go before I let you take me right here on this bed"

* * *

 ***~*~* May 10th, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

Natasha looked over at Bucky, "I don't know about you but I'm going to go have a seat" She said pointing towards the bench on the side of the road.

"Good idea" Bucky said as they walked over to a bench and sat down, "How long do you think they will keep this up?"

Natasha shrugged, "With Steve, who knows. He doesn't like losing"

Bucky grinned putting his arm over the back of the bench, "Never has been able to back down from a fight. I don't know how many times he got knocked out and I found him in an alley"

Ellie ran past laughing with Steve about 50 feet behind her.

"Well I guess Ellie is winning this one" Natasha said watching them already running out of their sight, "But he is just taking it easy on her"

Bucky looked over at her, "Look, I know your lying face and your ticks. Be honest with me"

Natasha rolled her eyes and looked at him, "What?"

"Are you with Steve?" Bucky asked.

Natasha looked at him, "No"

"Just saying, no romantic feelings?" Bucky asked wondering.

"Why jealous?" Natasha asked cockily.

"No…nothing to be jealous about" Bucky said as he watched Steve run up behind Ellie and scoop her up them both laughing, "I love her more than I ever thought was possible. She is it for me. Has been since she was 18"

"Only at 18? Didn't you know her before?" Natasha wondered.

"Yeah but… I didn't realize how I felt about her until then. Her ma took her to get her hair and makeup done for her 18th birthday" Bucky said with a smile as he closed his eyes, "I saw her and literally got sick. My stomach was in knots, my chest felt as if it were going to explode. She was beautiful. Not that she wasn't before but… she knocked me off my feet. I thought I had food poisoning for something but no it was just her. She's always kept me on my toes"

Ellie and Steve walked over to them laughing.

"Tired yet?" Natasha asked.

"No" Steve said with a laugh, "She can actually keep up with me now"

"You are just a tad bit faster though" Ellie said as she sat in Bucky's lap, "Hey baby"

Bucky grinned as he gave her a kiss, "You stink"

Ellie gasped mock offended, "Excuse me?"

"A good stink. A need for a shower to… clean off stink" Bucky told her running his hand up her back then pulling her head down to his.

"Seriously you two? Knock it off" Steve said shaking his head, "I don't need images to go with the sounds"

Ellie giggled into Bucky's neck, "Sorry Steve"

Bucky got up and knelt in front of Ellie, "Want a ride?"

Ellie climbed onto his back and buried her face in his neck.

Steve shook his head and jokingly looked at Natasha, "Want a ride too?"

Natasha grinned, "Sure"

Steve looked at her, "Really?"

"Then you and Barnes can see who is really the fastest" Natasha told him, "Evenly matched"

Steve knelt down and Natasha climbed on his back.

"You can do this" Natasha said into his ear.

"First back to the apartments and the kitchen… makes lunch" Ellie said.

"Get ready, get set… go!" Natasha yelled.

Steve and Bucky took off running down the street.

Ellie giggled as she held on tighter.

"See a second arm would be helpful here" Bucky yelled as her legs started to slip.

"Don't worry about me" Ellie said holding onto his chest tighter with her legs.

Bucky pushed forward faster and caught up with Steve again, who had Natasha laughing so hard that she was crying. They turned the corner towards the palace and Ellie held up her Kimoyo beads and the doors open.

"Take the stairs" Ellie told him once they entered the palace, "The ones on the left"

Bucky tucked to the left and ran up the stairs taking them three at a time as Steve went to the right.

"Go up to the third floor then cut up the stairs by the training room" Ellie told him.

Running past the training room, and up the second set of stairs, they bust out into the apartments floor. A laughing Natasha was heard from the opposite side of the floor.

"We're closer!" Ellie yelled as Steve appeared on the opposite side.

"Faster Steve!" Natasha yelled.

Bucky ran to the door to the living areas and opened it running through with Steve on his tail.

"We won!" Ellie yelled as Bucky ran to the recliner and sat them down.

Steve ran to the couch and tripped on the edge of the coffee table, knocking them both hard into the couch. So hard it nearly sent the couch tumbling backwards.

They all broke into a fit of laughter.

"So who won?"

They all stopped and looked over the couch to see Tony standing over them.

Natasha unwrapped her arms and legs from Steve's body and he stood up.

"Tony" Steve said.

"Oh come on, you don't have to go into serious Captain mode on my account. You were just laughing it up and having fun with Romanoff and Barnes squared over here" Tony said looking between the four of them, "I don't think I've ever even heard Romanoff laugh"

Natasha stood up and cleared her throat, "Tony"

"I see you are all recovered. Glad to hear it" Tony said as Bucky and Ellie stood up.

"Tony leave them alone" A woman said as she walked over.

"Hey Pepper" Natasha said as she walked over and hugged her.

"I am so glad you are alright. Tony told me what happened and you gave me such a scare" Pepper told her as she stood back looking her over.

"He can't get rid of me yet" Natasha said looking at Steve, "Thanks to Rogers"

"Steve?" Pepper asked interested.

"Steve saved my life, nearly killed himself in the process. So now I am part super soldier too" Natasha told her.

Pepper walked over to him and gave him a hug, "Thank you for saving my friend"

"She means a lot to me. I couldn't lose her either" Steve told her glancing at Natasha over Pepper's shoulder.

"So Pep, meet Agent Ellie and Manchurian Candidate" Tony said gesturing to them.

Ellie pulled her shirt down and walked over, "Ms. Potts it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Ellie Barnes"

Pepper looked between Steve and Ellie, "Oh yeah, definitely can see the family resemblance. So you are married to Bucky?"

Ellie nodded as she took Bucky's hand, "Yes ma'am. Going on almost 74 years now"

Pepper shook her head, "It is so hard to believe how things happened this way. First Steve waking up in the ice then finding out his best friend was somehow still alive and looked the same age after 70 years… now his sister too?"

Ellie shrugged, "God has a funny way of making things work out"

Wanda walked in the room, "I heard your voices did you find out… oh hello Tony"

"Wanda too!?" Tony said looking at Steve, "Do you have Sam here?"

"Yes" Steve said with a sigh, "T'Challa is providing us this place as home base. I want to be here with Ellie and Bucky"

"You are all free to come back to the compound. I am serious" Tony told them.

"We appreciate the offer but I don't think I can fly" Ellie told him as she held out her hand and made it glow, "I might short out the planes communication systems"

Tony looked at her hand and walked over, "You have powers?"

Ellie nodded, "Side effect from your father's work. They are very similar to Wanda's but mine are electricity fueled I guess you could say. The original name of the project was not the Phoenix project. It became the Phoenix project because of me"

Ellie stood back and closed her eyes letting the natural feeling of the currents through her body flow through her arms.

"Holy shit" Bucky said as he walked over to her and she opened her eyes, "Baby is this 100%?"

"No, like 60% why?" Ellie asked noticing he was slightly shorter.

"El… your hair is glowing, your legs are glowing and you are off the ground about half a foot" Steve told her as she came back down to the ground and stopped her powers.

"Amazing" Tony said, "Your entire body was glowing outside of your torso"

Ellie looked at Bucky, "My entire body?"

"Arms, legs, hair… your eyes were doing the sparkling thing. Just his shield around your middle was the only thing not glowing. It was about the size of a plate" Bucky told her as he put his arm around her.

"He's happy"

They looked at Wanda.

"You woke him up but he is feeling really happy that he was able to do that" Wanda said with a laugh.

"Who is he?" Tony asked confused.

Ellie turned to the side and ran her hand over her belly, "Well we are just saying he but we don't officially know yet"

"You're pregnant?" Pepper asked surprised.

Ellie nodded, "12 weeks along"

"What the fuck…two 100-year olds can have a baby?" Tony asked.

"I am only really 30, and Bucky is only really 34 but the baby was actually conceived in the 1987" Ellie told him.

"Wait… what?" Tony asked confused.

"Your Dad and Peggy sent me on a mission to try to infiltrate the Red Room. Bucky was one of their trainers" Ellie told him.

"But he put you back under shortly after that mission" Tony said.

"Because Hydra took Bucky, I was already having memory issues. I thought I dreamt the whole thing up. Your Dad put me back under, at my orders, pregnant" Ellie told him, "Of course I was so early at that time, we wouldn't have known anyways"

T'Challa walked into the living quarters, "Hello everyone"

"You do know that all this" Tony said pointing towards everyone, "Is all breaking the accords right?"

* * *

a/n3: Thank you for reading. I'd also like to send out a special shoutout to the only reviewer from the last chapter, Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967 who has reviewed each of the last 8 chapters. I appreciate it so much! Hope you loved this one just as much!

* * *

 **Here is your sneak peek for next week (might be two weeks, sorry if it is. Next week is a crazy busy weekend for me):**

"I don't like it" Steve said crossing his arms over his chest.

"Steve, you can't protect me forever. I can do it myself now. Hydra is a small threat and so are others but… I made a lot of enemies on my own back then too. Not that many of them are still alive but still" Ellie told him.


	38. Chapter 38 - Thinking Outloud

**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**

 **A/n2: So I wasn't going to post this week because this weekend has been crazy busy but, today is Bucky Barnes birthday… I couldn't go without posting on his birthday. So here is Thinking Outloud. Enjoy and again, please read and review so I know what you think! Thank you to the new followers: animexchick, ginaknght, tuckerjnp1, scfibeth96, Damons-Slytherin-Princess, and LadyLily18. When I thought of this story during a car ride to Niagara Falls, I never thought it would be 38 chapters in with more coming and 121 people would be following it. It is also creeping up on 90 reviews, so I thank you all from the bottom of my heart that you are enjoying my take on the MCU. I guess you could call this story part of Earth- 35543.**

* * *

 _I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways_  
 _Maybe it's all part of a plan_  
 _I'll just keep on making the same mistakes_  
 _Hoping that you'll understand_

~ **Thinking Outloud by Ed Sheeran**

* * *

 ***~*~* May 10th, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

" _I am only really 30, and Bucky is only really 34 but the baby was actually conceived in the 1987" Ellie told him._

" _Wait… what?" Tony asked._

" _Your Dad and Peggy sent me on a mission to try to infiltrate the Red Room. Bucky was one of their trainers" Ellie told him._

" _But he put you back under shortly after that mission" Tony said._

" _Because Hydra took Bucky, I was already having memory issues. I thought I dreamt the whole thing up. Your Dad put me back under, at my orders, pregnant" Ellie told him, "Of course I was so early at that time, we wouldn't have known anyways"_

 _T'Challa walked into the living quarters, "Hello everyone"_

" _You do know that all this" Tony said pointing towards everyone, "Is all breaking the accords right?"_

"Tony don't be an asshole" Natasha told him.

"I now understand that the accords were not the way to go. It was a way for one man to have primary control over the people he feared" T'Challa told him shaking his head, "Wakanda has already notified the UN that they would like to be removed. Did you know that 75 of the countries that have signed have since removed themselves as well?"

"Secretary Ross refuses to listen to me. I actually got in with Senator Nadeer but she can't do much" Tony told them.

"Let's have a seat" T'Challa said pointing to the couches.

Everyone walked over to the couches and chairs and sat. Ellie sat on Bucky's lap as he rested his hand on her belly. Natasha sat right at Steve's side.

"I think we need to make a plan" T'Challa told them looking across the room at everyone, "Not that Wakanda does not enjoy having you here but I think we need to make a stand"

"I agree" Tony said nodding, "I think Steve, Wanda, Sam, Bucky… all of them need to go to the UN and just turn themselves in… that way-"

"No" Ellie said looking at him, "They walk to the UN and they get locked up. Not happening"

"What do you think would be better?" Tony asked her, "What do you even know about the Accords? You were frozen at the time"

"Tony!" Pepper scolded.

"She was" Tony said.

"Yes, I actually read them. It states that any enhanced or super-power individuals must surrender their real legal names to the government and lose their secret identities. The government will then monitor said individuals and will facilitate their licensing of products and employment for which they use their said powers for. Each individual has to fulfill some requirements, not stated, or meet some criteria before they are allowed to use their abilities and gain legal authorization to use their abilities to help others" Ellie told him as she pointed to her head, "Photographic memory"

Tony stared at her, "What?"

"Did you even read it?" Pepper asked him.

"Ross said that if it wasn't done, it would be forced on us" Tony said shaking his head.

"Oh my god Tony, you never read it?!" Steve asked dismayed.

"Give me a break. I know it's wrong now but I don't know how to get it changed" Tony defended.

"We need to make a united front. Does Colonel Rhodes understand our views?" T'Challa asked.

Tony rolled his eyes, "Rhodey isn't active anymore anyways"

Steve frowned, "How is Rhodey?"

"I built him an exoskeleton and he is able to walk again. It works well with the War Machine armor but… they wanted him in the Middle East… he didn't agree, so now he is benched by Ross" Tony told him.

"This is what I was saying from the beginning. He didn't meet Ross' agenda so Ross benched him" Steve told him with a sigh.

"But how do we make this united front?" Natasha asked rubbing her hands together.

Tony sighed, "Press conference, telling everyone what the accords really are. How our country and other countries are no longer safer because we are apart. How you all had to go into hiding to avoid being put in a jail in the middle of the ocean without any trial"

"Don't forget about Bucky" Ellie interjected.

Bucky shook his head against her shoulder, "El-"

"No Bucky, you are innocent. I agree with Ellie. All of Clint's brainwashed crimes were forgiven. When Bucky was Bucky, he committed no crimes other than running for his life" Steve said.

"That is going to be a little harder" Tony admitted.

"Technically no, he has immunity but it's the court of public opinion" T'Challa said, "That will be the real issue. If we can win over the general public, we have more hope to sway the officials"

They all sat in silence for a moment.

"I have an idea" Ellie said looking at them, "I go public"

"No" Steve said adamantly.

Ellie looked at Steve, "Why not?"

"No one knows you even exist El" Steve told her.

"Exactly, it goes to illustrate that the government kept secrets. I worked for SSR, Shield and the CIA… but they kept me off the books. I worked for the British Intelligence, but they kept me off the books. The government hid me, by original request by you, then by me because I was a spy. I mean I'll eventually have to go public anyways… I am sure there is some record of me somewhere because I pay taxes and have all that money" Ellie said looking at Pepper.

"Once she takes ownership of the trust, she will have her name out there again" Pepper told them.

"I don't like it" Steve said crossing his arms over his chest.

"Steve, you can't protect me forever. I can do it myself now. Hydra is a small threat and so are others but… I made a lot of enemies on my own back then too. Not that many of them are still alive but still" Ellie told him.

Steve looked at Bucky, "What do you think Buck?"

Bucky sighed playing with her rings, "I don't like it but Ellie is an adult Steve. She isn't the kid we need to watch after anymore"

"Look, we will let Tony do things his way… see how far he gets. Then if that doesn't work, we can go public" Steve told her as he looked at Tony.

Ellie shook her head, "Pepper where are these papers I am supposed to sign?"

"Right over here" Pepper said as she got up and walked over to her bag.

Ellie sat at the dining room table as Steve started telling Tony about what they had been doing in the Middle East.

"Hey Nat, can you come in here?" Pepper asked, "You still have your notary license"

"Sure" Natasha said as she walked over to them.

"Okay Ellie, this is just the transfer of ownership" Pepper told her, "Sign here… initial here… same here… and here…. Then two pages… here…. Initial here. One last one… this is the transfer of ownership from the bank account from me to you"

Ellie signed it all then Natasha went and signed off as the notary.

"Alright, just give me your fingerprint here" Pepper told her holding up a digital pad.

Ellie put her thumb on the spot.

"Okay, the account will be in your name in the next week, if you want to transfer it to another account from there, which is up to you" Pepper told her, "Now is there a bar around here? I want some drinks. Oh sorry Ellie"

"Nope, that sounds fun. I can always get something else. I think there is actually one in town" Ellie told them as she got up and walked over to the couch, "Boys us girls are going out for a bit"

Steve looked at them, "Where?"

"Don't worry your little head Steve, we will be fine" Ellie told him as she leaned down and kissed Bucky then whispered just loud enough in his ear, "At the bar"

Bucky nodded.

"Come on girls" Ellie said.

* * *

"So Ellie, what was it like growing up with Steve and Bucky?" Pepper asked.

"Honestly we met when I was 11, Steve was 12 and Bucky was 13. Steve was being picked on again by one of the local bullies on trick or treat night. Well actually, he stole my bag of candy but Steve being Steve tried to defend me. I was already almost taller than he was and Peter Murphy was much taller, so when Peter punched him he was flat on the ground. Then my knight in… normal clothes came to our rescue" Ellie told her.

"Bucky?"

Ellie nodded, "I was dressed as an angel and Bucky told him that he shouldn't take candy from an angel. He helped me up and the rest is history. He pulled Steve out of more fights than I probably even know of. He was always at Steve's side…well actually… until Steve got tall enough, he was always at my side and Steve was trying to catch up" She told them as she took a drink of her tea.

"So you met at 11, when did you fall for him?" Pepper asked.

Ellie bit her lip, "I wasn't a sudden thing… at least for me. For Bucky it was"

"He told me that story you know" Natasha told her sipping her drink.

Ellie looked at her, "Really?"

"That it was your 18th birthday. You wore makeup for the first time and had your hair done, that you knocked him off his feet and he literally got sick" Natasha told her.

"He thought it was food poisoning" Ellie said with a laugh, "Mom knew though. For me it was a slow burn…it wasn't until after my mom died. There were little things throughout the years that made me just adore him but…it really hit me when I came home from college at… 21"

"Alcohol involved?" Pepper asked.

"We didn't have money for that. I barely put together enough money for college even with my scholarship. I sent a lot of money to help her with Steve. You guys don't realize how lucky we are to even have Steve here with us. He should have died… at least 5 times" Ellie told them picking at the label on her water bottle, "If he was around it, he got it… he had so many pills he had to take just to live. We didn't have medicines back then like we do now so it was basically just take it and pray it works. I went to an all girl college and one of my doom mates was into cosmetics and hair. She was one of the first Avon people I think. She taught me how to pin my curls, use powder, rouge and lipstick. We went to the dance halls and they tried setting me up with guys but… I never was interested in them at all. I thought something was wrong with me. I mean we did grow up in Brooklyn. Brooklyn had a huge gay community it's just no one advertised it but I never felt that way about other women. Then I got the telegram from Steve that Mom came down with TB. Ironically that night before I came home to the telegram, the date that my friend Maria had set me up with… I called him Bucky… while kissing him"

Natasha laughed, "Really?"

"Yeah, then I saw the telegram and went home. Mom lived three more weeks. By our side the entire time Mom was in the ward was Bucky" Ellie said with a sad smile, "In fact… we hadn't even dated but Mom gave him her ring to give to me. Mom knew and I didn't. Hell Bucky knew"

"So what do you think the defining moment was?" Pepper asked.

"Actually… it was one of two things that happened the same night. I think the problem for me wasn't that I didn't have feelings for him but I thought there was no way he returned them but I took a shower to rinse off the travel crap off me after coming home and I was used to going to an all girl's school. We just walked around in towels. Well I forgot to take my clothes in the bathroom with me. I came out of the bathroom, in only a towel and ran into Bucky in the hallway"

Natasha laughed so hard she nearly choked on her drink, "Oh my god did he bust a nut right there? He'd liked you for 4 years and suddenly you are wet and nearly naked in front of him"

"Well he grabbed onto me and I nearly lost my towel… all he could do was stare at my chest" Ellie told them with a grin, "His eyes though… made me realize maybe there was something there"

"What else happened, you said that was one of two" Pepper said.

"Bucky and Steve took me dancing. That was a standard date thing in our time. Bucky was an amazing dancer" Ellie said with a fond smile.

"What about Steve?" Natasha asked.

Ellie laughed, "Steve dance? Never. He was a wallflower. I think I saw him dance once… in fact that night, because he was drunk and a woman asked him to make her date jealous"

"Steve wasn't a dancer?" Natasha asked surprised.

"Steve is a bit romantic. He and Peggy were supposed to go on their first date by themselves but he put the plane down and they never were able to. He always said he was waiting on the right partner" Ellie told her, "So I don't think he's danced with anyone before. But that night we were dancing and Bucky asked me to dance a slow song this time. It was one of my favorites by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra… their lead singer became really popular, Frank Sinatra. Bucky pulled me close and sang "This Love of Mine" to me as we danced. So I threw caution to the wind and kissed him"

"You made the first move?" Pepper asked amazed.

Ellie nodded, "I couldn't believe he was even kissing me back. Then I freaked out and ran away. He pulled Steve out of a fight with the boyfriend of the girl he had been dancing with. From there we realized we were both idiots. But from that point on, Pearl Harbor happened the next December, and they didn't know it but I was involved with the SSR. Bucky called me right before Christmas to say that Steve wanted to enlist. I was in Alabama, I think, at the time so I hopped on a train and headed back home early. I knew with his asthma and high blood pressure that they wouldn't actually enlist him but… there was a chance"

"What all did Steve have? He told me he had a ton of health issues" Natasha said.

"Well… asthma, high blood pressure, sugar sensitive, heart troubles, color blindness, deaf in his left ear, he had scarlet fever and rheumatic fever, pneumonia more times than I could count. Mom always showered at Bucky's house before coming home because she worked in the TB ward, we were always afraid he'd get that" Ellie told her, "It took me two days to get back home but he had already tried and got his first 4F. I think he tried 5 times total. Bucky got his draft letter right after Christmas though"

"Wait Bucky was drafted?" Pepper asked.

Ellie nodded, "Steve hated it. Bucky didn't want to go and he did. They realized that day… there was a little more to my job than I let on though. Steve wanted Bucky to train us. Bucky was the boxing champion of our school. I couldn't help it, I told him not to pull his punches and I put his ass on the floor. By that time, I was a black belt. Bucky took me out on a date that night, which Steve helped him come up with. We went to a movie then dancing. He proposed to me that night"

"Steve really is a romantic isn't he?" Pepper said rosy cheeked resting her cheek on her hand.

"I wish Steve could find someone who loved him for him… not as Captain America you know because they are really two different people. Captain America is an act. Something he had to be to survive. Steve is the kind hearted, wears his heart on his sleeve guy that would do anything for anyone" Ellie said glancing at Natasha.

"How long were you engaged for?" Pepper asked.

"We got married the next May, in fact our 74th anniversary is coming up on the 25th" Ellie told them with a smile, "From there, Bucky was shipped off in June, the night before Bucky shipped off, Steve tried to enlist and Erskine was the doctor, but I didn't know it. He liked Steve and wanted him for Project Rebirth. I was sent to Wisconsin by Colonel Phillips to try to find the candidate for Project Rebirth there. By the end of June, Steve was already Captain America. Bucky was captured in September, Steve rescued him in November and we were all back together in Italy"

"Wait you were in Italy?" Pepper asked, "I can't believe they kept you a secret that well"

Ellie nodded, "SSR was re-tasked after Steve became Captain America. While he was out performing, we were trying to find the Hydra bases. Of course I was pretty out of it from September until November. I was hit by one of Hydra's weapons and it almost killed me but Bucky and Steve didn't know about it. All three of us… well seven of us if you count me, Peggy and the Commandoes… we worked together to bring down Hydra for the next year and a half. Bucky was… gone by May 1st, I went back home after Steve told me and Steve was gone a week later. Then I lost the baby almost a week after that. Worst two weeks of my life" Ellie said with a sigh as she took a drink.

"So when did you get your powers?" Pepper asked.

Ellie shook her head, "I…lost it. After I lost all my boys, I had Peggy train me and I started working for MI5 through England. In 49, Howard and Reinstein made a discovery about the super serum and I had powers by September. I was awake for three days into 1950 before I was put into Cryo for the first time" Ellie told them, "I kinda blew up the New Years Ball and hurt people so I told Howard he had to do something. It was only supposed to be for a couple years. Ended up being for 37 years"

"And that's when you lived with Tony and Howard right?" Pepper asked.

Ellie nodded, "Tony was such an annoying little kid" She told her with a small smile.

"He's still an annoying adult, let's be honest" Natasha told them as they all laughed.

"You weren't awake very long right?" Pepper asked.

"No, they woke me up in March and I ran into Bucky in August. I was back under in September. Then I just woke up again" Ellie told them, "But it worked out in the end… we are all back together and having a baby. After I lost the first one… I never thought I would be happy again. Now I am. Enough about me, what about you Natasha"

"Nothing really to tell… I was given to an orphanage by my mom when I was young. Trained in the Red Room, that is where Bucky trained me, they brainwashed me and I did missions for them until Clint was sent to… terminate me and decided to take me under his wing instead. Then I got in with Shield and we met" Natasha said to Pepper, "Then the whole Avengers thing happened and yeah, that's my life now"

"Why did you decide to stick with the Avengers? You were fine just doing it on your own for the longest time" Pepper wondered.

"Actually… Steve" Natasha admitted.

"Steve?" Ellie asked surprised.

"When he came out of the ice… the poor guy was so lost. He literally told me that being Captain America was a blessing and a curse. He had nothing left. No one left" Natasha told them, "I tried doing my own thing but I ended in DC with Steve on the Strike team. It's been just us since then"

"Why didn't you side with Steve on the Accords?" Pepper asked, "After I found out what happened, I couldn't believe you went with Tony"

"Because I thought it would keep us all together by signing it… but then he didn't sign. I had to help him. Steve doesn't do anything for himself and for him to stick by Bucky… I knew there had to be a reason behind it because I believe in Steve" Natasha said looking at her.

Pepper looked at her, "Why were you and Bruce even together? Why not you and Steve?"

Natasha looked at her wide-eyed, "I…I honestly don't know"

* * *

A/n3: So after seeing Captain Marvel (which was amazing), Carol's story will not affect this story at all. But OMG the end credit scene… is it time for Endgame yet? Go see it if you have not yet. Side note, Sebastian's new movie I'm Not Here was good as well. Sebastian was amazing in it. Not enough of him though but I'm bias. Now onto the reviews:

 **Guest: Shuri is the little sister of a superhero… I thought Ellie would be close to her because of that level of commonality. They understand what it is like for each other to love someone who risks their life for others.**

 **Crystal-Wold-Guardian-967: Thanks for the review!**

 **MommaWolf18: I could see Bucky being way protective of a daughter as well but you'll have to wait and see!**

 **Tuckerjnp1: Thank you for the review. I am glad that you are enjoying it so far. Steve is so serious but I want to show his less serious side and Ellie and Bucky are in my head what keeps Steve grounded and real. So I am glad that translates out to you readers. Thank you for reviewing!**

* * *

 **Here is next week's preview:**

" **He probably doesn't even remember but today is mine and Bucky's anniversary. I wasn't expecting balloons or anything over the top but… it would have been nice to wake up next to him" Ellie said sadly trying not cry thanks to her hormones.**

" **Give him a break; he is a 100 year old brainwashed ex-assassin. He can forget a thing or two" Sam said pouring the batter onto the skillet.**


	39. Chapter 39 - The Reason

**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**

 **A/n2: So I went to see Captain Marvel in Imax… must see if you can. The detail was amazing. UGH is it April 26** **th** **yet? I want to know Steve and Bucky's fates! Jere is The Reason. Thank you to the new followers: Scarlett D. Ukiah and scfibeth96.**

* * *

 **I've found a reason for me  
To change who I used to be  
A reason to start over new  
And the reason is you**

 **~ The Reason by Hoobastank**

* * *

 ***~*~* May 25th, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie rolled over attempting to snuggle into Bucky's chest on the morning of their anniversary and instead found an empty bed. Groaning, she knew that meant one of two things. Either T'Challa called him to help with something or Steve was back. Bucky only ran in the mornings when Steve was here.

Getting out of bed, she grabbed her favorite dress out of the closet and threw it on. Walking past the mirror to check her hair, she stopped then turned to the side. As if overnight, the baby decided it wanted to be known and it was a noticeable bump now. It no longer looked like she had just eaten a lot.

Walking out of their apartment, she walked down to the communal kitchen and saw both Wanda and Natasha eating, "I knew you guys had to be back"

Natasha looked at her, "Why?"

"Because Bucky doesn't go running without Steve. He'd still be in bed with me if you guys weren't here" Ellie said as she went to get her favorite cereal, "What the hell! Where is my cereal?"

Wanda bit her lip, "Sorry"

"You can have some of my oatmeal" Natasha offered.

Ellie opened the cabinets up, "Where?"

"I guess this was the last one" Natasha said, "I might have some more in my apartment. I'll go-"

"No, no I'll find something" Ellie said as Sam walked into the kitchen.

"Morning ladies" Sam said, "Anyone want some pancakes?"

"There we go, that sounds amazing" Ellie said as she sat down, "The morning is already ruined"

"What's wrong?" Wanda asked glancing at Natasha.

"He probably doesn't even remember but today is mine and Bucky's anniversary. I wasn't expecting balloons or anything over the top but… it would have been nice to wake up next to him" Ellie said sadly trying not cry thanks to her hormones.

"Give him a break; he is a 100 year old brainwashed ex-assassin. He can forget a thing or two" Sam said pouring the batter onto the skillet.

Ellie just glared at him.

"Sam, remember she is hungry and pregnant… I wouldn't mess with her" Wanda told him shaking her head.

"Here, you get the first helpings" Sam told her putting some on a plate for her, "Want any syrup?"

"Thanks" Ellie said taking it from him and pouring syrup all over it. She took a big bite then moaned, "So good"

"I haven't made a woman moan like that in a long time" Sam said with a wink, "Glad I could be of service"

"Please tell me Ellie and Bucky aren't at it again, I… oh hi El" Steve said as he walked into the kitchen.

Ellie looked at him, "What were you saying?"

"Nothing, where's Buck?" Steve asked.

"I thought he was with you, if he isn't with you then he must be with T'Challa" Ellie said with a frown as Sam gave her a second helping, "I hope everything is okay"

Steve sat next to Natasha and elbowed her. Natasha shook her head and gave him a look.

"Waf are vu foo vooing" Ellie said.

"Swallow your food before you talk, first thing Mom taught us" Steve scolded.

Ellie swallowed, "No first thing Mom ever taught us was how to breastfeed. I couldn't talk then"

"Gross" Steve said as Ellie laughed.

Ellie finished her second plate full and pushed the plate away, "Mighty good pancakes Sam. Thank you"

Steve stood up, "Are you all done?"

"Yes why?" Ellie asked confused.

"Come on" Steve said as he took her hand.

"Steve where are you taking me?" Ellie asked as he pulled her towards his apartment.

"Trust me" Steve said taking her to his apartment, "Bucky is busy today so he told me that we should have a day together"

"What is he doing?" Ellie asked as Steve pulled his shirt off.

"Helping Shuri with something. Anyways, here… go put this on" Steve told her handing her a bag.

"What is it?" Ellie asked.

"A bathing suit… I thought we could go swimming. First I want to go into the village for a bit just to look around, maybe find an anniversary gift for you guys. Then I want to try the library out. We always used to go to the library" Steve said excited.

Ellie sighed trying to push down her disappointment in not spending the day with Bucky, but happy to be able to spend the day with Steve as well, "Fine… but I'm not actually getting in the water"

"Come on!" Steve said as she went into the bathroom, "You never swam when we went to the beach"

"Ever think there was a reason for that?" Ellie asked taking the suit out, "Really Steve? A two piece… at least it's close to my size"

"Natasha helped me pick it out" Steve admitted from the other side of the door as Ellie took her clothes off and put the bathing suit on then put her dress back on over top.

Ellie walked back out, "It's not what I would have picked but it will serve its purpose. So where are we going first?"

"Let's go to the village" Steve told her excited as he took her hand.

"You are acting like we never are together Steve, calm down" Ellie said with a laugh.

Steve stopped at looked at her, "It's never just us anymore"

Ellie bit her lip, "Okay Steve, let's go"

* * *

Ellie stood back watching Steve talking to a vendor about painting he was purchasing.

"When is the baby coming?"

Ellie looked at the woman next to her, "November"

"So three months along? Yes?" She asked.

Ellie nodded, "Almost four"

"I has just the thing for you" She said as she turned around and grabbed a box.

She set it in front of Ellie and opened it up, inside was mobile. The lady held it up and small pillow like handmade animals hung from it. A black panther, a giraffe, a lion, an elephant and a hippo.

"I gift this to the first royal baby in a long time" The lady said touching her hand.

"No… no I can pay for this-" Ellie said.

"Your money is no good here" She said with a smile as she closed the box then handed it to Ellie, "Treasure you little one… they don't stay little forever"

"Thank you ma'am" Ellie said as she gave her a hug.

Steve walked over to her, "Ready to go to the library?"

Ellie nodded, "I haven't been there yet"

"T'Challa told me it was pretty amazing" Steve told her as they crossed the road, "What did the lady give you?"

"This beautiful handmade mobile for the baby" Ellie said as they made it to the library, "She refused to let me even pay for it. Are we going to get lunch after this? I'm starting to get hungry already"

"Yeah we will. I just wanted to see something" Steve told her taking her hand.

"What gives Steve; you are nearly shaking with excitement, what has you so…" Ellie said as they entered what must be the children's section of the library as it had child like drawings over the walls and was very colorful, with colorful illustrated covers adorning the shelves. What made Ellie stop was the man sitting reading to a small group of children. He sat with a child on each side of him, a book in his lap. Ellie had the sudden feeling that she was thrust into the past. Instead of two children, there was only one. A little girl, with hair as brown, as the man in front of her as he sat reading to Becca all those years ago.

The man looked up at her with stormy gray-blue eyes, "hey Angel"

"Buck" Ellie breathed out.

Steve smiled, "Like his makeover? Compliments of Shuri"

The children ran off giggling as he stood up walking over to her.

Gone was the long, sometimes unmanageable hair, in its place a shorter cut reminiscent of how he wore his hair in the Army. Gone was the scruff on his face as well.

Ellie reached up and touched his now smooth face as she let out a shaky breath.

Ellie gasped as he reached up and took her face in both hands, "What?"

Bucky grinned, "Shuri gave me an upgrade"

Ellie took his new hand in hers, "It looks so real"

"As Shuri would say, 'its technology' it's got this button here" Bucky said as he pushed it inside the arm's elbow and the skin appearance disappeared.

Ellie ran her fingers over the dark blue plates, "This is amazing"

Bucky hit the button in the elbow again and turned the skin appearance back on then put his arms around her, "Happy Anniversary baby"

"Happy anniversary" Ellie said as she kissed him then put her hand on his face again, "I do miss the scruff though"

"Now you tell me" Bucky said with a smile as he reached down and picked up a picnic basket with his new left hand, "Ready for a picnic?"

"Wait we are actually going on a picnic?" Ellie asked.

Bucky looked at Steve, "You gave her the bathing suit right?"

"Yes I gave her the bathing suit" Steve defended, "This is my plan of course I knew to give her the suit"

"Wait, I am wearing the suit but this is your plan?" Ellie asked Steve.

"Well I figured it's your 74th anniversary… it's your first anniversary together in years. So I convinced Bucky to get a haircut and shave. Plus he already was thinking of getting the arm" Steve told her.

"Close as you will get to 1940s me" Bucky told her with a smile.

Ellie put her arms around him, "I don't care if you are 40s Bucky or 2017 Bucky… as long as you are my Bucky"

"I will see you both later… what am I saying, I'll see you tomorrow" Steve said waving as he turned to leave.

"Steve!"

Steve turned around and Ellie ran over to hug him.

"Thank you" Ellie said as she kissed his cheek.

Steve sighed and smiled at her, "You both deserve it"

* * *

"And here we are" Bucky said as they made it to the end of the subway line, "it's just a short ride from here. Shuri said she would have a car ready for us"

Ellie took his hand and followed him to the parking lot, "How do we know… never mind"

Bucky laughed, "Seriously? She put Happy Anniversary on the car's window?" Bucky said as he knocked on the window.

"Buck" Ellie said she opened the door, "There is no one inside"

Bucky looked at her, "I've never driven a car"

Ellie grinned, "But I have" She walked around the car, "Get in"

"Is this safe?" Bucky asked.

"Ye of little faith, yes it's safe" Ellie said as he got in on the passenger side, "it's just figuring out the controls… yeah there is a lot more buttons and knobs since I last drove"

"When was the last time you drove?" Bucky asked.

"A car? I drove one of Howard's when I went to see Peggy in 87" Ellie said as she pushed the start button and it made a funny noise. She pushed it again and held it down this time, and the car started, "See piece of cake"

"That's just starting it" Bucky said.

Ellie put her seatbelt on then tried to adjust everything to her height, "Put your seatbelt on"

"Ellie"

"Shit!" Ellie yelled as Shuri's voice came from the speakers.

Shuri laughed, "No need to worry about driving. I can control it from here"

"No, is there a way to give me directions? I can drive but I just need to know where I am going" Ellie told her.

"Are you sure? Because this is T'Challa's car" Shuri told her.

"I have never wrecked a vehicle before. You are safe" Ellie told her.

The panel in front of her lit up, "There is your GPS. It tells you where-"

"We had GPS back in the war… just not this detailed" Bucky said looking at it.

"Enjoy yourselves. I'll see you when you get back" Shuri said as she hung up.

Ellie looked over at him, "Ready?"

Bucky made sure his seatbelt was fastened, "Ready"

Ellie grinned as she put it into gear and it took off, "Whoa this thing has power"

Bucky grabbed onto the small handle above his head, "Babe you don't have to go so fast"

"I know but its fun" Ellie said with a grin.

They finally made it to Lake Victoria beach and Ellie drifted into a parking space.

Bucky looked over at her, "You are a maniac"

Ellie just laughed, "No I just took driving lessons back then from a race car driver from Europe about defensive driving. Cars now just make it easier"

Bucky climbed out of the car, "We need to get the best car seat there is in the world"

"Quit it" Ellie said as she hit him, "Let's go!"

"I thought you didn't want to swim" Bucky said as she took his hand in hers and practically skipped down to the beach.

"I really don't but I just want some time where we can relax, just us" Ellie told him.

"Can't fault that" Bucky said as they found an empty area of the beach and Ellie laid out their towels that Shuri had packed.

Ellie pulled her dress over her head and sat on her towel, looking out at the beach, "This is so beautiful.

"Not as beautiful as you" Bucky said as he sat behind her and kissed her shoulder, "After all this is settled… we are going to go to Paris"

Ellie smiled, "You remember?"

Bucky nodded, "I made a promise and I intend to keep it"

Ellie laid down and Bucky ran his hand over her belly, "I can't believe how fast I am showing"

"You are barely showing Angel" Bucky said as he kissed her.

"Mmm I forgot to put my sunscreen on" Ellie said as she sat up then pulled the sunscreen out of her bag, "Can you put it on me?"

"Don't tempt me like that" Bucky warned her.

"No hanky panky on the beach today honey, just innocent sunscreen" Ellie said turning around so he could get her back.

* * *

After spending the day at the beach, then a moonlit walk on the beach, they had finally headed back to the palace only to find the communal kitchen empty, as well as the sitting area.

"That's weird" Ellie said looking around, "Everyone went to bed early"

"You have been a bad girl today… I think you need to head to bed early too" Bucky told her as he picked her up.

Ellie gasped then giggled as he buried his face in her neck as he carried her to their apartment. He pushed her back up against the door as he put his hand on the pad to allow entry into their apartment since they had locked it. Wrapping her arms around his neck as the door opened, they stumbled into the apartment and Bucky turned them around so her back was to the now closed door.

Leaning down he captured her lips in his, his tongue sliding across her lips and she lost herself in his kiss. They challenged each other to see who could go the longest without air and Bucky won as Ellie tore away from the kiss to catch her breath.

Forehead against hers, he licked his lips and looked at her, "How about we take this to the bedroom?"

Ellie pulled his face back down to hers and he carried her back to their bedroom. Shutting the door behind them, Ellie put her feet on the floor. Bucky reached for her dress and pulled it off her body, throwing it onto the ground.

Bucky captured her lips in his once more, this time the kiss was more intense and she could taste the coffee that he had purchased before they left the beach and the unique taste of Bucky.

Reaching behind her, Ellie pulled at the string to her bikini top and it fell to the ground. Sighing with relief, she started helping him out of his shorts and her bikini bottoms followed suit.

Picking Ellie up, he carried her over to the bed and dropped her gently on the bed. Climbing onto the bed, he spread Ellie's legs then grabbed her right leg in his new left hand and started kissing up her leg from the ankle.

"Buck, no playing around tonight. I'm so turned on already it's not funny" Ellie told him.

Bucky grinned as he made his way to her center and pushed his tongue inside her, "Hmmm so wet" He said as his nose grazed her clit.

Ellie moaned as her hands found his hair, "Shit… I miss your long hair already"

Bucky laughed against her as he worked his tongue in and out of her, "Just so you can pull at it"

"Yes!" Ellie yelled as he finally put two fingers in her to start to stretch her. She knew it would not be long and felt her orgasm hit her hard as his teeth lightly scraped against her clit.

"Fuck" Ellie said trying to catch her breath as he let her legs fall from his shoulders; he kissed the swell of her belly then up to catch her lips in his.

Ellie ran her hand over his face, "Lay back Buck"

Bucky got onto his back and let her lace her fingers in his. Ellie sunk down on him slowly, inch by inch then slowly started to move.

"Fuck" Bucky said as she bounced harder on him as she held his hands down.

Ellie grinned at the look on his face. Bucky had always liked having control when they made love, but when she asked, he could never resist her and loved it every time. He was also more responsive since they had gotten back together and tended to let go before she did.

"God El… I'm so fucking close" Bucky warned.

"It's okay honey… I'm nearly there" Ellie told him.

"Not until you do" Bucky said as he freed his hand and moved his finger to rub against her clit.

"Oh fuck, Bucky… I'm… right there" Ellie said her movements started to get unsteady.

"Come on Angel… come for me" Bucky said as he grabbed her hips and helped her movements.

That's all it took and Ellie fell apart, Bucky coming only moments after her. Collapsing against him, Ellie laid on his chest feeling as if all the bones had left her body. Turning her head, she softly kissed him and he reached down pulling the cover over them. Kissing the top of her head as she started drifting off, he quietly told her, "Happy Anniversary Angel"

* * *

 ***~*~* May 26th, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

Waking up early the next morning, Ellie smiled when Bucky was passed out still next to her with his new arm resting over her. Running her fingers down the plates, she explored the new hand.

"Go back to sleep" Bucky mumbled.

"Can you feel with it now?" Ellie asked.

Bucky sighed moving closer to her, "Yes, pressure and heat now too. It is seriously like having a second arm. It just doesn't have pain to go with it. Will you go back to bed now… it's only… 4am El"

"Go back to sleep, I'm just going to go get some milk" Ellie said as she kissed his forehead and slipped her underwear back on and put his shirt over her head.

Walking into their small kitchenette, she looked into the refrigerator to see there was no milk. Biting her lip, she decided that Steve would not be awake to go running until 5 so no one would be awake. She could just head down to the communal kitchen to grab a glass of milk then come back to bed.

Padding her way quietly through the hallway, she came into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of milk. She suddenly had a craving for waffles and knelt down to look at the appliances under the counter top that were stored there.

A gasp made her stand up fast to see Steve in just boxers standing in front of her.

"Fuck Steve, don't do that to me!" Ellie gasped holding her chest, "Why the hell are you up?"

"I got hungry… why the hell are you awake?" Steve asked.

"I got a craving for waffles. Why are you out here in your boxers?" Ellie asked.

"I didn't figure anyone would be awake" Steve told her as Ellie heard footsteps in the hallway.

Ellie frowned and looked back down the hallway to see no one was there, "That was weird, I swear I heard someone walking down the hall"

"I didn't hear anything" Steve said as he grabbed ice cream and chocolate syrup.

"Ice cream? I thought I was the one having the cravings" Ellie said over her glass of milk as she took a drink.

"I just… couldn't sleep" Steve said, "Anyways goodnight"

"Night" Ellie said as he left the kitchen. She tried to sneak a glance down the hallway and he walked past his door, stopped then walked back to his apartment, "Oh Steve?"

Steve jumped, "Yeah?"

"Thanks for helping Bucky with tonight" Ellie told him.

"No problem" Steve said as he walked inside and she heard the lock click.

Ellie snorted as she finished her milk then rinsed out her glass. She walked back to their apartment then climbed back into bed with Bucky.

"What took you so long?" Bucky mumbled pulling her back against him.

"I ran into Steve… in just boxers, getting ice cream and chocolate" Ellie told him.

Bucky lifted his head off his pillow, "What?"

"Yeah he took the entire pint of mint chocolate chip and the whole bottle of chocolate syrup" Ellie told him.

Bucky snorted into her neck, "He must have finally slept with Natasha"

Ellie laughed, "Why do you think that?"

"Did he have a bowl?" Bucky asked.

"No, but I am sure he has them in his apartment" Ellie told him.

"Or he can just eat it out of her belly button" Bucky said.

"Eww Bucky!"

Bucky laughed, "You aren't a guy. You don't understand"

"God, now I can't look at ice cream the same way" Ellie said as she laid back down.

Bucky pulled her close and had just started drifting back off when Ellie groaned, "What?"

"I think you are right. He had a hickey" Ellie said.

"Go Steve" Bucky mumbled, "Now go back to sleep"

"I hope he isn't setting himself up to get… what are you doing?" Ellie said as he rolled over onto her in between her legs.

"You won't stop talking so I'm guessing you aren't tired… I thought I'd help" He said as he pulled her underwear off and threw them across the room.

* * *

a/n3: Thank you for the reviews Crystal and Momma Wolf18

 **Here is next week's chapter preview for We're Ready!**

Steve looked at him, "What is it T'Challa?"

"Agent Everett Ross has contacted me. He said that he was told that Bucky was here and he wants to talk things out" T'Challa told him.


	40. Chapter 40 - We're Ready

**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**

 **A/n2: We have hit 40 chapters! Also 5 more chapters until EndGame comes out! I am far enough ahead in this story that we will have a few months until Infinity War comes into the picture of this one then EndGame will have to wait and see how it affects this story, if at all. I have a plan and … hopefully Endgame works with it. Also I have created a Facebook page for my author page. Feel free to follow me on there for sneak peeks and bonus content: Buck-and-Caps-Princess-and-PrincessWinter-Author-Page-1965632486806469/**

 **Thank you to the new followers: Babyi.G, TrueHufflepuff (whoo for Hufflepuff! We have the cookies!), Fan1249, FandomsGalore4, luvabull97 and piglet873. Chapter 39 was read in 15 countries. Thank you for reading and please drop me a line to tell me how you like it!**

* * *

 **I'm ready for more  
The feelin' now that I'm beside you  
We'll open the door  
Do anything that we decide to  
And I know that there's something that's just out of sight  
And I feel like I'm finally seeing the light**

 **~ We're Ready by Boston**

* * *

 ***~*~* June 27th, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie stood in front of the mirror in just her bra and panties and turned sideways, "Have I gotten any bigger in the last few weeks?"

Bucky stopped what he was doing and looked at her, "Oh yeah much bigger"

Ellie looked at him angrily through her reflection, "Are you calling me fat?"

Bucky stopped folding their clothes and looked at her, "What? No! I just mean you can really see the baby now" Bucky said confused.

Ellie started crying, "You think I am fat"

"How the hell did you get to that?" Bucky asked confused putting his dirty clothes into the now empty basket.

"The baby is only the size of an eggplant according to my baby book… that means all this is just fat" Ellie cried.

Bucky sighed and walked over pulling her into his arms, "Babe, eggplants are pretty big"

Ellie sniffed, "You are right"

"What is up with you?" Bucky asked.

"I don't know!" Ellie cried again.

"Angel, it's just your hormones" Bucky told her rocking her slightly.

"Well hormones suck" Ellie said into his chest, "I hate feeling like this. It's like something has taken over my body and I'm just a passenger. I hear myself saying these things and getting mad at you over stupid stuff but… I can't help it"

Bucky kissed her forehead pulling her closer, "I know baby, and I'm not taking offense to any of it. Come on, come lay with me for a second"

"It's almost noon" Ellie told him letting him pull her back onto their bed, "We have our appointment at 2 and I have things to do"

"You need to relax" Bucky told her rubbing her back.

Ellie rested her ear against his chest listening to his heartbeat, which always calmed her. She smiled when the baby started moving. It never liked when she was too still.

"Why are you poking me in the stomach?" Bucky asked.

"I'm not" Ellie said confused then she smiled, "The baby is just saying hello"

"Wait, that was the baby?" Bucky asked.

Ellie smiled as she laid back and took his hand placing it on her belly, "Talk to him. He is really active right now. He doesn't like when I am still"

Bucky moved his hands around her belly then looked at her in disbelief as her stomach moved under his hands "My god, the baby is strong"

"And he better behave today" Ellie said to her belly, "I want to find out if he is really a she"

"Wanda is nearly positive it's a boy" Bucky said rubbing her belly.

"The baby doesn't know what it means to be a boy or a girl" Ellie told him as she pushed herself up, "Get ready"

Bucky looked over at her as she got dressed, "I hate when you have to get dressed"

Ellie rolled her eyes, "I want you to get dressed Buck"

"Fine" Bucky said as he got up, "When does Steve come home?"

Ellie sighed, "No clue. He said that this mission might be long"

"You know they have each other's backs. They will be fine" Bucky said pulling a tank top on then pulling her to him.

Ellie kissed him, "This isn't helping us get ready"

Bucky laughed against her lips, "But it's so fun"

Ellie laughed as the baby kicked, "I think he just discovered how to kick"

"Or he doesn't like me touching Mommy" Bucky said as he pulled her against him again to test his theory.

Ellie moaned.

"Seriously!? Every freaking time!"

Bucky snorted as he laughed as their front door slammed, "Steve's back"

They walked out to the communal kitchen and saw Steve sitting with his head on the table with Natasha rubbing his back, "It's like they have radar, and Steve is within listening distance"

"Or its just Steve doesn't knock" Bucky said smacking him on the back of his head, "We weren't doing anything"

"Hey Nat" Ellie said as she got in the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water.

"You've popped more" Natasha said as Bucky looked at her wide-eyed behind Ellie and shook his head, "Or not…"

Ellie turned around and looked at Bucky who smiled at her, "Are you trying to warn her that I was being moody?"

"No, you aren't being moody at all. Where'd you get that?" Bucky asked innocently.

Ellie rolled her eyes and walked out of the room. Bucky flinched as the door to their apartment slammed behind her.

"Having fun?" Natasha asked.

"A barrel of laughs" Bucky said with a sigh, "She is going to kill me"

"Literally or emotionally?" Steve asked confused.

Bucky looked towards the hallway and turned the water on, "Her moods are all over the place. One minute she is happy, then she is crying, then she is pissed at me, then she is… just a mess. But I didn't say that. God don't tell her I am saying that"

Natasha shook her head, "She is full of hormones. Give her a break. It's like… it's like an alien has taken over her body for the next five months"

Wanda walked in the room, "Did you guys go to your appointment yet? Is it a boy?"

"That's today" Bucky told her as he grinned, "I felt the baby kick today though"

"Really?" Steve asked.

Bucky nodded, "I mean hard. I hate to think how that feels inside Ellie"

Ellie came out of their apartment, "Good Wanda is here too… is my hair a rat nest or is that just me"

"El, it's just your curls coming back in the humidity" Steve told her.

Ellie sighed as she sat next to Wanda, "I hate my brain right now. I am over thinking everything"

"It's just the influx of hormones" Wanda said rubbing her back.

"Bucky said that the baby kicked" Steve said, "Can I feel?"

Ellie sat up and glanced at Bucky then Steve, "The baby isn't moving right now"

Wanda closed her eyes, "He's not asleep. He's just listening to your voice"

"He can hear?" Ellie asked.

Wanda nodded.

"Come here Steve" Ellie told him reaching out for him.

Steve stood up and walked over to her then let her place his hand on her belly.

"Talk to him" Ellie told him.

Steve knelt down next to her and put his head on her belly, "Hey baby… it's me Uncle Steve… I just want to know that I love you buddy already. You have two amazing parents kiddo"

Ellie started crying as the baby kicked right at Steve's face, "He's saying hello"

"Oh wow" Steve said as he put his hand on her belly and followed the movements.

"Can I?" Wanda asked.

Ellie nodded and Wanda put her hand next to Steve's, "Wow he is strong"

"Babe, we better go" Bucky told her looking at the clock on the wall, "With the buses, who knows how they are running today"

Ellie glanced at the clock, "Let's just walk. We have plenty of time"

"Sounds fine to me" Bucky said as he took her hand, "Bye guys"

* * *

Ellie yawned as they waited for Dr. Ksie to finish up with her patient, "I don't know why I am so tired. I slept awesome last night"

"Because you are pregnant" Shuri said as she came into the room, "Glad I didn't miss it"

"Hi Shuri" Ellie said as she stood up and hugged her, "Bucky felt him kick today"

"And you didn't call me?" Shuri asked placing her hand on Ellie's belly, "Come on little one"

"I think he is asleep" Ellie told Shuri as the door opened.

Nalia came out of the room with a patient that appeared about to have her baby any day, "Remember call me as soon as you feel contractions"

The lady nodded to Shuri as she walked away.

"Well hello everyone, come on in. Surprised I don't have Captain Rogers in here too" Nalia joked.

"Well I am sure he wanted to but he didn't ask" Bucky told her.

"Think baby is ready to cooperate?" Nalia asked.

"Better, you hear that baby" Ellie said as she laid on the bed, "I'm about to bust too"

"Well hopefully that pushes it up high enough we can get a good shot before he blocks us" Nalia said as she put the gel on Ellie's belly then ran the wand over her belly, "Okay… very clear shot this time… baby is measuring a week ahead of our estimates"

"Look El, you can see his ribs" Bucky said amazed, "And the mouth… wow"

"While they are cooperating, I'm going to turn on the 3D" Nalia told them.

"Wait they?" Bucky asked wide eyed.

"No, no there is only one but I think I can see the sex of the baby. I just want confirmation and I hope that can be seen clearer in 3D" Nalia told them as she readjusted the view.

"Oh" Ellie said as the baby came into cleared view, "Look at that nose… and the eyes… those little fingers"

"This baby is so stubborn" Nalia said moving the wand around, "Everything looks great. I just wish they would turn a bit more. I had a great shot in 2D but I wanted the great 3D shot"

The baby flipped around and kicked its leg up and put its hand over its face.

"Come on… just a little further over" Nalia said, "There!"

Bucky squinted, "What are we looking at?"

"That is the umbilical cord but those two things right there" Nalia said.

"It's a boy" Ellie said.

"It's a boy" Nalia confirmed.

"We're having a boy" Bucky said as he kissed her then leaned down next to her belly, "Hi Baby boy, its Daddy"

The baby turned and stopped then reached out.

"That is amazing" Nalia said, "The baby is reacting. He can hear you already"

"We love you" Bucky said as they saw the baby's face change then it put its hand up next to its mouth.

"We need to do one of those gender reveals!" Shuri said excited, "Oh I have so many ideas!"

"Don't go too crazy" Ellie told her.

"Me? Never" Shuri said as she skipped out.

Ellie looked back at the monitor then took Bucky's hand, "Look at him Buck"

"Now we have to come up with a name" Bucky told her.

"What about Ulysses?" Ellie asked.

Bucky looked at her, "You know I wasn't serious about that right?"

Ellie laughed, "I know but… why don't we use Grant?"

Bucky smiled, "Then all we have to do is come up with a middle name"

Ellie took the towel that Nalia handed her, "Grant Buchanan"

"No" Bucky said shaking his head.

"Grant Steven" Ellie suggested.

"No, we need him to be his own person" Bucky told her.

"Grant T'Challa… no…Grant Joseph" Ellie tried, "Just doesn't sound right"

"Grant Howard" Bucky said.

Ellie stopped and looked at him, "Grant Howard Barnes or Grant Stark Barnes… no Howard… I like it"

"Me too and it's a great way to honor him too" Bucky told her.

"That was easy. It takes people months to name their babies and we named him in minutes" Ellie said slipping her shoes on, "Let's keep the Howard part to ourselves for awhile though"

"Sounds good" Bucky said as they went to head out of the room and Shuri came hurrying in.

"Here!" Shuri said as she slapped a sticker on her belly that said 'HELLO I am baby boy' then removed it, "No, no never mind. Oh a cake for dinner tonight. I will call the palace chef!"

* * *

"Damnit my belly is so itchy since the gel dried" Ellie said as they opened the door to the apartment floor of the palace.

"So, was I right?" Wanda asked as she jumped up.

"We are announcing it at dinner as soon as everyone is here. Shuri is having a cake baked" Ellie told her, "But we even have a name picked out"

"I promise, I won't try to read your mind before hand" Wanda told her, "Even if I really want to know"

Bucky snorted.

"So where is everyone?" Wanda asked.

"Wanda, you got to be patient" Ellie said with a laugh.

Wanda sent out a pulse down the hall, "Come out, come out wherever you are"

Ellie laughed as Steve's apartment door opened then closed as he walked down the hall.

"Wanda, why did you just mentally send me a message to come here right now" Steve asked.

"Sooner we have dinner, the sooner we can find out what the baby is" Wanda said as Sam came down the hall, "Where is Natasha?"

A door shut then Natasha appeared moments later, "I was asleep and you woke me up"

Bucky frowned, "Asleep this time of day?"

"I don't feel good. I'm human you know" Natasha snapped, "I'm not a robot"

"Nat, if you just want to go back to bed you can" Ellie told her as her Kimoyo beads went off, "Yes Shuri"

"When do you want dinner? They are done with the cake and the chef made a big meal" Shuri told her.

"How about we do cake first then dinner? Natasha isn't feeling the greatest" Ellie told her.

"We will be right up then" Shuri told her.

"Dinner will be shortly. Anyone want some tea? I'm craving some iced tea" Ellie said as she went into the kitchen.

"Knock Knock"

"Hello Mother" Bucky said as she walked in and kissed the top of his head.

"So did we find out what the sex of the baby is?" Ramonda asked.

"Yes, but I have the answer here" Shuri said as she walked in carrying a large cake with one of their ultrasound pictures on it.

"Wow, that is what an ultrasound picture is like now?" Steve asked staring at it, "You can see the ears and the mouth"

Ellie frowned, "I don't want to cut our baby's face"

Shuri rolled her eyes, "Really? After all this?"

Bucky took the spatula and shaved off the top layer and out it onto a plate, "There"

"That's better" Ellie said as she took the knife and looked at everyone, "Everyone ready?"

Steve smiled, "The first Avengers baby"

Ellie looked at him, "But we aren't Avengers"

"Yeah you guys are" Wanda told her with a smile, "When you are ready you guys can help us"

Ellie looked at Steve, who sighed.

"I don't like it but you aren't just meant to be a housewife like women were expected to be when we were growing up. In some twist of fate or what have you… you have these powers. Not using them would be like telling me not to use my strength to open a jar for Nat" Steve said.

Bucky gave him a look.

"When the baby comes, we would love to have you guys join us" Steve told them.

"But you guys aren't the Avengers anymore" Ellie said.

"Sam has taken to calling us the Renegades" Steve told her.

"Enough already, cut the cake" Wanda said.

Ellie laughed as she looked at Bucky, "Ready?"

Bucky put his hand over hers and they cut the cake that had blue cake inside.

"It's a boy!" Wanda screamed jumping up and down.

Ellie smiled, "Everyone meet Grant Barnes" Ellie said running her hands down her belly.

"Grant?" Steve asked.

Bucky put a hand on his shoulder, "As soon as we found out it was a boy, we knew that is what we were going to name him. Our first son was also a Grant"

Steve looked at Ellie and a tear fell down his face, "Really?"

Ellie nodded and gave him a tearful smile, "Officially his name was Ulysses Grant Barnes"

"You didn't!" Bucky said laughing.

"Yeah I actually did" Ellie told him sadly, "He was going to be your first born son… I had to keep the family tradition"

"Wait… Ulysses Grant Barnes? There is a family tradition on naming kids after presidents?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, my name is after a president, my Uncle's and my grandpa's were too" Bucky told him.

"How is Bucky a president?" Sam asked.

Steve looked at him, "James Buchanan"

"Oh… why the hell did your parents pick him?" Sam asked.

"Dinner is ready Queen Mother" The chef said.

"I think I am going to go finish my nap, leave me some leftovers" Natasha said.

"Are you sure you are okay?" Steve asked taking her hand.

"Yeah, just tired and… woman issues" Natasha told him.

Steve dropped her hand making the women in the room laugh, "Ah"

Shuri walked over to Natasha, "Are you okay?"

"It's just the first period I have had since I was shot. Cramps are worse than usual" Natasha told her.

"You may still be healing. Just take it easy and put heat on the area" Shuri said as she put her finger behind her ear and said something in Wakandan, "Someone will bring you a heating pad"

"Thanks Shuri" Natasha told her as she went back to her room.

Ellie put her hand on Steve's shoulder, "She will be fine Steve. That… area was one of the areas damaged when she was shot. While she is recovered, it still happened and she can't be 100% already"

Steve sighed as the chef handed out plates of food, "I know I just worry… about all my teammates"

"And Natasha more than most" Bucky said taking a bite of the dish, "Oooh this is good"

Halfway through dinner, T'Challa walked into the common area.

"About time brother" Shuri said, "You missed the big announcement"

T'Challa looked at the cake then Ellie and Bucky, "My Congrats to you both on your baby boy. I come with news though"

Steve looked at him, "What is it T'Challa?"

"Agent Everett Ross has contacted me. He said that he was told that Bucky was here and he wants to talk things out" T'Challa told him.

"Do you think Tony gave him up?" Ellie asked worried.

"Nothing to worry about Ellie. He is now a Wakandan citizen as are you, as well as part of the royal family" Ramonda said.

"I asked him to come" Shuri told them.

Everyone looked at her.

"What?" Bucky asked.

"Ross owes me a favor, I saved his life. I asked him to come with an open mind and an open heart" Shuri told them, "He promised me that after he shook Thaddeus Ross off, he would come. He must have finally done that"

Steve looked at T'Challa, "When will he be here?"

"Tomorrow" T'Challa told them.

"We need to make a plan for attack" Steve told them, "In case things go bad. I think Sam, Nat and Wanda need to stay out of sight. I would rather he just think that it is me and Bucky here until we know his motives"

Bucky sighed as he folded his arms over his chest, "I don't like this"

"We knew it would happen eventually" Ellie told him as she took his hand in hers, "We will do it together"

"No" Steve said, "Until we know his motivations, you are definitely staying hidden"

"Steve I-"

"No. Heaven forbid he is here under false pretenses" Steve said, "Between the baby and your powers… and that you exist… no"

Ellie took a breath, "Steve-"

"No I agree with Steve" Bucky told her, "We don't know his motivations El… what if this is a ploy and he ambushes us"

"That will not happen" T'Challa told him, "You are protected citizens of Wakanda"

"But Steve isn't" Bucky told him, "Let's just wait and see"

* * *

 ***~*~* June 28th, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie sat on the edge of the bed watching Bucky go through his clothes, "Buck"

"El… this man could make or break my life… our life" Bucky said as he threw another outfit onto the ground.

Ellie got off the bed and walked up behind him putting her arms around him and resting her head on his back, "We are going to be alright Buck… even if we have to have Wakanda be our base for awhile"

"I want to go home though" Bucky told her turning around in her arms, "I want to go to our house. I want to raise Grant in his room… I want something that is just ours"

Ellie ran her hand up his chest, "We will… we will make it home. We just have to have a little faith" Ellie told him as she got into the closet, "Let me pick something. How about this undershirt under this top and these pants. Dressy but not over the top"

Bucky nodded as he took his tank top and shorts off then put the outfit that she had picked on.

Ellie ran her fingers through his hair, "I can't believe how far your hair has grown out in just a month"

"Should I shave?" Bucky asked looking in the mirror.

"You know my answer, I missed the beard but if you feel more comfortable without it" Ellie said as she sat back on the bed

"Knock knock… is it safe?"

Ellie looked at Bucky then moaned as she jumped on the bed a little.

"Really El? Not funny" Steve said as he came in the room.

"Yeah it is" Ellie said with a grin, "Wait until you are in a relationship"

"Well… you'll be waiting a long time. That's not in the cards for me" Steve told her as he looked at Bucky, "How ya doin' Buck?"

"Should I shave?" Bucky asked.

"You look fine. Agent Ross is supposed to be here in about 30 minutes. T'Challa wants to meet him on the landing pad" Steve told him as he sat next to Bucky.

"Are you having as much as anxiety about this as Bucky?" Ellie said noticing he had his Captain America uniform on.

"No but… I just want them to know, I might not be Captain America anymore but I won't be controlled" Steve told her.

"You are still Captain America" Ellie said shaking her head, "Giving up the shield doesn't take that away from you Steve. You started out without that shield remember?"

"The punk has always had a shield" Bucky told her with a laugh, "I remember pulling him out of alley fights and he was famous for using trash can lids as a shield"

"And that very first day him using the car door" Ellie connected, "Then the prop shield"

"Isn't that what Schmidt nearly punched a hole through?" Bucky asked Steve.

"Yes" Steve said.

"Don't forget his first shield" Ellie said leaning back onto her elbows as she looked at Bucky, "You"

"What?" Steve asked.

"Come on Steve. Whenever you were in trouble, Bucky was always there to save you" Ellie told him "The literal definition of shield is 'one that protects or defends'. Before you had a literal shield, Bucky was your shield"

"Fuck… don't go all psychological on us El" Bucky said shaking his head.

"Come on, that's what I went to school for!" Ellie said as Steve got up shaking his head.

"You just had to make it weird" Steve said as Bucky leaned down and kissed her.

"Watch each other's backs" Ellie told him.

"Until the end of the line" Bucky told her as he put his hand on the back of Steve's neck, "Come on little bro"

"Don't pull that card up there" Steve told him as they left the bedroom.

* * *

Bucky and Steve walked up next to T'Challa, "Any word?" Steve asked.

"He just breached the outside borders" T'Challa told him as the Dora Milaje walked over to stand guard.

Bucky let out a big breath as he saw a plane coming close, "Is that a Quinjet?"

Steve frowned, "Sure is… a SHIELD Quinjet"

The Quinjet hovered over the landing pad then landed 50 feet from them.

T'Challa held his hand out towards Steve and Bucky as the door opened and the ramp came down.

One man was not the only one to emerge, but two.

"Rogers" He said as he walked over to them.

"Fury" Steve said as Fury looked at Bucky.

"Barnes" Fury said holding out his hand.

"I apologize sir" Bucky said shaking his hand, "For what went down around the fall of SHIELD"

"Without you and Rogers, we would never have known that Hydra was existing within SHIELD" Fury said, "While I didn't enjoy getting shot… I have a feeling that you are no longer Hydra"

"No sir" Bucky said.

"Sir, he has all conditioning gone from his brain now. He is in control of 100% of his mind" Steve told Fury.

"I wouldn't say 100%" Bucky joked as everyone stared at him, "Wrong time for a joke"

The white man next to Fury looked at him, "You are seriously the same man that I captured?"

"Yeah sorry about that if you got in trouble at work. Steve and I just had a mission that we had to complete" Bucky told him as he walked over to him, "Bucky Barnes"

Agent Ross stared at his hand then back at Bucky then shook it, "Everett Ross, CIA"

"Let's head inside" T'Challa suggested.

Everyone followed T'Challa inside the palace to his throne room. Bucky tried not to grin as he realized T'Challa was trying to intimidate them.

"Where is Romanoff? I expected her at your side" Fury said to Steve, remained standing with Bucky as everyone else had a seat.

"Natasha is… occupied at the moment" Steve said.

"And the rest of your band of merry men?" Fury asked, "Here I assume… I can feel Maximoff trying to read my mind"

Steve sighed.

"Wait… this is where all the rouge Avengers have been hiding?" Ross asked T'Challa.

"I offered them asylum. I do not believe in the accords any longer. My father was the advocate of them" T'Challa told Ross, "You were here when Killmonger attacked. If I was on good speaking terms with the Avengers and they were together… even then, would we have had enough time to get the UN to decide whether they should have helped or not?"

Ross sighed, "No"

"Wait Ross was here for that?" Bucky asked.

Ross shook his head, "I just got it… you are the other broken white boy"

"That sounds like a Shuri thing" Bucky said shaking his head.

"Shuri saved my life. I would not be up and walking without her. I assume the arm is her invention. It is different than when we caught you" Ross said.

"What are you intentions?" Steve asked, "I know Shuri called in a favor but… how are you going to help us?"

"Well hindsight is 20/20 Captain. I see the errors in our ways when it comes to Barnes but I just need more information" Ross told him.

"And I want to get the band back together. Stark said that you and he are speaking again. The best line of defense is our own" Fury told him, "As a whole, you are all invaluable to any force that is thrown at us" Fury looked at Bucky, "I think we can use you as well. The Captain has been working with Romanoff, Wilson and Maximoff at eliminating Hydra… we could use your expertise. There are still many high up Hydra people out there"

The lights pulsed and Steve looked at Bucky, who sighed.

"What was that?" Ross asked looking around, "God not another attack"

"No… not an attack. Just someone listening when they shouldn't!" Steve yelled.

Fury frowned, "Maximoff can manipulate electricity now?"

Steve looked up, "Fury I need you to be honest. Can we trust him?"

Fury looked at Ross then at Steve, "He is on our side"

Steve looked at Ross, "Can I trust you? Don't forget sir, that I am not one to mess with. I have half the Avengers on my side and the ones I have…you don't want to mess with either. Plus Stark… would probably hurt anyone over this secret too"

Fury frowned, "What secret? Do I know this secret?"

"No sir" Bucky said, "Steve and I have been keeping this secret since the 1940s"

Fury looked back and forth between Bucky and Steve, "Wait… did you hide a weapon?"

Bucky looked at Steve, "I guess you could call her that. El… I know you are listening. Come on"

Not even a few moments later, not only did Ellie appear but Natasha and Wanda as well.

"Romanoff, Maximoff…" Fury said as he stood.

"Sir" Natasha said as they took a protective stance in front of Ellie.

"Guys I can handle myself" Ellie told them as she pushed past them, "So you are Director Fury"

"Not Director anymore, and who might you be?" Fury asked staring at her obviously pregnant stomach.

Ellie cleared her throat, "Pleasure to meet you Nick Fury. I am Ellie Barnes"

"Wait" Fury said looking at Steve, "Your sister?"

"One in the same" Ellie said.

"But you are supposed to be dead" Fury said.

"Wait you had a sister… have a sister?" Ross asked.

"I kept her off what records I could" Steve told him.

"How… how do you look like you do and from finding your file I know you were born in the 1920s" Fury said confused.

"1919 actually but I was part of a top secret project of Howard's and that's how I am here" Ellie told him without giving too many details.

"Are you pregnant?" Ross asked.

Ellie looked at him and could feel the power flowing through her then pushed them down, "Yes"

"Your eyes just did something funny" Ross pointed out.

Ellie closed her eyes and opened them looking at Ross, "Tell me if your intentions are bad. What are your true intentions for being here?"

"I am here to help the Avengers. Thaddeus is unreasonable and we are at a risk without them together. I owe a debt to Shuri so I am repaying it by listening" Ross said.

Steve looked at her, "Was that you or him?"

"Well it was me getting the truth out of him" Ellie told him, "He is safe"

"What was that?" Ross demanded.

"Sorry, I had to know if you were really telling the truth" Ellie said as she looked at Fury, "I was Howard's first attempt at his own super soldier serum, but there were side affects"

"Who helped Howard? According to SHIELD records, he was never successful" Fury said.

"Dr. Reinstein… he was Erskine's lab assistant" Ellie told him.

Fury frowned, "Martin Reinstein?"

"Yes… you've heard of him I am sure" Ellie said.

"Yeah, through the Hydra leak we've found out he was Hydra" Fury told her with a frown.

"What? No, Reinstein couldn't have been" Ellie said as she looked at Steve and Bucky.

"Are you sure?" Steve asked Fury.

"He and Zola were working together on project Elektrizität in 1949 but it was a failure" Fury told him.

Ellie felt her knees start to give out and Wanda reached out with her powers and caught her, "Ellie!"

Bucky rushed over and helped her into a chair, "Are you okay?"

Ellie blinked, "No"

Bucky kissed her forehead.

Ellie looked up at the ceiling and blinked, "Was Howard part of it?"

"No… he wasn't mentioned. Project Elektrizität was their attempt to create a super soldier to control the Winter Soldier" Fury said looking at Bucky.

"What?" Bucky asked.

"Now I might not be remembering the file with 100% accuracy but the soldier was supposed to have powers that could control the Winter Soldier's mind and also wipe you if need" Fury told them, "Using the power of electricity. But from Hydra records, it was a failure"

"They created me to destroy you" Ellie said as tears fell from her eyes, "Oh god, what if they were going to wipe me too?"

"But they didn't and you were stronger than them" Bucky told her holding her hands as he knelt in front of her.

"Why did they think it was a failure?" Fury asked.

"I was unstable" Ellie told him as she looked up from Bucky, "I blew up the New Years Eve ball because I couldn't control my powers, I was passing out and having headaches… Reinstein learned… oh god"

Bucky sat next to her and rubbed her back.

Ellie looked at him, "He learned the Cryo from Zola"

"As soon as they said that, I figured that out" Bucky said.

"So you were put into cryo too?" Fury asked.

"How the hell did all this go on under my nose?" Ellie yelled as she stood up, "I was the fucking director of intelligence!"

"Wait what?" Steve asked.

Ellie sighed, "I was the Director of Intelligence for Shield. Only for half a year but… that was my official title"

"What is your agent code?" Fury asked.

Ellie looked at him, "Omega-9080119"

"Shit… you are Omega level?" Fury asked.

"Like I said Director of Intelligence" Ellie told him.

"Wait Omega- 9… you are a level 9 agent?" Steve asked.

Ellie nodded, "You guys seem to forget though. When Peggy, Howard and Chester created Shield… I was there. I mean, not for the initial founding but like four months later. I was feeding them Intel when I was dark"

"You were dark?" Fury asked.

"From 48 to 49… from 46 to 48, I was working with MI5" Ellie told them as she looked at Steve and Bucky, "In fact… I am surprised you guys didn't know that. I accidentally made papers in… 47 I think it was"

"When you saved the Queen and she knighted you" Steve said, "I saw that"

"Wait… you are a dame?" Wanda asked.

Ellie nodded, "I took down someone trying to shoot her and Prince Phillip… she wasn't even Queen at the time. King George didn't pass until after I was in cryo the first time, but he was sick and some crazy didn't want her being Queen. A sexist pig. So he had her in the crosshairs and I ambushed him. King George actually Damed me but I did meet her and Phillip and my partner and I had dinner in this big party. I tried to talk her out of it but… she was very persuasive"

"I wonder… if we do go public… if we explain our situation to her… if she'd be on our side, and in turn help sway England away from the accords" Steve said.

"Wouldn't hurt to try" Ellie said.

"If we can wait until after he is born though…" Bucky said.

"We have 20 more weeks Bucky…" Ellie told him sadly.

"I don't want to risk you both" Bucky said.

* * *

Later that night, Sam, Steve, Natasha, Ellie, Bucky and Wanda were all sitting in the sitting room with the TV on, but no one was truly listening to it.

"Ellie…"

Ellie shook her head as she snuggled deeper into Bucky's chest, "Not right now Steve… let me…process all this"

"Well I did and it sucks" Steve said as he walked over and sat at her feet, "To know that I tried to keep you out of Hydra's grasp for so long and right under our noses they still got to you"

Ellie sighed, "There is nothing you could have done. You were gone Steve. He fooled me and Howard both. I knew from my intel that the Winter Soldier weapon… they were having trouble controlling it. I just didn't know that he was human or Bucky. By working for Shield… he must have found out that I was Bucky's wife…told Hydra and that is how they came up with the plan"

"Because you were in Bucky's record… but not mine" Steve said with a sigh.

"Hydra probably never realized that they had Steve Rogers' sister" Ellie told him, "They probably were trying to come up with the project and didn't even plan on using me but when they found out that not only was I Bucky's wife but your sister… I just fell right into their lap"

"At least it wasn't completely successful" Bucky said shaking his head.

"What do you think they would have done if they were successful?" Ellie asked.

"Hopefully Howard would have figured it out before they did anything" Steve said rubbing her feet.

Natasha had been typing away on her computer since they got back, "They would have used you as a partner for Bucky. They were looking for someone strong enough to work alongside him and with your powers…"

"Is that what they were doing with you? Training you to work alongside him?" Ellie asked.

"Yes" Natasha told her.

"They had me do far away… sniper missions the first few times they woke me up" Bucky said, "It wasn't until the Red Room that they had me work with people so I think she is right, plus by then they figured out the chair"

Ellie wiped her tears, "Why do I have a feeling… the reason they picked me… was for us to have a baby"

Bucky looked at her then at Natasha.

"It would make sense…a super soldier baby… or babies that they could train… in the red room… shit" Natasha said with a sigh.

"No, I don't think so because they didn't want us together Natasha" Bucky told her, "They literally used you to punish me when they found out then sterilized you"

Natasha sighed as she put her laptop on the coffee table.

"Wait… what?" Sam asked looking between the two of them.

"Bucky and Natasha worked together in the Red Room where Natasha was trained. Natasha is really nearly 50 years old and she and Bucky were together in the Red Room, romantically Sam" Wanda said.

"Not romantic… just convenience" Bucky told her.

"When did you find that out?" Sam asked.

"When Natasha was injured" Steve told him, "Sorry Sam, I forgot you didn't know"

"Our lives are such a web" Ellie said shaking her head as she looked at Sam, "I also knew Tony when I lived with him and Howard in 87, Thor saved my life in 87 too"

"Wait Thor?" Natasha asked, "I didn't know that one"

Ellie nodded, "When I went to try to break up the Red Room I was trying to get intel and I tried to save this girl and the guy turned on me. He stepped in. He was trying to find something that was missing from Asgard that his father hid here on Earth"

Steve looked at Ellie, "Wait his father hid something here on Earth?"

"Yeah, he said he hid an artifact or something… what?" Ellie asked as Steve looked at Natasha.

"The Tesseract… he was looking for it back then" Natasha told him, "Who had it then?"

"Shield" Steve told her, "They had it until Loki took it"

"Of course" Natasha said shaking her head.

"I wish Thor would come back for a bit" Steve said shaking his head, "he said he was going back to Asgard to find more about the Infinity Stones"

"What are the Infinity Stones?" Ellie asked.

"Vision has the Mind Stone in his head; Thor said the Tesseract was another one of the stones… Thor has the Reality Stone stored in space somewhere and… there was a fourth one right?" Steve asked Natasha.

"He didn't say what or where it was" Natasha said sitting back in her chair.

"What do these stones do?" Bucky asked.

"Well the mind stone is what Loki used to control Clint" Natasha told him.

"Wait, a stone that can brainwash?" Bucky said, "That's fucked up"

"Then the Tesseract, when Schmidt held it… it opened up a portal to outer space and he just...disappeared. Then Loki used it to make the portal in New York so it has space and traveling abilities" Steve told them as Ellie looked at him in shock, "Thor said that what he called Ether was really the reality stone and it could change the reality of how we see things"

"That sounds scarier than any of them" Ellie said as Grant kicked hard and Bucky laughed placing his hand on her belly, "It's like now that he knows we can feel him he wants to make sure we don't forget he is there"

"It makes him happy when he feels Bucky's presence" Wanda told her.

Ellie smiled as Bucky kissed her temple, "I love you"

"I love you too Angel"

* * *

A/n3: Thank you everyone who read and reviewed!

Tuckerjnp1: Thank you for reading and reviewing!

Mommawolf18: Thank you! I love all these characters.

Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967: thank you for reading as always!

* * *

 **Sneak Peek for next week:**

After about 15 minutes of sparring, Natasha put her hand up as she grabbed her knees, "Hold on" She said as she gasped for breath.

Steve frowned, "You okay?"

"Yeah… just got dizzy for a second" Natasha said as she stood up, "I… whoa…"

"Are you sure… Nat!" Steve yelled as she fainted.


	41. Chapter 41 - Bad Romance

**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**

 **A/n2: Less than a month away from Endgame. Totally not mentally ready for it and so many scenarios keep playing through my brain on how it may go. Then Chris said they let him see the first hour of the movie and he got choked up three times… I'm screwed. Anyways enjoy Chapter 41, A Bad Romance. Also don't forget to check out my Facebook page for this story for pictures about this chapter and much more. Find it by searching for PrincessCaptainWinter or through this link: PrincessCaptainWinter  
**

 **Thank you to the new followers: HydeHijacktGackt, Ana2753, kaede97, ImprintTL, laney.18 and TRIanie123! Also 5 more reviews until 100 reviews, let's see if we can break 100 this week! Also welcome back to Katherinep97!  
**

* * *

 **I want your love and  
I want your revenge  
You and me could write a bad romance  
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh!)  
I want your love and  
All your lovers revenge  
You and me could write a bad romance**

 **~ Bad Romance by Lady Gaga**

* * *

 ***~*~* July 2, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

Shuri walked into the communal quarters and saw Ellie, Natasha and Wanda sitting watching a movie, "Perfect, just the people I wanted to see"

Wanda looked back at her, "Hey Shuri"

Shuri walked in and sat down at Natasha's feet, causing her to jerk as she had just drifted off.

"Hey Shuri" Natasha said stretching.

"So I have an idea" Shuri said, "Let's all go to a club"

"A club?" Ellie asked, "You really want this old pregnant lady in a club?"

"You might be old but you don't look it" Shuri told her as she looked at the girls, "Would you guys be interested?"

"Does Wakanda even have clubs?" Wanda asked, "I've never been to a club"

"We do, here in the city" Shuri told her, "What do you think?"

"I don't know" Natasha said, "Clubbing has never really been my scene"

"It will give us a chance to dress all sexy" Shuri told them, "Maybe meet someone"

"Again, old married pregnant woman here. I'll just be a mood killer" Ellie said.

"Not at all. Give me your dress sizes and I will have something for each of you for tonight" Shuri said.

After giving in, Shuri skipped off leaving Ellie and Natasha looking at each other.

"Why do I have a feeling we are going to regret this?" Natasha asked.

"Would they even make club wear in maternity?" Ellie asked.

* * *

Later that night, clothed in the dresses that Shuri had purchased for them. They left a note for the guys when they returned from their "wilderness hike", that they had went out with Shuri and they arrived at the most 'happening' place in Wakanda according to Shuri.

"I think Shuri got the wrong size for me" Ellie said pulling down the dress as it rode up her legs.

"At least your boobs aren't hanging out. I didn't even realize I had boobs until I wore this dress and they were out there" Natasha said.

"You two sound like two old ladies. Come on, let's have fun!" Wanda said jumping up and down to the beat.

They made their way to the reserved table Shuri got for them and sat down in the booth. The music was pumping through the speakers and the volume was already giving Ellie a headache thanks to her magnified hearing.

"Let's go dance!" Shuri yelled over the music.

"You go, I'm going to sit here and enjoy the music" Ellie yelled back.

"I'll stay with her" Natasha said.

Shuri took Wanda's hand and they walked out to the dance floor as a song about a guy welcoming people to his house blared from the speakers.

"What the hell happened to music?" Ellie asked Natasha as the next song started blaring from the speakers and the lady's voice wasn't natural at all.

"It's been downhill for awhile" Natasha told her as people yelled "Hey, Ho! Hey, Ho!"

A waiter came over to take their orders and Ellie ordered a soda water and Natasha a glass of red wine.

"Did you get the enhanced hearing since the transfusion?" Ellie asked.

Natasha nodded pointing to her head then flashing her fingers as if something was pounding in her head, "Unfortunately"

"At least I can understand the words with it instead of just the beat" Ellie said, "Not that they really mean anything"

"Oh they do, just live your life. No telling where it will take you" Natasha told her with a laugh.

"When we get back to America… we are looking up some of the old dance hall clubs. I am sure they have some. That is when things were amazing" Ellie told her with a smile, "Bucky used to be amazing"

"I've heard that he was an amazing dancer" Natasha said as the waiter brought their drinks, "Thank you"

"He was. He tried to teach Steve so hard to dance but it never worked" Ellie said.

"He learned… we've danced during missions" Natasha told her as she sipped her wine then made a face, "This tastes weird… gross"

Another song about a Bad Romance came on and Ellie nodded, "Now this one has a nice beat… you could almost tango to this"

"You know how to tango?" Natasha asked.

"Oh yeah, I took dancing lessons in college" Ellie told her drinking her soda water, "Mmm I don't think it's the wine… this tastes weird too… I think it's the ice"

Natasha sighed as she laid her head down on the table, "Getting all dressed up and made up for nothing… I don't feel like dancing. I don't feel like anything. If this doesn't stop I'm going to go get checked out. It's been almost a week. I'm afraid I have internal bleeding or something. I think it's more than just my period"

"Are you still on it?" Ellie asked concerned.

"No, just feel gross still" Natasha said, "All the humidity and my skin is so dry doesn't help when I feel like my skin is trying to crawl off"

"I have that on my belly… I could scratch it raw" Ellie told her as a new song came on and people screamed, "I guess this is a popular one"

"Boom, boom, boom , boom, gotta get that, boom, boom, boom, boom!" The crowd yelled as they all started jumping.

"My god… it's just noise people! Random words and noise!" Ellie groaned.

Natasha looked up at her, "Do you think we could sneak out?"

Ellie snorted, "I think she has security watching us"

A new song came on, it started out with a man and a woman speaking the words then the beat jumped in as they 'rapped'

"Do you think if we dance… we can go easier?" Ellie asked.

"Maybe why?" Natasha asked.

"Do you know the Lindy Hop?" Ellie asked.

"A lot of hopping on one foot and twisting your hips right?" Natasha asked.

"Yeah" Ellie said, "Come on this could be a Lindy song"

Ellie got up and Natasha reluctantly followed her.

Ellie started hopping around doing the Lindy Hop to the beat and spinning when it said "You spin me round, right round" Grabbing Natasha's hands she twisted with her hopping to the beat.

"There you go ladies!" Shuri said as she and Wanda danced over to them, "What dance is that?"

"The Lindy Hop" Ellie told her as the next song came on, "Yeah this isn't a Lindy Hop song"

Shuri looked at Wanda then at the two of them, "How about this… I'll have security take you back to the palace. Then we go swimming tomorrow?"

"Sounds much better" Ellie told her as Natasha nodded.

One of the Dora's came over to them.

"Can you escort Ms. Barnes and Ms. Romanoff back to the palace?" Shuri yelled over the music.

"Yes Princess. This way ladies"

* * *

Walking into the communal area, Natasha kicked off her heels, "Finally! Those heels were killing my feet"

"Steve, I think I hear the girls" Ellie heard Bucky say as she heard their apartment door open.

Bucky paused in the doorway, "What are you wearing?!"

"Shuri took us to a club" Ellie told him as Steve came out behind him.

"Don't even say it Rogers" Natasha warned.

"I was going to say you look nice" Steve told her, "Where is Wanda?"

"She stayed behind with Shuri" Ellie told him as she sat down and sighed, "That place wasn't our cup of tea at all… the music was too loud with our hearing, plus the music is just awful now"

Bucky sat next to her, "I could have told you that"

"You should have seen them dancing… it was like they were having sex on the floor" Ellie said shaking her head.

Bucky got up and went to the record player that Shuri had found and brought in for them then looked through the records, "Oh you'll love this one El"

Ellie watched Bucky put the record on the player then put it on a song. He pushed the furniture back so they had dance room.

"May I have this dance?" Bucky asked holding out his hand.

"Of course sir" Ellie said as she stood up and put an arm around his back, "Is that Frank Sinatra's voice?"

Bucky grinned, "I figured you'd like that"

Natasha stood next to Steve, "They are so cute together"

"Want to dance?" Steve asked.

"For real?" Natasha asked.

Steve nodded as he took her hand and led her over next to where Ellie and Bucky were dancing, "just something slow though"

Natasha put her arms around his neck as he rested his hands on her waist.

Bucky twirled Ellie.

"Show offs" Steve mumbled.

Natasha laughed, "I'm surprised that didn't make her have to puke"

As the song ended, Ellie pulled Bucky down for a kiss.

"Hmmm goodnight guys" Bucky mumbled against Ellie's lips as he pulled her back to their apartment.

"Have they been like this all your life?" Natasha asked as he walked over and ended the record.

"Since they got together" Steve told her as they sat down on the couch.

"I guess your old music wasn't too bad" Natasha teased him.

"You know what Romanoff" Steve teased.

Natasha reached over and grabbed the back of his head and pulled his face to hers.

"Mmmm" Steve moaned.

Natasha bit her lip as she glanced down the hallway, "Want to stay in my apartment tonight? It's farther from theirs than yours is"

"Sounds good" Steve told her as he stood up and grabbed her hand.

* * *

 ***~*~* July 3, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

Steve looked up from the bag he was punching as someone walked into the training room, "Back from swimming already?"

"Steve we were there for 6 hours. I think I am going to have a sunburn" Natasha told him as she stretched as he unwrapped his hands, "I have too much energy right now… I gotta work some of it out"

Steve looked at her, "What does that mean?"

"Let's spar" Natasha said stretching next to him.

"Really?" Steve asked looking at her abs as she stretched.

"Yes" Natasha said, "We haven't sparred since I have the serum in my veins and I think I can take you down now"

"You could take me down before" Steve told her.

"For real, not you just letting me" Natasha said grinning at him, "Come on"

Steve sighed then took a defensive stance.

Natasha swung at him and he blocked. He tried to sweep her legs and she grabbed his arm and climbed onto his neck, pulling him to the ground, "Round one me!"

"Fine be that way" Steve said as he stood up.

After about 15 minutes of sparring, Natasha put her hand up as she grabbed her knees, "Hold on" She said as she gasped for breath.

Steve frowned, "You okay?"

"Yeah… just got dizzy for a second" Natasha said as she stood up, "I… whoa…"

"Are you sure… Nat!" Steve yelled as she fainted.

Steve gathered her in his arms and checked her pulse, which was racing even for working out.

Natasha groaned, "Don't tell me I passed out"

"You did… we are taking you and getting you checked out" Steve told her.

"I'm fine, it's just too much sun and I probably didn't drink enough water today" Natasha told him as she got up and grabbed his bottle of water and downed it, "See thirsty"

"I still prefer you getting checked out. First last week you feeling horrible, now you are passing out" Steve said.

"Fine, I'll go up to the hospital and get checked out if that would make you happy" Natasha told him.

"Very. Come on, let's go" Steve said taking her hand.

"I can go on my own Steve. I don't need you to hold my hand. They will probably give me and IV of fluids and send me on my way" Natasha told him as she put her shirt back on over her sports bra.

"I still want someone to go with you. Would you be okay with Ellie going with you?" Steve asked.

"Fine…but it's a waste of her time" Natasha told him.

* * *

Natasha sighed as she looked over at Ellie, "Sorry you had to come"

"Honestly I was going to suggest it. You haven't been yourself lately, then you pass out" Ellie said, "It's just concerning"

"This headache, tells me its dehydration" Natasha told her as one of the nurses called her name, "Be right back"

Natasha walked into the office, "Hello Doc"

"Hello Natasha. So I hear you experienced some fainting" Dr. Ksie said, "Hop up on the table and we will figure this out"

"Honestly, I've been feeling weird for a couple of weeks" Natasha told him, "Then it got worse last week when I had my period. I haven't gotten over the cramps and the general sick to my stomach"

"Have you thrown up at all?" Dr. Ksie asked.

"A couple times" Natasha said, "On our last mission I got punched in the stomach and I am kind of worried about internal bleeding honestly"

"Well lie down and let's get a quick scan of your abdomen" Dr. Ksie told her.

Natasha laid back yawning.

"Tired?" He asked.

"We went swimming all morning. Then I came back and I was sparring with Steve… I should have known better. I was already tired from all the sun this morning" Natasha told him as a scan of her body appeared on the screen next to Dr. Ksie.

"Well I don't see any internal bleeding" Dr. Ksie said, "But I did find the issue"

"Did you miss a bullet?" Natasha asked as he got the ultrasound machine and brought it over.

"Can you pull your shirt up a bit, I just need a closer look" Dr. Ksie told her.

Natasha pulled her shirt up and he applied gel to her belly then moved the wand around, "Is it a bullet?"

"No… it's a baby" Dr. Ksie told her.

"What?" Natasha asked sitting up.

"A baby, congratulations Natasha. You are about six weeks pregnant" Dr. Ksie told her.

"Impossible. I was sterilized as a teenager" Natasha told him.

"You were? When you were injured our team had no clue and we attempted to repair all your organs including your reproductive system." Dr. Ksie told her.

"Shit… I'm pregnant?" Natasha said in shock.

"If I would have known I would have warned you" Dr. Ksie told her.

"I just… I never thought it was possible" Natasha said.

"Well, you are measuring at 6 almost 7 weeks. Any clue when the baby may have been conceived?" Dr. Ksie asked.

"May 25th" Natasha told him.

"Alright…are you going to be okay?" Dr. Ksie asked her.

"Just… in shock" Natasha told him.

"For right now, just take some of Ellie's prenatal vitamins until you can get your own. Take care of yourself too" Dr. Ksie told her, "Rest and lots of water"

Natasha nodded.

"Come back in a couple weeks and we will do another ultrasound to see more details but everything looks good so far" Dr. Ksie told her.

"Thanks Doc" Natasha said as she jumped down and walked out of the room.

Ellie looked up, "What did Ksie say?"

"Drink more water and rest" Natasha told her.

"Then let's get you back so you can do those things" Ellie told her.

As soon as they got back, Natasha retreated to her apartment and locked the door. With her back to the locked door, she sunk to the floor in disbelief.

"Oh my god… I'm pregnant with Steve Rogers' baby" Natasha whispered to herself.

* * *

 ***~*~* July 4, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

Steve walked into the communal kitchen to see a banner with 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVE' written across it.

"Happy birthday Steve!" Ellie yelled as she walked over to him with pancakes.

"Thanks El" Steve said as he hugged her then Bucky, "Where is Nat? I tried knocking on her apartment door last night and she never answered"

"When we got back from the hospital they gave her strict orders to rest and drink more water. She may have gone straight to bed" Ellie told him.

"I'm going to go check on her" Steve told her.

"Would you want some bacon too?" Ellie asked as Bucky reached for another piece of sausage and she slapped his hand.

"Sounds good" Steve said as he walked down the hallway and stopped at Natasha's apartment.

He knocked and she didn't answer. "Hey Nat, it's me" Steve said as he knocked again.

Inside the apartment, he heard shuffling of feet and was concerned when it didn't get closer.

"Come on Natasha, open the door sweetheart. You have me worried" Steve said quietly.

He heard the lock turn and the door opened to show a puffy eyed Natasha.

"What's wrong?" Steve asked shutting the door behind him, "Ellie said they told you to rest and drink more water"

"Oh he did… but they found something" Natasha told him.

"Oh god… what?" Steve asked.

Natasha looked at him, "I'm pregnant Steve"

Steve stared at her, "That's not possible. Between your sterilization and my radiation"

"Oh no… turns out the Wakandan doctors are extra thorough" Natasha told him, "They fixed me… because they didn't realize that the damage wasn't just from the gunshots"

"Oh my god" Steve said as he sat on her couch.

"Yeah" Natasha said as she sat next to him, "I know you've always wanted to be a dad"

"I just… I thought it wasn't possible" Steve said in shock.

"Well we did it" Natasha told him.

Steve stood up, "Oh my god… we're having a baby Nat!"

Natasha couldn't help but laugh, "Yes Steve we are"

"We're having a baby… whoa" Steve said as he dropped to his knees in front of her, "Hey baby"

Natasha ran her fingers through his hair, "Happy birthday"

"Did they say how far along you are?" Steve asked resting his cheek on her belly.

"Six weeks… so word for the future… you don't shoot blanks" Natasha told him, "That was the first night"

"I gotta at least tell Bucky and Ellie… shit… no more missions" Steve told her as he stood up.

"Come on Steve, I'm not that far along" Natasha told him.

"No, there is a chance it could go bad and I can't lose you and the baby too" Steve told her as he placed his hand on her still flat belly, "God Nat… this baby is a miracle"

"Yeah you probably didn't think that you'd be 70 years in the future with Bucky and Ellie, they are having and baby and now you are too" Natasha said.

"I never thought I would have a baby… I never thought I would find a woman to have a baby with" Steve told her as he placed his hand on her face, "I love you Nat"

Natasha smiled as he leaned down and kissed her, "I love you too"

* * *

Ellie looked up from the couch where she was resting on Bucky's lap, "About time you two come out. Your breakfast is probably ice cold now"

Steve looked around, "Where is everyone?"

"Wanda went out with Shuri to go look at something and Sam is with T'Challa talking about a new pack for him" Ellie told him, "Why?"

Natasha sat down in the arm chair and Steve sat on the arm rest.

"Because I have something to tell you" Steve told her, "And I don't know how you guys will take it"

Ellie sat up glancing at Bucky.

"You can tell us anything Steve" Bucky told him.

"Nat and I have been in a relationship since…when did it really start?" Steve asked Natasha.

Natasha blew out a breath, "Basically on our vacation together to the log cabin"

"Our log cabin?" Ellie asked.

Steve nodded, "I needed to clear my head and I took Nat there. It really didn't start… developing until we started doing our missions in the Middle East and we pretended to be a couple and then it just happened"

"We're happy for you Steve" Bucky told him, "Honestly we already guessed it"

"Oh my god!" Ellie gasped sitting up, "The reason you are telling us is because you proposed!"

Natasha laughed, "God no"

"Oh" Ellie said as she watched Steve take Natasha's hand, "Then what is it?"

"Well… we're pregnant" Steve told her.

"What?!" Bucky said as he jumped up.

Ellie gawked at them.

"Yeah so turns out when they fixed the damage I had internally… they fixed it too well" Natasha told them.

"Oh my god, our baby is going to have a cousin to play with!" Ellie said as she jumped up and pulled Steve into a hug.

Bucky walked over to Natasha, "How are you doing with this?"

"Totally don't know how to think" Natasha told him.

"We never expected this. Erskine told me he didn't think I'd ever be able to even father a kid" Steve told them, "Then we thought Natasha was sterilized"

"Well that confirms what we thought…about time" Bucky teased, "Now Captain America isn't a virgin"

"You know I wasn't before" Steve defended.

"She didn't count. You couldn't breathe through it" Bucky said.

Ellie took Natasha's hands, "I'm here whenever you need me. We are going through this together now"

"Thanks" Natasha said, "I have no clue what I am doing. I never thought this would happen so I never even allowed myself to dream of it"

Bucky hit Steve in the stomach, "What a birthday present huh?"

"Definitely not one I expected" Steve said looking at Natasha.

* * *

a/n3: Happy Birthday Steve! I guess I was a little too obvious with it for awhile. Anyways thank you to those who reviewed last chapter! I truly appreciate each and every one of you! Some of you have expressed concern about a potential Steve/Nat take over of this story. While they will be part of it, Ellie and Bucky are still the central story.

 **MommaWolf18: Baby Grant will be a game changer for sure. They won't know what to do with him!**

 **Tori: Well this chapter answers your questions, but more information about HOW in coming chapters**

 **Animexchick: Thank you Wakanda and their technology. I really wish they didn't kill on Shuri for Endgame**

 **Crystal-Wolf-Guardian=967: Thank you as always!**

* * *

 **Sneak Peek of Chapter 42- Without Me:**

"Not that I don't… mind you bring here but why are you here?" Steve asked.

Tony sighed, "I tried talking to the secretary… he won't budge. In fact, he is currently following one of my suits to Russia to make him think you guys are there. Fucker tagged it to track me"

Steve sighed, "So we are going to have to go out to the people to change public opinion"


	42. Chapter 42 - Without Me

**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**

 **A/n2: Three more weeks! Time is flying by but going by too slow at the same time. Thank you to the new followers: tomshardys, Wintersoldier2019, Rockey16, jodieriot, hydehijacktgackt, and unknow399! This is sitting 98 reviews; let's see how fast it can break 100! I truly appreciate everyone that reviews! Also don't forget to look up my author page on Facebook and like it! Find me by searching for: PrincessCaptainWinter**

* * *

 **Said I'd catch you if you fall (fall)  
And if they laugh, then fuck 'em all (all)  
And then I got you off your knees  
Put you right back on your feet  
Just so you can take advantage of me**

 **~ Without Me by Halsey**

* * *

 ***~*~* July 4, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

The evening of Steve's birthday, everyone was sitting at the dining room table enjoying a spaghetti dinner prepared by Ellie since it was Steve's favorite.

"Great dinner El" Steve said breaking the silence of everyone eating instead of talking.

"Agreed, did you put something in the sauce?" Sam asked.

"Just some veggies, garlic and a small bit of sugar" Ellie said as she passed the garlic bread to Bucky.

Everyone glanced at the front door as it opened and T'Challa walked in.

"Joining us for dinner T'Challa?" Ellie asked as she wiped her mouth with her napkin, "Its spaghetti"

"I hate to interrupt your dinner but Tony Stark has just breached the perimeters" T'Challa told them.

Steve sighed as he sat back placing his napkin on the table, "I doubt it is to say happy birthday"

Natasha reached over and took his hand, "It might be, you know Tony"

Steve looked at her then at Bucky and Ellie, "For right now… not that I'm ashamed but… our secret stays with us"

Natasha nodded as she sat back, "Agreed. Things can still go wrong"

"What secret?" Sam asked confused.

Wanda hit him then pointed towards the door.

"Happy Birthday Capsicle!" Tony yelled as he walked through the door of the apartments.

"Hey Tony" Steve said as he got up.

"My gift was too big to bring in the palace so it's outside for later" Tony told him, "I'm bringing you a ton of studio equipment"

"Not that I don't… mind you bring here but why are you here?" Steve asked.

Tony sighed, "I tried talking to the secretary… he won't budge. In fact, he is currently following one of my suits to Russia to make him think you guys are there. Fucker tagged it to track me"

Steve sighed, "So we are going to have to go out to the people to change public opinion"

"Yeah" Tony said.

Ellie stood up and walked over to them, "Steve let me do it"

"Whoa…" Tony said staring at her belly, "You definitely look pregnant now"

"Thanks" Ellie said rolling her eyes, "Steve listen… I think it will work. I worked for the government; I was the head of Shield intelligence. People hate being lied to. They need to see the truth"

Steve sighed pinching the bridge of his nose, "I don't like this"

"Steve, neither do I but… with all the recent developments… do we want to be on the run forever?" Natasha asked him.

Steve looked back at her, "No"

"Exactly. Bucky and Ellie deserve to raise their baby in peace at their home. We shouldn't have to worry about being caught. Wanda shouldn't have to worry about hiding" Natasha told him, "Sam should be able to go and see his family without them having to hide the fact he is there"

"It won't be easy" Tony told them, "Even if… when the public gets swayed to our side"

Ellie looked at them, "I need to get an audience with the Queen"

"Luckily, you know a King" T'Challa told her as he nodded and left the apartments.

Steve looked at her, "Are you really sure that this is going to work?"

"I really think it is going to Steve" Ellie told him shaking her head, "People don't like being lied to, it's a physiological fact"

"When we do go… live how should we do it?" Steve asked them all as he looked around at all his friends.

"Television. I'll pay for the time if we need to but if we go live on the cable networks…CNBC, will share with NBC… and Fox… CNN… but we need to take this worldwide" Tony said, "I'll have Pepper get on it. She is great with these"

"But where are we going to do it?" Steve asked, "I don't want T'Challa to get in trouble for the Accords"

"Steve we don't have to actually invite any of the news networks here" Tony told him with a grin, "That's the beauty of it. We send out the signal using my equipment over the Stark servers, tell the networks how to access it. Put it live on the internet…they don't have to even know where you are"

"And I tell everyone our story. Bucky's story. What the government is really doing" Ellie told them as she leaned back against the back of the couch, "We have the King of Wakanda on our side… hopefully I can talk to Queen Elizabeth and get her on our side as well"

Tony looked at her, "Wait that Queen? You know the Queen of England?"

"Well… I saved her life" Ellie told him with a shrug, "I wouldn't exactly put it as knowing her"

"When did you do this?" Tony asked.

"1947… so she may not even remember it" Ellie told him, "Anyways, it might help"

T'Challa walked back into the room, "Ellie, we have an audience with Queen Elizabeth tomorrow"

"Wait, what? Tomorrow?!" Ellie asked shocked that she had been willing to talk to them so soon.

"We will go to her. I just requested a meeting saying that it was of grave importance and it was about Dame Elizabeth Barnes that saved her life. She told her people yes right away" T'Challa told her.

She looked at Bucky, who suddenly looked concerned, "Guess we will find out if I can fly"

"I think you will be fine… you have control now" Steve told her as he looked at Tony and T'Challa, "Can I go too?"

"I don't think that is a good idea Steve. Heaven forbid Ross tracks them and finds you" Tony told him.

"I agree" T'Challa told him.

"I will be fine Steve" Ellie told him taking his hand.

* * *

 ***~*~* July 5, 2017- England *~*~***

Ellie looked up at Buckingham Palace as she stepped out of the car.

"Has it changed much?" T'Challa asked looking at the palace in front of them.

"Not at all" Ellie said looking at him with a sigh, "At least some things don't change"

The front door opened and a man stood at the door, "Please come in your highness"

T'Challa held his arm out and Ellie took it then they walked into the palace.

"Please have a seat here in the sitting room and the royal highness will be here shortly" He told them leading them to a fancy sitting room.

T'Challa looked around as they sat down, "Sure differences in palaces"

Ellie looked at him, "Have you ever been to another palace?"

T'Challa shook his head, "Baba did not bring us on his royal trips"

The man came back, "The Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth"

Ellie and T'Challa stood up as she entered.

"King T'Challa… it is a pleasure to finally meet you" The Queen said as T'Challa bowed then shook her hand and she glanced at Ellie, "I was sorry to hear about your father. He was a good man"

"Thank you ma'am" T'Challa said.

"Please have a seat" She said as she sat in an armchair, "My people tell me that you requested a meeting stating grave importance and that it had to deal with Dame Elizabeth Barnes…which I looked up to refresh my memory and ma'am I must say you look exactly like your grandmother"

Ellie sighed, "Because I am her. I am Ellie Barnes"

Queen Elizabeth looked at her, "Pardon me"

"Excuse me ma'am, but do you know anything about enhanced individuals?" Ellie asked.

"Yes… we have quite a few here in England and they even work for the crown" Queen Elizabeth told her.

"I am one" Ellie told her, "I am also the sister of Captain Steve Rogers… Captain America"

The Queen looked at her, "I think it would be better if you went from the beginning"

"Well… ma'am I was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1919" Ellie told her.

The Queen looked at her, "You are older than me?"

"Yes ma'am, I will say though… you are looking amazing for your age… I don't recommend my beauty methods. I was frozen for 37 years then an additional 30" Ellie told her.

"Frozen?" The Queen asked surprised.

"I am getting ahead of myself" Ellie said, "Ma'am this is how it happened…"

* * *

 ***~*~* July 5, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

Bucky stood on the landing pad waiting for Ellie and T'Challa to return. In the distance, he saw a speck appear on the horizon then grow larger as it came closer. He stood back as it landed then the door opened.

T'Challa emerged first and Bucky smiled as Ellie appeared talking about music.

"Are you still going on about that?" Bucky asked with a smile, shaking his head.

Ellie looked at him, "It's true… they have ruined music. T'Challa was letting me listen to the 50s on the ride back… it at least sounds better. Hey honey"

Bucky pulled her into his arms and kissed her, "How'd it go?"

"She was in disbelief at first that Ellie who she was saying she was but after listening to our side… she admitted that she did not even have her enhanced sign the accords. She will be speaking to her prime minister but we have her support" T'Challa told him.

"Good" Bucky said taking Ellie's hand, "Tony looks like he is filming a television show in our sitting area"

"He wants to do it in the sitting area?" Ellie asked.

Bucky nodded, "He already has had contact with many of the major news networks… they are in, they will air our message"

T'Challa opened the door and they walked down to the living quarters, "Tony which networks did you get?"

Tony looked up, "India, Al Arabiya, Euronews, Al Jazeera, MSNBC, FoxNews, Sky news, CNN, BBC… Pep didn't get anyone from CBS or ABC to respond. How'd it go with the Queen?"

"She's on our side" Ellie told him, "So when are we doing this?"

"Today" Tony told her, "The day after the 4th of July, stating our Independence from the accords and letting the world know that Captain America had to spend his birthday on the run"

Ellie let a breath out, "Are you sure we are ready?"

"Yes" Tony said messing with some equipment as he looked at Natasha, "Want to help her look nice for the camera? You always helped Pepper"

"Sure, come on Ellie" Natasha said.

"My choice of wardrobe is very limited" Ellie told her as they went to Natasha's apartment.

"What you are wearing is fine… it's just makeup with the lights" Natasha told her.

Ellie sat on her bed, "Can I do this?"

Natasha nodded, "I think you are our best bet. People are judgmental. We have pro Steve people and anti-Steve people… he would get one side to listen but not the other as easily. No one knows you"

Ellie nodded as Natasha applied some of her makeup on her face.

"Are you sure you are ready for this?" Steve asked pulling Ellie to the side after she and Natasha emerged from Natasha's room.

"No… but I made notes for myself and Tony added to them. I just hope I don't sound like a fool" Ellie told him as she took a large breath, "We really don't know who will be listening to this anyways"

"We are making the message and putting it out live through the Stark servers; Pepper has the IT sending it live from New York. Just don't say its Saturday night live" Tony joked.

"Why would I? It's Wednesday" Ellie told him confused.

Tony sighed as Sam laughed, "At least Sam gets it. It's a TV show"

"Ah… got it now" Ellie said looking at the simple setup of one of the couches and the coffee table against the bare wall.

"We took the pictures off… we don't want any hints of where you are" Steve told her, "It is 10pm here… that puts it at 3pm in New York"

"Just in time to get the message out and people talking as they get off from work, evening news will pick up on it and talk all night" Tony said as he looked up at them, "We are ready whenever you are Ellie"

Bucky looked at her, "You can do this Ellie. I believe in you… we all do"

Ellie sat on the couch, "Can you tell that I am pregnant?"

"Shit we didn't think of that" Bucky groaned.

"Okay… new plan" Tony said as he rubbed his hands together, "Super soldiers, move the couch over there and put the dining table over here. We will give her a cup of coffee or tea and we will use that as the intro"

They switched the couch out with the table and Ellie walked over with her tea cup, "I like this better I can put my notes on the table"

"Yeah I do too" Tony said as they readjusted everything, "Ready?"

Ellie nodded, "As I will ever be"

Ellie sat down and looked up at the camera. She took a breath; everyone was depending on her to make a change in the right direction. She could do this.

"Just let me know when to start it" Tony told her.

"Go ahead" Ellie told him after a moment.

Tony opened his phone, "Pep, honey we are getting ready to start. Alright. Love you"

Ellie glanced at Bucky who gave her a smile.

"Alright, five… four… three… two…"

Ellie saw the red light come on and smiled, "Hello everyone. My name is Ellie Barnes and I just want a moment of your time. So while you are enjoying your evening cup of tea or the after work beverage on the way home on the subway or even that mid day pick me up at the office, I would love to have your ear. You are probably wondering who I am, and why am I asking for your time. Well, there are only a handful of people in the world that even know that I exist. You see I was born Elizabeth Rogers in 1919, you may know my brother Steve Rogers… better known as Captain America"

Ellie cleared her throat as she glanced down at her notes and looked back up at the camera, "Mine and Steve's stories are very similar obviously growing up in the same home, but when I went to college… I was discovered by an organization of spies in our government and I started working for them. At the time, we were called the SSR, the Strategic Scientific Reserve. We worked together with scientists and at the time we were the governments' first line of defense between us and the Nazis. Keep in mind this was before World War Two, they knew that Hydra was a threat even back then. Hydra started out as the Nazi's science division. I was the SSR's chief psychologist and with my skill set, I used that to apprehend and analyze the people that we captured. In 1943 though, we had a project called Project Rebirth. It was a project to create the first super soldier, we were fresh in the war and we wanted an army of super soldiers that could help defeat Hitler. The SSR picked one man for the task to be the first to become a super soldier. I was sent to see if the candidates were worthy and they picked someone that I had never even met. I came to the project to see if the person even survived it, how it would affect them mentally. Low and behold, it was my brother Steve"

Ellie looked at the table then at the camera, "Fast forward, the SSR was retasked to Europe. We were sent there to defeat Hitler from the front lines. My husband and the entire 107th were taken captive and Steve was our only hope but the military wanted to experiment on him instead. A senator at the time decided the best place for him was as a show performer wearing tights. Yes, that was Captain America's first job performing like a clown for people to raise money for war bonds. It wasn't until he was in Italy and found out that my husband and his entire platoon had been captured or killed, that he himself decided to go on a rescue mission, that he truly became Captain America. He saved not only my husband but hundreds of other men… and speaking of my husband… when he was captured… he was captured by Hydra. He was experimented on, they gave him drugs…" Ellie said as she closed her eyes to compose herself, "they killed him only to bring him back to life countless times. They tortured him for secrets to our military because he was a Sergeant. But he never gave in. When Steve came to their base and started a revolution with the captured soldiers…" Ellie said as she looked up at the ceiling blinking back the tears, "Hydra left my husband strapped to a table to die. By the grace of God… Steve found him and brought him back to me"

Ellie glanced at her notes then looked back at the camera, "For the next two years, Steve and my husband were part of an elite task force that they called the Howling Commandoes. They destroyed Hydra base after Hydra base. Eliminating threats that the Army could not. They singlehandedly almost won the war. Hydra was losing…Hitler committed suicide and Mussolini was killed. Our forces were winning. The Germans surrendered in Italy and the Reichstag was captured… we had won. But Hydra didn't surrender." Ellie said as she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, "May 1st 1945… the Howling Commandoes received intel about the chief scientist of Hydra. He was traveling on a train. They… ambushed the train and captured Zola. At a cost…" Ellie let out a breath as the memories tried to overpower her, "My husband… Steve's best friend was lost…" Ellie looked at the table and continued, "he fell off the train after being blasted out of the side and fell… hundreds of feet into a ravine to his… death" She took a shaky breath, "Steve went looking for him, nearly died himself trying to find him in the cold… but we couldn't even bring his body home" She said as her voice broke.

She saw Bucky attempting to move towards her and Steve held him back.

'Come on Ellie… he's here… pull it together' Ellie thought as she opened her eyes and hoped the tears weren't visible on camera.

"Grieving, I went home to notify our family in Brooklyn, New York. Steve had to grieve by himself as he tried to capture the last bits of Hydra. On May 8th… we all thought he did it" Ellie said shaking her head, "Steve defeated the Red Skull and put his plane down in the ocean." Ellie felt a tear roll down her face, "I lost… I lost both of them in a week. Then a week later, I lost my baby too"

Ellie blinked away her tears, avoiding looking at Bucky and Steve and cleared her throat, "You may have heard of Hydra… and what they thought was right. But they took everything away from me. They weren't gone like people thought" Ellie said as she shook her head, "They just went into hiding. So I went out on a personal quest to defeat them."

Ellie took another deep breath and pulled herself together, "The SSR turned into SHIELD. Through SHIELD, I learned of intelligence that there was a weapon that the Soviets… were using. They used it to kill two of our soldiers but… their weapon could think. It stopped because it wasn't a weapon. It was a man. That man, was brainwashed into thinking their ideals were right"

Ellie shook her head, "In 1949, Howard Stark… most of you now know of him as Tony Stark's father. He was just as genius as Tony. He and another scientist discovered the secret to the super soldier serum that had been administered to Steve. The secret was in his blood. He had only one remaining blood relative... Me. But I was in hiding, working with British intelligence, the CIA and Shield providing intelligence and secrets. Through channels, it took awhile but they found me and administered the serum to me but there were side effects with mine. Yes, don't be fooled… the United States government did not create just one super soldier… there were more of us. We know of four that survived… there could be more"

"I not only was strong like Steve but I could manipulate electricity… but I was unstable. I couldn't control it" Ellie said shaking her head, "I blew up the New Year's Eve ball in New York City in 1949 because all the electric around me...my body couldn't handle it. Through the lead scientists' research of my project, he learned of Cryogenic therapy" Ellie sighed, "So I was thought of, at the time, as the first person to go into a Cryogenic freeze. But turns out I wasn't. The United States government wasn't the first to have this… technology"

Ellie stared at the camera, "The scientist that froze me was secretly working for Hydra under our noses…and they had already frozen the man… the very weapon that was fighting back against them. Whenever they didn't need him, they put him into their own cryogenic pod to control him when the drugs didn't. He had their version of the super soldier serum running through his veins and the drugs weren't affective anymore and didn't work so they found out how to control him by frying his brain with electricity. They literally were electrocuting him every time he started fighting back against them. They fried his brain every time he would not do their will. Thanks to the serum, his brain was healing itself. He would go rouge then they would have to bring him in and fry his brain again, after every mission they put him on. Then they would freeze him between each mission. They put him through that pattern for almost 70 years. Until they made the mistake of sending him on a mission to kill my brother Steve, who was found alive in 2012"

Ellie looked at her notes then back to the camera, "I wasn't around but from what Steve has told me, they fought in Washington DC and the mask that Hydra made him wear to conceal his identity fell from his face. The man that Hydra tortured and used for 70 years… was my husband Bucky Barnes" Ellie said as she sighed and shook her head, "But I am getting ahead of myself"

Ellie looked back at her notes, "Now I was not here for the Avengers being created but when I was awoken in 1987, I met Thor… he was here trying to protect the Earth on his own from some cosmic force. I was tasked to break up what was called the Red Room, a place where the Soviets were kidnapping young girls and brainwashing them into working for them. Their trainer was the Winter Soldier… my husband. After infiltrating the Red Room, I met Black Widow… who was one of those brainwashed girls. She tried to escape and was later found again by Hydra. Bucky… he didn't know who I was at first, mind you they had shocked his brain and froze him… too many times since I had seen him last… but I was able to snap him out of his programming"

Ellie smiled as she allowed herself to glance up at Bucky, who looked anxious as he bit his lip, "He realized what they were making him do and we were planning on running away from Hydra together. But Hydra intervened again and captured him… they took him back and… wiped him again. Files say it took 5 attempts before I was gone from his memory. Five sequential electrocutions where his brain was… fried over and over until he didn't recognize the picture they had found of me"

Ellie sighed as she folded her hands in front of her and glanced at her notes that Tony had added, "The Avengers initiative was actually thought of years before the Battle in New York, years prior to the nation and the world knowing that these people even existed back in the 1990s. I have read the files… they had some of the people but they didn't find the right extraordinary people they needed for their ideal image. Then along came Tony Stark, but he was considered a flight risk… literally" She said with a slight smile, "They knew of Bruce Banner… but he was unstable and on the run. They had an agent going by the code name Hawkeye, who rescued from the Red Room, the Black Widow. But they needed a leader, someone that would take this mismatched group, and be able to funnel their energy to a common purpose. That's when they found Steve, frozen in ice in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. He had only been unthawed for two weeks when the battle of New York happened. From there he and the rest of the Avengers worked together to stop the threats to this world that the government tried their best to hide"

Ellie shook her head as Tony pointed at his watch, "Here I am droning on and on, well long story short… the Avengers prevented New York and all the people in it from being nuked. Tony Stark put the nuke through a wormhole himself to save millions of people. Tony Stark defeated the man behind the Mandarin that was killing injured soldiers for his own sick experiments. Steve and Natasha helped bring down Hydra, bring it to the surface so people knew they were being controlled and they didn't even know it. Hydra's plan was to kill millions of people, who thought differently than they did. The President of the United States was on their list. Steve brought down the carriers and saved millions of people. Thousands of people in Sokovia were saved, yes… it was unfortunate that their homes were gone but they are alive because of the Avengers. Yes… the Avengers have made some mistakes but they aren't machines they are human. Inside that Iron Man costume, Tony is just a man. Steve might be a super soldier but he is just a man. When the Hulk isn't a giant green being, he is just a man. Hawkeye is an average every day man that an shoot arrows and Black Widow is a woman that was saved from being brainwashed"

Ellie sighed then looked up at the cameras, "A man by the name of Crossbones, also known as Brock Rumlow… who had been Bucky's handler when he was still under Hydra's control, tried to blow himself up and kill Steve in the process. He would have killed everyone in the town square of Lagos with them. The Scarlet Witch… tried to prevent that by sending him in the air so that there would be fewer casualties. Unfortunately, when the bomb went off he was sent into a building, killing people in the building. That is what called to action the Sokovia Accords"

Ellie held up a tablet next to her with the accords in the screen, "This is the Sokovia accords. It is a document that states that a superhero or enhanced individual must give up their real identity to the government and in turn… be tracked for the rest of their lives and as well as before they go save someone, they need to go to a panel for them to deem it appropriate for them to be used in that manner. It essentially takes away enhanced individuals free will. An enhanced can go across the street and save a cat from a tree but as soon as they cross out of their home country and save someone… they are a criminal. Yes… a criminal for saving someone's life"

Ellie glanced over at Steve, who gave her a thumb up, "There was also a man… by the name of… Helmut Zemo. He was ex-Hydra as well. He lost his family in Sokovia and he had a vendetta against the Avengers. He decided that the best way to hurt the Avengers were for the Avengers to hurt themselves. So, the Sokovia Accords were happening… all the Avengers should have been there together to sign, he could wipe them all out together in one bombing but he didn't want to take credit for it. So using prosthetics and a wig, he took a picture from Shield falling of the Winter Soldier and made himself into the closest representation he could then bombed the UN. Problem was, the Avengers weren't there. Only the Black Widow went. Steve didn't agree on the loss of freedoms they would suffer and in turn he was going to have to be forced into retirement. Tony signed, Natasha signed, War Machine and Tony's creation Vision signed. As soon as the Accords were signed, the Avengers dropped to those four. All the others were forced into retirement or they were criminals"

Ellie shook her head, "After the bombing of the UN, the CIA and the joint terrorism task force that was now created by the Accords saw the video surveillance footage and saw the likeness of the bomber to the Winter Soldier and put out that if anyone were to see James Barnes… to shoot and kill on sight. No trial, no asking questions. Just kill him and be done with it" She said in anger.

Ellie blinked and cleared her throat, "After Bucky escaped Hydra during the fall of SHIELD… he was on the run. For the first time in 70 years, he had his free will back. He traveled to New York, and was searching for something that he didn't know what because he still didn't have his memories. He knew that… somehow he knew Steve but Hydra had him so messed up that he couldn't remember Steve. He went to the Smithsonian exhibit and for the first time, he saw his face as a hero. He was commended as a hero and hailed. He was given the Medal of Honor and the Purple Heart and… the medal of valor. The next two years, he went on a journey of self-discovery. Trying to find his way in the darkness and trying to remember his life. He committed not one murder during that time, he hurt no one. He stayed to himself in the last place he remembered me being at because he felt something was drawing him there, but they…" Ellie said as the tears came forth again, "They hurt his brain so much…. He didn't remember me. They literally tore me from his memory and I knew him since we were young"

Tony grabbed a box of tissues and threw them across the table.

"Thank you" Ellie said taking one to wipe her tears that had escaped, "Steve had been looking for him since the fall of SHIELD and with all the resources he had… he couldn't find him because Hydra taught him to hide in plain sight. But he couldn't run anymore with his face splashed on TV and in newspapers. Someone in Romania spotted him and reported that he was there and had been living there. Steve found out and tried to beat the terrorism task force there. But by trying to prevent them from killing him, Steve was now labeled as a criminal and a terrorist. I bet you didn't know that your Captain America is considered a terrorist by the United Nations"

Ellie shook her head, "Zemo was trained by Hydra and killed the man he knew the terrorism task force would send in to test Bucky's mental status. He pretended to be that man so that he could get into the CIA building in Berlin to talk to Bucky. You see, Hydra reprogrammed my husband's brain so that if a series of words were read to him… he would lose control of himself. He would do whatever they told him to do. Whether it be, kill an official or kill my brother. Thankfully Steve was there, but Zemo got away. Steve rescued Bucky and he was knocked out, when he came to he was my Bucky again. Bucky told them about what Zemo wanted to know. He wanted to know about the other Winter Soldiers. Bucky was one of six that the Soviets had created. Steve knew they would need help going against the other five Winter Soldiers so he enlisted his friends who didn't sign to help him because he knew that those who did sign were bound to the UN. They wouldn't believe him much less be able to help. So Scarlet Witch, The Falcon, Ant Man, Steve, Bucky and Hawkeye tasked themselves to go to Siberia where Bucky and the other Soldiers were kept. But the task force put a bounty on Steve's head and Tony and Black Widow, tried to prevent Steve from being possibly killed. They tried to bring Steve and Bucky in themselves with Vision and War Machine and the Black Panther's help. So that Steve and Bucky could get away, the others sacrificed themselves to the cause and so did Black Widow by helping them escape. Steve and Bucky made it to Siberia, to find all the Winter Soldiers had been killed while in cryo. Zemo didn't want them, he wanted Steve and Tony. He wanted to make them kill each other. So he showed Tony the video of Bucky being sent to kill his father by Hydra because Howard Stark created a new Super Soldier serum after me that was more stable than mine. Hydra found out and Howard was gone and there were five more Super Soldiers"

Ellie looked at Tony, who looked at the ground, "Because Steve chose Bucky over Tony...they had a falling out. Plus the Scarlet Witch, The Falcon, Ant Man and Hawkeye… all were arrested and became criminals because they stayed behind at the airport in Berlin. Steve and Bucky broke into the prison… which wasn't easy seeing as it was in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and it was underwater… and freed them. Hawkeye and Ant Man both decided to go home because they have families. So they are currently serving terms of house arrest. Scarlet Witch and the Falcon have been on the run with Steve and Black Widow because they are considered terrorists now. As for my husband, he has had treatment that has thankfully wiped away all of Hydra's programming so that no one can control him anymore. But… yesterday was Steve's birthday. We all celebrated together in this undisclosed location. Steve had to celebrate his birthday on the run. Biologically he is 99 years old now. I decided… we decided that… we are tired of hiding, we are tired of running. We just want our lives back."

Ellie looked at the camera sadly, "When I got into this life in the 1940s… I never thought I'd be a 30 year old woman in 2017… that has my 32 year old brother still alive with me and we still don't know how old Bucky really is because they froze him so many times when they felt he was needed. I have my family but… others want to go back to theirs, but they can't because they are considered terrorists for trying to help others"

Ellie looked down then back at the camera, "So…nothing else really for me to say. If you don't believe me… that is your free will to do so but the information is out there. SHIELD's files were leaked online; I hope that there is a copy of the Accords that people can look through. We don't deserve to have to live in the shadows… we are being forced by people who think they know what is right to hide. There has been multiple incidents since the accords happened that could have been prevented by the Avengers but they are essentially bound to do nothing instead. What if there was another Battle of New York? What if a new round of aliens came from outer space and tried to take over the world. Would Iron Man, Vision and War Machine be able to handle it themselves? Thank you for your time and for listening to me. I implore you to use your free will and to make a decision, your decision on what I have told you. Don't let others control you. Thank you"

Tony turned the camera off and Ellie looked at Bucky, "So how did I do?"

"Amazing" Steve said.

"Wasn't too long was it?" Ellie asked still looking at Bucky.

Bucky came over and pulled her into his arms, "You were great"

"Thanks for not mentioning Spiderman" Tony said, "When you were talking about Berlin"

"He's just a kid right? I don't want to put that on him" Ellie told him as she looked at all the superheroes around her, "Did I say anything I shouldn't have? Did I miss anything?"

"No… you covered it all" Steve told her, "let's just hope it works"

"Well I'm going to take all my equipment back to New York and do some PR there so it looks like I have been there" Tony told them as he shook Steve's hand then walked over to hug Ellie, "Take care of yourself and that baby, Agent Gorgeous"

"Thank you Tony" Ellie said.

"I figure it's what my Dad would have wanted" Tony told her as he turned to Bucky and held out his hand, "Barnes"

Bucky looked at him then shook his hand.

"I'm sorry that I didn't listen to Steve in the beginning. I could have prevented part of this just by listening" Tony told him.

"It's okay Tony" Bucky told him.

Ellie sat down on the couch next to Natasha and watched all the guys get together and pack all Tony's equipment back in the case. She shook her head as Tony hit a button and the case hovered over the ground, "Is that Stark Reversion Technology?" Ellie asked.

Steve and Bucky looked at each other and laughed.

"What?" Tony asked confused.

"Just something your Dad showed off at the World Expo" Steve told him.

"Wait, it worked?" Tony asked in disbelief.

"No… well it did for like 10 seconds then it shorted out and the car hit the ground" Bucky explained.

"The Reversion technology is the basis I used for the Repulsars" Tony said, "I just never thought Dad got it to work"

"I'll walk you out" Steve told him patting him on the back.

* * *

 ***~*~* July 6, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie got up earlier than Bucky that morning and walked into the communal kitchen to see Natasha already at her computer, "Did you even go to bed?"

"Yeah… just couldn't sleep" Natasha told her, "So I've been browsing the internet to see how people are reacting and looking at pregnancy sites"

"What are they saying?" Ellie asked as she started making herself a cup of tea, "Tea?"

"Yes please. So far really positive as far as us… biggest question people have has been where YOU have been" Natasha said.

"I just… didn't think it needed to be mentioned" Ellie said.

"Well Buckingham Palace put out a written statement in our favor, even commending you and your past heroics yourself. So we basically have the UK loving you" Natasha told her, "Tony did a press conference during the night… well like 8pm. People are asking for a comment from the President but he hasn't made a comment yet but people are not happy that Steve is considered a terrorist. The FBI's website crashed when someone posted the FBI Most Wanted page and I'm on it, Steve's on it, Wanda and Sam are on it"

"Good" Ellie said as Steve came in the sitting area, "Morning Steve"

"Morning" Steve said as he walked over to Natasha, "How are you feeling?"

"Well now that I know… the nausea in the mornings makes sense" Natasha told him, "But I haven't gotten sick"

Steve glanced over at Ellie then leaned down and kissed Natasha then sat down next to her and leaned down to kiss her belly, "Morning baby"

"Whoa… what is this?" Sam asked as he walked in with Wanda following.

"Come on Sam, did you really not notice?" Wanda asked.

"No I didn't… what the hell?" Sam asked shocked.

Steve stood up and looked at him, "Nat and I are having a baby but don't tell anyone yet. The only people to know are in this room and Dr. Ksie"

"How long has this been going on?" Sam asked looking at them, "I've been with you the whole time"

"Well…" Natasha trailed off.

* * *

A/n3: Warning for those who are anti-Romanogers. I will take the next couple chapters and recapping how they have evolved as a couple but those two chapters will be the only Romanoger centered chapters.

Thank you for all the reviews!

 **Guest: Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed this one as well!**

 **Guest: What do you think baby Romanogers should be?**

 **Guest: Thank you for reviewing!**

* * *

Sneak Peek of Chapter 43- Grenade Jumper:

 **"Like I told you… being together is what matters. I shouldn't have signed but… at the time I thought it was the way to go" Natasha told him.**

 **"I'm glad you are here" Steve told her.**

 **"After everything we've been together Steve…of course I'd be here for a friend" Natasha told him.**

 **"If you are looking for a friend, you might be in the wrong business" Steve teased.**


	43. Chapter 43 - Grenade Jumper

**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**

 **A/n2: Less than two weeks until I am able to see EndGame. With the new announcement of Falcon and the Winter Soldier, at least we know we will get more Bucky content after Endgame. Anyways here is the first of two Romanogers chapters. Exploring their hidden back story. Let me know what you think. Don't forget to check out my author page on Facebook for sneak peeks, special content and more! Find me by searching for PrincessCaptainWinter**

 **Thank you to the new followers: Dove Salvatore 21051, TheRealTayler13, bandit32, AnUnexpectedAdventure, and S. Arke. Thank you to all that read and reviewed last chapter. This story is now at 102 reviews and almost at 100 favorites! I appreciate each and every one of you!**

* * *

 **I know you would be there either way  
So glad it seems like these times will never fade  
I know you would be there either way (So I'll tell everyone how much this means to me)  
So glad it seems like these times will never fade**

 **~Grenade Jumper by Fall Out Boy**

* * *

 ***~*~* May 2015 - Sokovia *~*~***

Natasha ran over to the edge of the city where Steve was battling Ultron's drones. She punched a drone as another one went for her head, Steve yelled, "Romanoff!" and threw his shield at her.

She pulled the shield out of a piece of metal and hit one of the bots with a Widow's stick then blocked with the shield. She threw it back to Steve who came running and he eliminated it with the shield from above.

Natasha stopped to catch her breath and looked at Steve.

"Go get the people you can to those buildings. Next wave will be any time now" Steve told her.

Natasha nodded as she hurried off to help the citizens.

"Next wave is going to hit any minute, what do you have Stark?" Steve asked over comms.

"Well nothing great" Stark said as Natasha hurried a few civilians into a building for safety, "Maybe a way to blow up the city. That will keep it from impacting the surface if you guys can get clear"

"I asked for a solution not an escape plan" Steve said as they breached into the clouds and it suddenly got really hard to see.

"Impact radius is getting bigger every second. We're going to have to make a choice" Stark said as Steve walked back over to Natasha.

"Cap, these people are going nowhere. If Stark finds a way to blow up this rock" Natasha told him.

"Not 'til everyone's safe" Steve told her looking out into the sky.

Natasha turned towards him, "Everyone up here versus everyone down there? There's no math there" Natasha told him.

"I'm not leaving this rock with one civilian on it" Steve told her.

"I didn't say we should leave" Natasha told him and Steve turned to look at her, "There's worse ways to go" Natasha turned to look at the cloud tops, "Where else am I gonna get a view like this?"

Steve stared at her.

"Glad you like the view, Romanoff. It's about to get better" Fury's voice said over their comms as a Helicarrier broke the cloud tops, "Nice, right? I pulled her out of mothballs with a couple of old friends. She's dusty, but she'll do"

"Fury, you son of a bitch" Steve said.

"Ooh! You kiss your mother with that mouth?" Fury teased.

Pietro Maximoff ran over to them as the lifeboats deployed, "This is SHIELD?"

"This is what SHIELD's supposed to be" Steve told him.

Natasha looked at him and smiled.

"This is not so bad" Pietro said.

"Let's load 'em up" Steve told them.

After Bruce had left her on the helicarrier, Natasha ran from the top of the helicarrier to the control center then glanced at the monitors to see Steve standing on the edge of the city making sure everyone was on. "Did everyone get on? What about… my god" Natasha said as the town started dropping, "Steve!"

"He jumped last second. He's on the lifeboat" Maria told her pointing to a camera shot of Steve on one of the lifeboats, "Wanda, Thor, Hulk and Tony are the only ones not on board"

"I'll go talk to Bruce" Natasha asked as she walked over to the computer and hacked into the Quinjet's system, "Hey, big guy. We did it, the job's finished. Now I need you to turn this bird around, okay? We can't track you in stealth mode, so help me out. I need you t..."

 **SIGNAL LOST**

Natasha stared at the screen in disbelief.

* * *

 ***~*~* August 2015- New Avengers Facility - New York *~*~***

Natasha walked from her living quarters down to the training room and stopped when her phone vibrated. Pulling it out, she looked at the message Laura, Clint's wife had sent her.

"Say hi to Auntie Nat" Laura's voice said showing the video of Nathaniel Pietro Barton laughing on her cell phone screen.

"I want that" Natasha mumbled staring at the baby.

"One of our tech boys flagged this, splashed down in the Banda Sea" Fury said showing her an object seen in the middle of the sea on radar, "Could be the Quinjet. But with Stark's stealth tech, we still can't track the damn thing"

"Right" Natasha said.

"Probably jumped out and swam to Fiji. He'll send a postcard" Fury told her.

"Wish you were here." You sent me to recruit him, way back when. Did you know then what was going to happen?" Natasha asked as Fury started walking off.

Fury walked back over to her, "You never know. You hope for the best and make do with what you get. I got a great team" Fury told her.

"Nothing lasts forever" Natasha told him.

"Trouble, Miss Romanoff. No matter who wins or loses" Fury said as he started walking away, "Trouble still comes around"

Natasha stared out the window and saw Tony, Steve and Thor walking below. They walked outside and Thor disappeared into the sky

"That man has no regard for lawn maintenance. I'm gonna miss him though. And you're gonna miss me. There's gonna be a lot of manful tears" Tony said as Steve followed him over to his car that had just drove up to him.

"I will miss you, Tony" Steve told him.

"Yeah? Well, it's time for me to tap out. Maybe I should take a page out of Barton's book and build Pepper a farm, hope nobody blows it up" Tony told him.

"The simple life" Steve stated.

"You'll get there one day" Tony supplied.

"I don't know, family, stability. The guy who wanted all that went in the ice seventy-five years ago. I think someone else came out" Steve told him.

Tony turned towards his car, "You alright?"

Steve looked up towards the building, "I'm home" Steve told him.

Tony turned and got into his car, taking off down the dirt road.

Walking back into the facility, he stopped and grabbed his tablet from his room then he found Natasha upstairs staring at a wall, "You want to keep staring at the wall, or do you want to go to work? I mean, it's a pretty interesting wall"

"I thought you and Tony were still gazing into each other's eyes. How do we look?" Natasha asked walking over to him.

"Well, we're not the '27 Yankees" Steve said handing her his tablet.

"We've got some hitters" Natasha told him.

"They're good. They're not a team" Steve told her.

"Let's beat 'em into shape" Natasha said as they walked through the doors to the hanger.

Inside Vision, Sam, Rhodey and Wanda stood waiting for direction.

"Avengers… let's do this" Steve said as he looked over at Natasha with a smile.

* * *

 ***~*~* June 3, 2016- Avengers Facility*~*~***

"How was your vacation?"

Natasha looked up at Wanda, who had just entered the common room at the Avengers compound, "Relaxing. I didn't realize how much I needed it" Natasha said leaning back in her chair.

"Anything… happen?" Wanda asked with a grin as she sat down on the other side of the table.

Natasha frowned, "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing… I just thought… you know, vacation just the two of you…" Wanda suggested.

"Wanda, there are no romantic feelings between the two of us" Natasha told her, "Seriously… he's like… my big brother… even if I am older than he is"

"Wait what?" Wanda asked.

"Biologically by age he might be old but Steve really isn't that old. He is only 31 years old" Natasha told her.

"I never really thought about that, he was young when he went into the ice" Wanda said.

Natasha nodded as she smiled, "Still looks good for being that old though"

Wanda laughed, "Doesn't hurt to look does it?"

* * *

 ***~*~* June 30, 2016- England *~*~***

Steve and Wanda walked into the diner and looked around. He spotted Sam in the back away from the one security camera in the place. Walking over to him, he sat at the table, "So you got all your ducks in a row?"

Sam laughed, "Guess you could say that. I told my family that I was safe… that I was with some blonde bimbo… they weren't really surprised"

"Blonde bimbo? He's smarter than you" A voice said as the person slipped in next to him.

"Nat" Steve breathed out, "What are you doing here?"

Natasha looked at him, "Turns out by helping you guys… I'm on the run too. Plus I figured you guys were going to be having all the fun. Can't miss that"

Steve stared at her. Gone was her red hair. In its place was blonde hair that made her appear pale as a porcelain doll.

"You are late" Sam told her.

Natasha looked at him, "I had to cover my tracks Wilson so shut your yap… but I had help. Wanda… there is someone out back who wants to see you. But make it quick, Tony checks his beacon every 30 minutes. He has it off right now"

"Thank you" Wanda said as she got up and went out towards the back of the restaurant.

"What made you change your mind?" Steve asked her.

"Like I told you… being together is what matters. I shouldn't have signed but… at the time I thought it was the way to go" Natasha told him.

"I'm glad you are here" Steve told her.

"After everything we've been together Steve…of course I'd be here for a friend" Natasha told him.

"If you are looking for a friend, you might be in the wrong business" Steve teased.

"Dude are you two flirting?" Sam asked looking between the two of them.

Natasha looked at him, "No… Steve is like that annoying older brother… even if I am older"

Steve rolled his eyes, "I should have never told you"

* * *

 ***~*~* September 25, 2016- Romania *~*~***

Natasha moved over to the bed in the hotel room that they were staying in and grabbed the hand of the man sleeping on it, "Come on Steve… wake up. You are worrying the shit out of me"

His slow steady breathing was the only answer.

Natasha laid down on the bed next to him and looked at his beaten face, "Why did you jump on that explosive? I can't lose you"

"Isss not the first… time" Steve slurred as he blinked and squinted at the light filtering through the blinds of their hotel room.

"So stupidity is just common for you" Natasha said as she went over and shut the blinds, "You scared the shit out of us"

"Yeah" He groaned, "This one wasn't a dummy"

"No you are the dummy" Natasha told him.

"No, the first…grenade I… jumped on in training… it was a dummy one. It was a test" Steve trailed off.

"Steve try to stay awake. You have a major concussion" Natasha said taking his hand.

Steve looked up at her, "You are pretty… like an angel…with that hair"

"Glad to know" Natasha said as he closed his eyes and drifted off again, her still holding his hand.

The hotel room had a knock on it, followed by three fast knocks, then the door opened just as she jumped away from Steve.

"Has he woke up at all?" Sam asked setting the groceries on the small table next to the bed.

Natasha sighed as she glanced back at him, "Briefly but he really wasn't coherent"

"Did he say anything?" Sam asked unpacking their groceries.

"Just something about jumping on a grenade during basic training and this wasn't a dummy one like that was" Natasha told him.

Sam shook his head, "Definitely wasn't. We are lucky he isn't dead"

Natasha sighed as she looked at Steve and his uniform that laid on the chair next to his bed. Now with the star burnt and hanging loose from it, "Yes we are"

* * *

 ***~*~* November 22, 2016- Egypt *~*~***

Steve opened his eyes as he heard tossing and turning in the bed next to him. Sitting up, he looked over at the other bed to see Natasha moving around violently in her sleep. He watched her for a few moments, then her back arched off the bed and a scream erupted from her mouth.

Jumping out of bed, he went over and shook her, "Nat, wake up!"

Natasha shot up in bed crying.

"It's okay" Steve said as he pulled her into his arms.

Natasha sobbed on his shoulder.

"Want to tell me about it?" Steve asked rubbing her back.

"I… I don't remember. I just… I remember feeling as if my brain… was on fire" Natasha told him, "And pain all over"

Steve held her until she calmed down then went to get up.

"Steve?"

"Hmm?" Steve asked looking at her in the dark.

"It's my birthday today" Natasha told him, "Could you… would you…"

"What?" Steve asked.

Natasha held open the covers and Steve climbed in next to her. Natasha let him pull her into his arms as she rested her head on his chest, listening to his heart beat.

"What do you want for your birthday?" Steve asked as she felt his chest vibrate with each word.

Natasha breathed in the scent that was uniquely Steve, "Just you"

Steve kissed the top of her head, "You have me"

* * *

 ***~*~* December 26, 2016- Lebanon*~*~***

Walking up to the hotel that Sam had sent him the address for, Steve looked at the room numbers, he found one of the two rooms that Sam said they were using. Lifting the doormat, he found the key and used it to unlock the door.

The clicking of a safety was heard as soon as he entered the room, "Relax its me"

The light went on in the room and Natasha put her gun down, "Steve you scared the shit out of me"

"Sorry" Steve said as he shut the door behind him.

"What was the development?" Natasha said putting her gun on the bedside table.

"Bucky's awake" Steve told her as he sat next to her on the bed.

"How does he seem?" Natasha asked.

"Now that he has his memories back… he really misses Ellie" Steve told her sadly, "So I stayed at least through Christmas for him"

"You needed each other on Christmas… it was the right thing to do" Natasha told him.

Steve looked at her, "It would have been even better if you were there"

"There is only one bed. Come on… I'm cold and I need your body heat" Natasha told him lying back down.

Steve took off his wet coat and boots, and then unfastened his pants taking them off. Leaving himself in his t-shirt and boxers. He climbed into bed next to her and she rolled over, resting her head on his chest.

"Merry Christmas Steve" Natasha told him.

"Merry Christmas Nat" Steve mumbled content.

* * *

 ***~*~* December 31, 2016- Cairo, Egypt *~*~***

Natasha looked at herself in the bathroom mirror in the ballroom they were at in Cairo, Egypt, "I hate dressing up"

"You look nice" Wanda told her fluffing her hair, "Plus its New Years Eve… we can do our job and have fun while we are at it"

"This guy better come out of hiding tonight. I'm tired of chasing him all over the Middle East" Natasha mumbled.

The ladies room door opened.

"Let's go" Natasha told her.

Wanda nodded and followed her out to the main ballroom floor. Pretending to itch behind her ear, Natasha radioed, "Where are you two?"

"At the table twenty feet to your left. Near the painting of… what the hell is that?" Steve asked, "Sam says it's a camel"

Natasha and Wanda walked over to them then sat down at the table, "That is a llama Sam" Natasha told him.

"Whatever, Wanda… want to go dance? We can go scout" Sam said as he stood up.

"Sure" Wanda said taking his hand.

Steve watched them walk off, "Maybe he has the right idea"

"What?" Natasha asked.

Steve stood up, "May I have this dance?"

Natasha looked at him, "It's nearly midnight Steve… he will probably make his move when everyone is distracted"

"I know but Wanda and Sam have the Eastern side covered. We can cover the West" Steve told her holding his hand out.

Natasha took his hand and let him pull her up.

He led her to the dance floor and pulled her in close for the waltz.

"I didn't know you could dance Steve" Natasha said as she kept in time with him.

"I learned from watching Bucky. He was the ace" Steve said.

After three dances, the band leader made an announcement that it was one minute until midnight.

Natasha looked around, "I haven't seen him"

"Maybe our intel was wrong" Steve said.

"Everything pointed to the deal going on here tonight" Natasha said frustrated.

"A'ashara, tis'aa, thamaniya, sab'aa, sitta, khamsa, arba'a, thalaatha, ethnaan, wahid, sanah jadiduh saeidah!" Everyone yelled.

Steve looked down at Natasha who was looking around, "Nat?"

"Hmmm?" Natasha said looking at him.

"Happy New Year" Steve said as he leaned down and kissed her.

Natasha moaned as she grabbed the back of his head then looked up at him, "What was that for?"

"It was New Years" Steve said innocently.

Maybe it was the alcohol in her system, but she reached up and pulled his face back down to hers.

Steve grinned against her lips then kissed her back.

* * *

 ***~*~* February 14, 2017- Cairo, Egypt *~*~***

Steve looked around as they walked from the Georgia border into Russia, "So this is Russia"

"Yep" Natasha said as they continued to trek through the woods.

"I don't see why we couldn't have gone through the actual border Nat… our passports we have been using have worked everywhere else" Steve told her.

Natasha turned and looked at him, "I don't want anyone knowing I am here. Even if there is a chance they might know… I don't want people from my past knowing"

"Okay" Steve said following her.

Settling into the hotel room they had rented for the night, Natasha sat on the bed with a sigh, "Steve?"

"What?" Steve asked walking out of the bathroom in just boxers drying his hair with a towel.

"I just realized why it was so hard to get this room and why the guy at the front desk gave me a rose" Natasha sighed as she turned the channel.

"Why?" Steve asked sitting next to her on the bed.

"It's Valentine's Day" Natasha told him.

"That makes sense. I thought he was flirting with you and was being really forward" Steve frowned.

"Why? That make you jealous?" Natasha asked.

Steve cleared his throat, "Maybe a little"

Natasha looked at him then reached up and pulled his head down to hers.

Steve moaned kissing her back as he laid her down on the bed under him.

Natasha looked at him, "Cover today… we are a couple in love here in Russia. We can go get dinner together then come back and… watch a movie together?"

Steve smiled as he moved a piece of hair back behind her ear, "Sounds great to me"

* * *

After a day of scouting the area looking for anything that might lead them to the Chitari weapon they heard about through the black market. They had gone to a small diner and enjoyed dinner, a shared milkshake and had asked for hot chocolates to go to take back to their room.

Walking back into their room, Natasha stripped out of her winter coat and boots then climbed into bed pulling the comforter around her, "It's so cold"

Steve smiled as he watched her, her nose rosy because the cold. At some point, she had crept in his heart and took it as her own without her even realizing it. She was the person he could depend on no matter what the circumstances.

"Well all these movies are in Russian, so your Russian will get some practice" Natasha said as she noticed him staring at her with a far off look, "You okay Steve?"

"Yeah Nat?" He asked looking at her.

"Are you okay? You were lost in your thoughts there for a second" Natasha told him taking another sip of her cocoa.

Steve sat down next to her and ran his thumb over her cheek, "I just… I can't imagine having anything more than you. You are my best friend Nat"

Natasha grinned, "Wow Steve… best friend… is that what we are?"

"You're everything to me Natasha" Steve told her.

"Come on, let's snuggle" Natasha said as she sat down her hot chocolate and pulled him under the covers with her.

Steve laid on his back propped up with the pillows and Natasha snuggled into his chest, her knee over his legs. Within ten minutes she was sound asleep, Steve followed shortly after, relaxed for the first time that he could remember in years.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 17, 2017- Mount Bashenga – Shuri's lab *~*~***

Natasha felt the weight of her eyelids finally lessen as the grogginess that had plagued her body for hours finally dissipated. The room was dark and all that could be seen through the window were beams shining through over the four occupants in the room. In the bed next to hers laid Steve, sound asleep hooked up to monitors of his own and Natasha felt a foreign feeling rise up in her chest as she saw there was a woman lying on his chest. She had hair as blonde as his natural color and had a smile on her face as she slept. Natasha noticed that like Steve does when they fall asleep on a mission, he had his face buried in the girl's hair.

"Glad to see you awake"

Natasha nearly jumped at the voice next to her and looked over at the chair next to her bed, "Wanda"

"You gave us a scare" Wanda told her sitting up, "You died twice on the Quinjet alone"

"That bad?" Natasha asked trying not to glance over at Steve.

"Your kidney, large intestine, reproductive organs, fractures to your hip from the bullet… femoral artery and vein" Wanda informed her.

From her years in the Red Room and the training of how to injure people the easiest, she knew the femoral artery alone should have killed her, "How the hell am I alive?"

"Steve" Wanda told her and Natasha felt as if her heart skipped a beat, "He gave you a direct transfusion and it was the serum in his veins, along with your own"

Natasha looked at her confused, "I don't have serum"

"But you do… the Red Room was Hydra. Hydra had their own version of the serum that they had for Bucky. They are identifying the markers in your blood to see if it was close to his" Wanda told her.

Natasha felt as if she was punched in the gut then thought back on all the times that she should have been injured more but had came through it easily, "It would explain why I didn't die when James… I mean Bucky shot me before… both times. Or the battle with Hulk... or a lot of times in between"

Wanda smirked, "You just called him James"

Natasha tried not to frown at her as Wanda looked at her as if she knew something Natasha didn't, "That's his real name on his file"

"How about Yakov?" Wanda asked trying to gauge her reaction.

Natasha felt as if someone had put their hand around her throat as panic set in, 'How does she know about Yakov? Yakov was my trainer in the red room'

She heard beeping next to her and glanced over to see that her heart rate had climbed, "How do you know that?"

"Question is, what do you know?" Wanda asked as Natasha heard a sound at the bed next to hers and Steve opened his eyes.

"Natasha you are awake" Steve said sleepily.

Natasha tried not to smile at the adorable, child like look on his face as he saw her.

Half curiosity and half jealousy came over her as she asked, "Who is that?" Natasha asked pointing to the girl still lying on his chest.

"This is Ellie, my sister" Steve said as she stirred.

Ellie opened her eyes and looked over at Natasha, "Hello Natasha"

Ellie climbed off Steve's bed and walked over to her, hitting Barnes's legs that were on Steve's bed as he slept, "It's a pleasure to… finally meet you"

Natasha frowned as she saw her up close and noticed that the pictures in Steve's house did not do the woman in front of her justice and she reminded her of someone in the far reaches of her memory, "You look different in person than you did in your pictures. You… you look familiar"

"Natasha that is what I was telling you about when you woke up. When I met Ellie, she allowed me to see her memories so I could confirm who she was… and I saw you" Wanda said from her spot next to her.

"Wanda-" Steve said in his warning tone.

Wanda looked at him, "No, Steve she needs to know"

Natasha looked at Wanda and Ellie, who was biting her lip just like Steve always does when he doesn't want to tell her something, "We've met before?" Natasha asked looking at Ellie.

Ellie sighed, "I was sent to infiltrate the Red Room by Shield" Ellie told her as she glanced at Bucky who was frowning.

'Wait wasn't she supposed to be frozen back then' Natasha thought.

"But… why don't I remember that?" Natasha asked.

"Well you escaped with the other girls when the Winter Soldier defended you all. Then I…screwed that up by breaking him of his programming… then they captured him again" Ellie told her.

'Wait what? Winter Soldier? Bucky?' Natasha thought looking between Ellie and Bucky, who wouldn't look her in the eye.

"Wait… I knew Bucky back then?" Natasha asked.

"Yes" Bucky said gruffly.

"When was this?" Natasha asked him.

"1987" Ellie told her.

Natasha looked at her, 'Wait 1987? I was still in the orphanage'

"But I was four" Natasha told her.

"No…" Bucky said as he stood up and her eyes followed him, "You weren't. What was Hydra's go to thing when they didn't want you to remember something? Wait… Sputnik"

"They wiped me, like they did you?" Natasha asked as sudden excruciating pain ripped through her brain and she grabbed her head.

"Nat!" She barely registered Steve saying as memories that she had forgotten flashed through her mind. Memories of Clint choosing to save her instead of killing her. Memories of people that she had killed. Memories of Yakov, of them together and their missions. Even memories of her family, from before she was taken to the red room older than she had remembered.

"I never remembered it to even say it until now" She heard Bucky say as the rush of memories stopped.

Natasha gasped for air as if she had just ran a marathon and opened her eyes looking over at Bucky, "Yakov"

Bucky shook his head, "Yeah… nice to have you back Natalia"

Natasha sorted through the memories and the memory of his face as they forced her into his chair that they always used to wipe him. A shiver rushed over her as she remembered the feeling of the contraption closing in over her head and the look on his face as he could not move to help her.

Natasha frowned, "They… wiped me to punish you"

"They didn't realize that while I cared for you, we were each other's anchors… there was no real romance there" Bucky told her, "At least on my part"

"No, you are right" Natasha said remembering Madam's words, "But now I get where the love is for children came from. It was after us… that is when they did the graduation ceremony"

Natasha remembered suddenly Russia in the 70s and how her mother sent her to the orphanage because she could not afford to feed her.

"But… how am I… I remember being born in 1971 now" Natasha said running her hand over her face, "I remember Russia in the 70s… I remember my parents. Why don't I feel 46?"

"It's the serum. You barely age" Steve told her, "And now we know"

"How about we go back to our apartment for the night and let Steve and Natasha get some rest?" Ellie said looking at Bucky and Wanda.

"That is a good idea" Wanda said, "Do you have a room for me?"

"You can use Steve's apartment that he used for the night" Bucky told her.

Ellie leaned down and kissed Steve's forehead, "Night Stevie… try to get some sleep"

"Thanks El" Steve told her as Bucky gave him a hug.

Ellie turned around and touched Natasha's hand, "Try to get some sleep and don't let him bother you too much. He can be a talker"

"Enough El" Steve warned.

Natasha forced herself not to smile.

"Remind me to tell you some stories. He was always an annoying little thing growing up" Ellie teased giving her a smile.

"Goodnight Elizabeth" Steve said in his Captain voice.

"Oh full naming me; I'm in trouble" Ellie said with a grin as she hurried to the door, "Goodnight"

"I can't take you anywhere" Bucky said pushing her out the door.

"Are you going to punish me? Put me over your knee and spank me?" Ellie asked from the hallway.

"I heard that!" Steve yelled after them.

"I know!" Ellie yelled back.

Wanda laughed looking at Steve, "Your sister is something"

"I'm starting to realize that I only saw the one innocent side of her… Bucky saw all of her" Steve said shaking his head.

Natasha couldn't help herself as, "Obviously all of her" spilled out of her mouth as she raised her eyebrows suggestively.

Steve groaned as he lied back down, "Not you too"

Wanda laughed, "Good night. I better follow them"

Steve looked over at her, "Good luck, I followed them most of my life… not easy to do. They tend to lose you because they are only paying attention to each other"

Wanda shut the door behind her and Steve looked at her, "How are you really feeling Nat?"

"I don't know…lost… confused" Natasha told him as he pushed the covers off himself and walked over to her, "Everything I've known is a lie Steve"

"Move over" Steve told her moving his wires to his monitors over the table in between their beds.

Natasha attempted to move over and groaned as parts of her hurt.

"Shit, sorry" Steve said as he reached under her and picked her up, moving her farther over. He climbed in next to her and she cuddled up into his body, "You scared me Nat"

"I'm sorry" Natasha said looking up at him, "I just… I saw him aiming at you… and you didn't see him, or know that he was there. I just… reacted. All I could think about was keeping you safe"

Steve kissed her forehead, "It could have killed you Nat, and do you know what that would have done to me?"

"Same thing it would have done to me, if it killed you… you mean too much to me Steve" Natasha told him.

Steve placed his hand on her cheek and ran his thumb over her face, "You don't know what you do to me Nat"

"I think I might have an idea" Natasha said as she leaned forward and kissed him, "Goodnight Steve, get some sleep"

Steve held her, burying his face in her hair thanking God that she was still here with him.

* * *

A/n3: thank you to all who read, and please review! Thank you to those who reviewed chapter 42!

 **Tuckerjnp1: Thank you for reading and reviewing**

 **TheRealTayler13: Thank you for reading and reviewing**

 **MommaWolf18: Thank you for reviewing. Many of your questions will be answered soon!**

 **Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967: Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

* * *

Sneak Peek of Chapter 44- Broken:

 _ **"You got a little right here" Natasha said as she dragged her thumb across his lip then put her thumb in her mouth, "You're right. Just right"**_

 _ **Steve looked at her, "Um… Natasha… are you flirting with me?"**_

 _ **Natasha laughed, "I have been for the past year Steve, but thanks for noticing"**_


	44. Chapter 44 - Broken

**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**

 **A/n2: Less than a week until EndGame! Until we know how it will all end. I'm hoping not for an end but more for a conclusion of sorts, where Bucky and Steve end up with their own "happy ending". As happy as they can be in the MCU.**

 **Anyways thank you to the new followers: AriSonMma and Corsemor. After Infinity War last year, I wanted to create a story of my own using MCU and Comics that fit what I think should have happened or could have happened with the addition of one specific character. Thank you for being on the ride with me, all 137 followers and for the 94 people who have also favorite this story. This story sits at 104 reviews now. Thank you to all the readers from the United States, Canada, UK, Australia, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, Finland, India, Indonesia, Denmark, Belize, Mexico, Romania, Belgium, Austria and even France. Humbling to know the thoughts and ideas are reaching that far. Again I thank you all, please read and review so I know what you think. This is the final Steve and Natasha centered chapter.**

* * *

I like that you're broken  
Broken like me  
Maybe that makes me a fool  
I like that you're lonely  
Lonely like me  
I could be lonely with you

~Broken by LovelytheBand

* * *

 ***~*~* May 9th, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie walked into the kitchen yawning, "Morning"

"Morning" Wanda said as Natasha waved with her mouth full.

"You are having your checkup today aren't you Nat?" Ellie asked as she sat next to Wanda.

Natasha nodded as she ate more of the oatmeal that she had made, "Hopefully they give me the all clear so I can get back out there. There is a mess in the Middle East and we were just starting to crack the surface"

"Be careful though. Steve cares about you a lot" Ellie told her.

'More than you think' Natasha thought.

Natasha sighed, "I didn't think, I just reacted. Steve… he probably could have taken those bullets a lot better than I could have but…" She trailed off as they heard laughter from the elevator.

A hot and sweaty pair of men stepped off the elevator. Both were shirtless and Steve had just pushed Bucky, who had fallen into the wall leaving a small dent.

They both stopped when they saw the girls staring at them.

"Hey guys" Steve said scratching the back of his neck.

Natasha felt as if her mouth had gone dry.

Bucky looked at Ellie, "What's wrong?"

"I… I have something to show you… in the room" Ellie said as she grabbed his hand and led them back to their apartment.

Natasha shook her head as she went back to her oatmeal.

Wanda snorted into her cereal as they heard the door slam, "Word of warning, don't go back there unless you absolutely have to for awhile"

"Why?" Steve asked with an adorable look of confusion written all over his face and Natasha suddenly wondered if the one time Ellie had mentioned, had been the only time Steve had been ever involved with someone physically.

"Never mind" Wanda said giving Natasha a knowing look.

"You have your checkup today right?" Steve asked heading into the kitchen.

"Yes, I hope they give me the all clear so I can get back to everything. Fury even called me asking if I was ready to go back, I guess there is something else that went down in Syria" Natasha told him as she heard Ellie gasp and Bucky say something to her and she knew that Steve had to have heard it.

"I… what is that?" Steve asked.

Wanda snorted and coughed on the milk in her cereal.

"Nothing Steve, so…" Natasha said as Steve walked down the hallway towards the apartments, "Steve, Steve don't go down there!"

"I hear… oh my god" Steve said covering his ears as he walked quickly back to the kitchen.

Wanda fell out of her chair laughing, "She told you not to go down there"

"That's my sister!" Steve said turning on the water, "God, now that I've heard it I can't not hear it"

Natasha tried to keep her straight face but started cracking up too.

"Funny, real funny" Steve said as Ellie let out a particularly loud moan, "Godddd"

"Steve, they are married and they are pregnant, obviously it happens" Natasha told him.

"Still… that's my best friend and my sister… it suddenly got weird" Steve said as they heard Ellie say 'Harder', "Okay I'm out of here"

Natasha laughed as she stood up, "Come on, let's go on a walk. I wanted to go into the town anyways before my appointment"

"Gladly" Steve said as he grabbed a shirt and put it on following her to the elevator.

Natasha looked over at him inside the elevator, "Okay Steve… I have to know something"

"What?" Steve asked looking at her.

"Have you ever… had sex-"

"Yes! Yes I have" Steve said wide eyed, "God Natasha I'm… I just-"

"No, no that's not what I am asking… I mean… lately as in this century" Natasha said innocently.

"God" Steve said as he turned and started banging his head on the side of the elevator.

"Steve stop, I'm not asking to embarrass you. I'm asking… just to know" Natasha said grabbing his arm, "It's not bad if you haven't"

The elevator stopped and he took off out towards the front doors, Natasha trailing behind. She finally caught up with him on the street.

Steve grabbed her hand as he looked around, "Thank goodness this place is set up a little bit like New York or I'd never figure this place out. Let's go get the bus over there"

"Do you want to go downtown or into the village?" Natasha asked.

"Just the village I guess. We don't need the bus then. We can walk" Steve told her.

Steve smiled at various people they walked by and tried to understand what they were saying when they yelled out at him but usually just waved hello, "Ellie can understand Wakandan now… I might have her teach me some phrases at least"

"Look Steve, I didn't mean to offend you-"

Steve sighed, "You didn't… I just… I'm not a virgin but… basically I am. I've only been with one girl ever. Back in high school and I nearly passed out from lack of air during it when I had an asthma attack"

"Oh Steve" Natasha said trying not to laugh.

"No, go ahead and laugh it up. After that, I was afraid to be with a woman and… die" Steve told her.

"What about after… you became Captain America. I mean, look at you" Natasha said.

"Only woman I had eyes for was Peggy but… it never really fully got there. We were in the middle of a war, I was out with the commandoes… then I died before our first official date" Steve told her.

"That sucks" Natasha said, "But you've been awake for so long now"

"Well I was brought up when you valued that… special connection. It used to be that you found a dame you were really into. Asked her father, got the talk from him about her virtue then took her out on a date… usually a double date for the first few dates so you'd be supervised. Straight home before curfew and a goodnight kiss on the cheek and that was it unless you were ready to go steady. Even then, heaven forbid you try anything before you were engaged. Yes I can breathe now but… I've never felt close enough with someone to want to experience that… plus I don't want to hurt her. I'm afraid in the…act of it, I might be too rough or what have you" Steve told her.

Natasha smirked at him, "You just have to find the right partner"

Steve froze, "What did you say?"

Natasha stopped and looked at him "You just have to find the right partner? Why? Did I say something wrong?"

"Have you heard that before?" Steve asked, "Did Ellie or Bucky tell you?"

"No… why? Is it the partner thing? I mean Steve, if you… are gay or bisexual that is okay too" Natasha told him.

"God no…that's not what I mean. It's just… Peggy, she said that to me. That I just had to find the right partner to… dance with" Steve told her, "That everything would work out then"

"Well… don't know about any other volunteers but… I know of three people who have that super serum running through their veins and two of them… I think they are out of the running. Just saying" She said as she kept walking and he lost her in the crowd.

Steve stared in the direction that she went, 'Did she basically just say that she wants to sleep with me?'

* * *

 ***~*~* May 10th, 2017- Wakan** **da *~*~***

"Bucky and Steve took me dancing. That was a standard date thing in our time. Bucky was an amazing dancer" Ellie said with a fond smile.

"What about Steve?" Natasha asked.

Ellie laughed, "Steve dance? Never. He was a wallflower. I think I saw him dance once… in fact that night, because he was drunk and a woman asked him to make her date jealous"

"Steve wasn't a dancer?" Natasha asked.

"Steve is a bit romantic. He and Peggy were supposed to go on their first date by themselves but he put the plane down and they never were able to. He always said he was waiting on the right partner"

Natasha stared at the wall, 'He has asked me to dance many times'

* * *

 ***~*~* May 25th, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

Steve walked over to Ellie, "Ready to go to the library?"

Ellie nodded, "I haven't been there yet"

"T'Challa told me it was pretty amazing" Steve told her as they crossed the road, "What did the lady give you?"

"This beautiful handmade mobile for the baby" Ellie said as they made it to the library, "She refused to let me even pay for it. Are we going to get lunch after this? I'm starting to get hungry already"

"Yeah we will. I just wanted to see something" Steve told her taking her hand.

Glancing around Steve looked for the children's department where Bucky said he would be.

"What gives Steve? You are nearly shaking with excitement, what has you so…" Ellie said as they entered children's section of the library.

Steve himself had to pause for a moment when he saw Bucky. Shuri did a great job making him over again and he felt as if he was back in 1945.

"Hey Angel" Bucky said as he looked up from the book he was reading.

"Buck" Ellie breathed out.

Steve smiled as he looked down at her, "Like his makeover? Compliments of Shuri"

The children ran off giggling as Bucky stood up and walked over to her.

Ellie reached up and touched his now smooth face as she let out a shaky breath.

Ellie gasped as he reached up and took her face in both hands, "What?"

Bucky grinned, "Shuri gave me an upgrade"

Ellie took his new hand in hers, "It looks so real"

"As Shuri would say, 'its technology' it's got this button here" Bucky said as he pushed it inside the arm's elbow and the skin appearance disappeared.

Ellie ran her fingers over the dark blue plates, "This is amazing"

Bucky hit the button in the elbow again and turned the skin appearance back on then put his arms around her, "Happy Anniversary baby"

Steve smiled as Ellie's face was the happiest he had seen since she had woken up.

"Happy anniversary" Ellie said as she kissed him then put her hand on his face again, "I do miss the scruff though"

"Now you tell me" Bucky said with a smile as he reached down and picked up a picnic basket with his new left hand, "Ready for a picnic?"

"Wait we are actually going on a picnic?" Ellie asked.

Bucky looked at Steve, "You gave her the bathing suit right?"

"Yes I gave her the bathing suit" Steve defended, "This is my plan of course I knew to give her the suit"

"Wait, I am wearing the suit but this is your plan?" Ellie asked Steve.

Steve shrugged, "Well I figured it's your 74th anniversary… it's your first anniversary together in years. So I convinced Bucky to get a haircut and shave. Plus he already was thinking of getting the arm" Steve told her.

"Close as you will get to 1940s me" Bucky told her with a smile.

Ellie put her arms around him, "I don't care if you are 40s Bucky or 2017 Bucky… as long as you are my Bucky"

'Time to go Steve. They will forget you are even here soon' Steve thought looking at how happy the two of them were.

"I will see you both later… what am I saying, I'll see you tomorrow" Steve said waving as he turned to leave.

"Steve!"

Steve turned around and Ellie ran over to hug him.

"Thank you" Ellie said as she kissed his cheek.

Steve sighed and smiled at her, "You both deserve it"

Leaving the library, he walked over to the bus stop that would take him back to the palace. Looking at the map, he decided to instead get on the next bus line and to go on a hike to Mt. Wakanda.

* * *

Finally making it to the top of the mountain, Steve sighed as he sat down and looked over the land below him. Up here it was so peaceful, as if you were the only one on Earth. There was no noise and no distractions. Taking out the small paper tablet that he had in his pocket, he started to sketch what he saw. He had drawn the foundations and the shading when he realized that this view was similar to Sokovia. The view as he looked out over the edge of the city, when he was up in the clouds, with Natasha by his side.

Groaning, he realized even in a place as beautiful as this, he couldn't go without thinking of her. Sighing, he put his tablet away and stood up deciding to head back while he still had daylight.

By the time he made it to the palace, it was already night fall. Walking up the stairs, he unlocked the door to the apartments and walked in. No one was sitting in the communal kitchen, so he walked down the hallway down to his own apartment. Opening the door, he shut the door locking it behind him. Kicking off his shoes, he walked back to the bedroom and threw himself on the bed.

Staring at the ceiling above him, he had just closed his eyes when his bed moved.

"What's wrong with you?"

Steve opened his eyes and looked over at Natasha, "What do you mean?"

"You locked your room and you are in your own personal pity party in here" Natasha told her, "You didn't come back when I thought you would. Did things not go well?"

"No they went great" Steve said, "Bucky got the haircut and shaved like I suggested… he looks just like he did when we grew up together. He got the new arm from Shuri and she even put something in it to match his right arm. It looks like he has two flesh arms again"

Natasha rolled over and put her hand on his chest, "What is wrong though?"

"I just… seeing Bucky being close to our Bucky and seeing Ellie so happy… I just miss how things were" Steve told her looking over at her.

"You miss Peggy" Natasha supplied as she rolled back onto her back.

"No, no… I just… I miss being happy. I didn't realize at the time that I was even happy but… life was simpler" Steve told her.

"You know what, come on" Natasha said crawling over him and attempting to pull him up out of bed.

"Where?" Steve asked as he let her pull him out bed.

"To my apartment. I'm going to make dinner" Natasha told him as she dragged him to her apartment.

Steve followed behind her as she unlocked her front door, "You know what… I've never been in here have I?"

"No… no one has, not even Wanda" Natasha told him, "I just… I need my space sometimes. Here, have a beer"

Steve took it from her and opened it, "So what are you making?"

"Beef Stroganoff. I've had the stuff to make it for a few weeks and I just never have" Natasha told him as she started getting ingredients out of the cabinets

"I think I had that once when I was in Europe but I'm not sure" Steve said as he leaned against the countertop.

"It's the only thing I remember my Mom making" Natasha said as she got a bowl out, "What was your Mom's favorite dish to make?"

Steve sighed, "We didn't have a lot of money, so we had a lot of potatoes because they were cheap but hot dogs too. We also had a lot of spaghetti and white sauce"

"Alfredo?" Natasha asked.

"I wish, no the white sauce was milk, flour, salt and butter if we had it. Add boiled carrots and make it into a casserole" Steve told her.

Natasha dipped the beef strips into the flour mixture that she had created using flour, salt and pepper. Then threw the beef strips into the skillet, "Want to cut up the onions for me?"

Steve set down his beer then grabbed the onion and washed it off then pulled the cutting board over to start cutting it up.

"So if you hadn't crashed, what do you think your life would have been like?" Natasha asked stirring the beef strips.

Steve looked at her, "Are you trying to make me cry? First the onions then that question?"

"What? No I-"

"I'm joking" Steve said with a sigh, "I really don't know. Peggy and I never really even went out on a date. Hell… first kiss we ever had was right before I crashed the plane. Out of the war environment we probably wouldn't have worked out."

Natasha took his chopped onions, added the mushrooms and some garlic then started sautéing them together, "No other ladies?"

Steve shook his head, "Never farther than some kissing. Some of the USO girls, one of the ladies in the Army kissed me to make Peggy jealous and two girls when I was little other than that… no"

"Besides me" Natasha said taking the beef and putting it onto a plate.

"Yeah besides you" Steve said as she started melting butter in the skillet and added more flour then tomato paste.

"I have a question" Natasha said as she stirred the mixture.

"Shoot" Steve said picking his beer back up.

"Why is it that when we go on missions, it's always us?" Natasha asked, "Never you and Wanda"

Steve bit his lip, "Because we work well together and… it's just easier"

Natasha added the beef stock and stirred until it started making a gravy. She turned to Steve and held out the spoon, "Do I need to add any more salt or pepper?"

Steve took a taste, "Tastes great to me"

"You got a little right here" Natasha said as she dragged her thumb across his lip then put her thumb in her mouth, "You're right. Just right"

Steve looked at her, "Um… Natasha… are you flirting with me?"

Natasha laughed, "I have been for the past year Steve, but thanks for noticing"

"Wait what?" Steve asked confused.

"I thought you realized it and you were flirting back" Natasha said shaking her head, "Never mind"

"Wait, stop" Steve said as he grabbed her hand.

"Steve don't" Natasha said shaking her head, "I just thought-"

"Screw it" Steve said as he picked her up and put her on the countertop and kissed her.

Natasha moaned, "Steve"

"All these years… it's been you" Steve said as he put his hand on her face and stared down at her.

Natasha reached up and grabbed the back of his head, pulling it back down to hers.

After he was sweetly and innocently kissing her for nearly five minutes, she pushed him away and jumped off the counter.

"Nat, was I too forward?" Steve asked.

"No, I don't want it to burn" Natasha told him as she turned the heat off, "Come on"

"What?" Steve asked.

Natasha took his hand leading him back to her room, "I don't want it to burn while we are occupied"

Steve looked around as she shut the bedroom door behind her, "I never took you for a pink girl"

"Shuri painted it this way… but my favorite color is a pale sunset orange" Natasha said as she walked over to him and pulled her shirt over her head.

Steve grinned as he wrapped her strap of her bra around his finger, "This orange?"

"Maybe…" She said as she put her arms around his neck, "Would you like to see if the panties match?"

"Oh hell yes" Steve said leaning down for another kiss.

Natasha stared at him as she slowly slid her shorts from her body to show the matching panties.

Steve couldn't help but blush.

Natasha smiled as she ran her hand over his blushing cheek, "Rogers, you are wearing too many clothes" Natasha said as she ran her hands up under his shirt and it came off his body.

Steve looked down at her after she threw his shirt across the room.

"So…are you sure about this?" Natasha asked for reassurance lightly running her fingertips over his chest.

Steve kissed her then led her back against the bed and slowly laid her down onto it. Leaning over her, he looked deep into her eyes, "So are you tired?"

"Are you kidding me?" Natasha asked in disbelief.

"Just asking because you are about to be… that sounded much better in my head" Steve said groaning as he put his head to her shoulder as she laughed.

She locked her legs around his waist and flipped him over so she was on top. She leaned down and pressed her lips to his. Steve's hands slowly ran up and down her spine, causing her to shiver as goosebumps speckled the surface of her skin.

She smiled against his lips as he fiddled with the clasp of her bra.

"Holy shit" Steve said frustrated as he tried to unfasten it.

Natasha laughed as she reached back and unclasped her bra one handed.

"Okay that was really hot" Steve said with a grin as he ran his hands over her now bare back down to the curves of her hips, "May I?"

Natasha let him flip her onto her back and he slowly pulled her panties down her legs, throwing them onto the floor next to her bed.

"You are so beautiful" Steve told her as he leaned down and kissed her again.

"I feel under dressed. Lose the shorts" Natasha told him.

"Patience" Steve said as he kissed her then slowly kissed down her neck, to her chest taking a nipple into his mouth as he palmed her other breast causing her to moan.

He teased one and then the other until she gasped his name.

His mouth left her and traveled down her toned stomach nipping at the skin around her belly button, then at the scar on her hip and the newest scar from her exit wound when she saved his life.

"Steve" She gasped as her hand knotted into his hair, "You are killing me"

"I'm taking it slow tonight" Steve told her with a grin as he ran his tongue over the scar just below her lip.

"Please don't" Natasha begged.

Steve sat up and looked at her, "Nat, I'm not going to fuck you"

She looked at him confused as her eyes went wide, "What?"

Steve leaned down and kissed her, "I'm going to make love to you Natalia Romanova… because I am in love you with you. Whether you are Natalia Romanova or Natasha Romanoff or any of our covers and you deserve being with a man that truly loves you… and can show you how amazing you are. I just hope that I can fully show you that"

Natasha kissed him hard trying to ignore the lump in her throat, "I don't really know what love is"

"Good thing I do… I can show you" Steve told her as he kissed her again then moved his hand in between them.

He swallowed her gasp as he found her wet and with a steady hand, pressed one finger inside her, "You have to tell me if I am bad at this… I've never… I've never actually done this part"

Natasha grinned against his lips, "You are doing great" She said as he added a second finger, "Oh god" Steve added third knowing that he had to work her open so it would be as painless for her as possible.

Natasha tipped her head back moaning at the overwhelming feelings rushing over her. Opening her eyes, she saw Steve smiling down at her, face so filled with love she about fell apart in that moment, "Take your pants off… take them off now!"

"Yes ma'am" Steve said as he pulled his swim trunks off.

"Holy shit" Natasha said as he settled back over her, "My god Steve… the serum really enhanced everything didn't it?"

"Maybe" Steve said as he kissed her again, this time not as needy as before as he continued to work her open.

"Steve… I'm… so close" Natasha panted.

"Go ahead and let go baby" Steve said as he pressed harder with his thumb on her clit.

Natasha felt as if she temporarily left her body as her body shattered into a million tiny pieces.

Gasping for air, she opened her eyes, "My god Steve… that was…"

Steve kissed her neck, "You deserve that and so much more"

Natasha pulled him down in a hard kiss, "Show me"

Steve removed his hand and aligned his hips so that his tip pressed up against her. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she moved her hips so that he would start filling her. Inch by inch, he pressed into her hot and stretching her to the max, until he filled her completely.

"Fuck" Steve groaned.

"You feel amazing" Natasha told him as she buried her fingers in his soft hair.

Slowly he started thrusting and she matched him thrust for thrust as he took his time with her. His hands gently caressed her body, as his eyes never left hers. Grabbing her hand, he moved it up above her head and changed the angle.

She bit down on her bottom lip, drawing blood as she held back a sob as she felt as if her heart were about to leap out of her chest. Breath seemed to be an issue as he took her breath away. She tried to convey what words could not say as she used her free hand and brought his lips back to hers.

He felt like heaven on Earth while his slow thrusts felt like hell as her climax built with every thrust. Her second orgasm started climbing again and she whimpered and closed her eyes as the heat built all the way down to her toes.

"Wait for me doll… I'm nearly… there" Steve told her.

Her eyes snapped open as his thrusts increased tempo and she laced both hands through his.

"Steve I can't…" Natasha gasped as the fire started rolling through her body.

Steve groaned as he watched her come undone under him and felt her body grip him as he suddenly trembled above her as he spilled into her, her name falling from his lips.

Gasping for breath, she watched him fall apart and the lines in his face relaxed as his eyes rolled into his skull as his hips became jerky then stopped as he rested his forehead against hers.

"God you are amazing" Steve said moving his head down against her throat as he started kissing her neck.

Natasha couldn't help but laugh.

"That bad?" Steve asked rolling off her.

"God no… me amazing?" Natasha asked, "Do you realize how amazing you are. You are so sweet and caring… you try to hide behind the Captain persona but you are this genuine person underneath that is so strong not only physically but…I am so damn lucky. So how did it feel as Captain America to… make love?"

"I felt everything, I could breathe… but the person helped too" Steve said as he kissed her, "I love you Nat"

Natasha felt a sudden wave of tears come forth that should couldn't hold back, "I don't know why I am crying"

Steve smiled and kissed her tears away, "There is nothing wrong with it"

Natasha buried her face in his chest and Steve rubbed her back, "You make me so happy"

"I'm just glad you are crying because you're happy, not that I am terrible at sex" Steve said with a laugh.

"Farthest thing from terrible" Natasha said as she straddled his legs, "Let's see how good that serum of yours is on helping recovery time"

Steve gasped as she took him in her hand, "Don't think that will be a problem"

* * *

A/n3: Thank you for reading Broken. Now back to Bucky and Ellie. Thank for the reviews from last week!

 **MommaWolf18: Hope this chapter answers some more of your questions, if not ask and I'll answer them!**

 **Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967: Thank you for reading and reviewing again! Glad you loved it!**

* * *

Now here is your Sneak Peek for chapter 45: You Raise Me Up

Ellie was lying in bed; sound asleep in Bucky's arms on the morning of her birthday when their bedroom door slowly opened. Two people quietly snuck into their room and one of the people walked over to their bed standing over them.

They motioned to the other person to signal that they were still asleep. The second person grinned handing the object in their hands to the first.


	45. Chapter 45 - You Raise Me Up

**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**

 **A/n2: I still am not sure how to process Endgame. I'm happy but sad at the same time. Not sure how it will affect this story or if it will affect it at all. There are still so many what ifs, and questions I don't think were answered. Endgame might have just given this story its end but we will see.**

 **Thank to the new followers: brittKaratekid, srodonnell, bruisedtulips, and** **!**

* * *

 **There is no life no life without its hunger  
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly  
But when you come and I am filled with wonder  
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity**

 **~ You Raise Me Up by Selah**

* * *

 ***~*~* August 1, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie was lying in bed; sound asleep in Bucky's arms on the morning of her birthday when their bedroom door slowly opened. Two people quietly snuck into their room and one of the people walked over to their bed standing over them.

They motioned to the other person to signal that they were still asleep. The second person grinned handing the object in their hands to the first.

The first person looked suspiciously at the second as the second climbed up as gently as they could on the end of the bed.

The first shook their head at the second person as the second person stood up balancing on the bed.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Steve yelled as he jumped up and down on the bed.

"What the fuck!" Bucky yelled as he fell out of bed hitting the floor.

"You asshole!" Ellie yelled throwing Bucky's pillow at Steve and hitting him in the face.

Steve fell onto the bed laughing.

Bucky stood up and picked up the pillow that had rolled off the bed and repeatedly hit Steve with it, "You fucking punk!"

Steve laughed grabbing his stomach then covering his face.

"How'd you even get in here?" Ellie asked pulling the sheets closer to her looking at him.

"Natasha taught me how to pick locks" Steve said wiping his eyes as he looked at Bucky, "Put some pants on, Nat doesn't need to see your nakedness"

"Well you are in bed with your naked sister" Bucky said grabbing his boxers to put them on.

Steve yelped as he fell out of the bed trying to get out.

Natasha and Ellie laughed as Bucky threw Ellie his shirt from the floor.

"Close your eyes" Ellie told him as Steve turned his back and she slipped the shirt over her head, "Now I have to pee. Thanks a lot Steve"

Bucky watched her walk away into the bathroom, bending down to grab her panties, and grinned as Steve turned around when the bathroom door shut, "My shirt doesn't fit anymore"

"Gross" Steve said in disgust.

Bucky walked over to Steve and punched his shoulder, "Serves you right, busting in our LOCKED bedroom"

"How did I know you were violating my sister" Steve said.

"Nah not violating… she is a willing and eager participant" Bucky said with a grin.

"Come on Bucky" Steve groaned.

"You were literally just asking for that one Steve" Natasha said shaking her head as Ellie came back out of the bathroom, "You know in that shirt you can really see how much you've popped"

"You'll be showing before too long" Ellie told her looking in her closet for an outfit to wear.

Natasha glanced at Steve then grinned, "Actually… I already am… not much but… it's there"

Natasha turned to the side and pulled her shirt up, "Not flat anymore… can't be weight because I've been sick all the time"

"Oh it's so cute" Ellie said as she slid her dress on then pulled her arms out of Bucky's top to take it off.

Steve looked at Bucky, who grabbed a pair of shorts out of the closet, "I swear between them taking off bras and shirts like that… it's like they are witches or something"

Bucky laughed as he patted Steve on the back, "Nope just goddamned amazing. Let's go reheat these waffles"

Steve picked them up off the table and poked one, "Or make new ones… these are all soggy"

"Come on punk, I'll help you" Bucky said pushing him out of the room.

Natasha looked at Ellie, "What are we going to do with them?"

"They are these big bad super soldiers… but I married the geek and you… well you are having a baby with Steve… who I love dearly but is a giant dork" Ellie told her shaking her head as she put her hair up in a ponytail.

"Oh he definitely is" Natasha said with a smile as she sat on the end of the bed.

"I… I was just wondering. How… how are things going between you two?" Ellie asked as she made the bed, "Now that you don't have to hide"

Natasha sighed, "I've never been big on PDA anyways but… now the biggest thing is I don't have to worry about sneaking into his room for some reason overnight. Or him making an excuse that he heard me have a nightmare. We really haven't ever… dated or anything. I don't know what you even would call us. He's my baby daddy?"

"Ask him" Ellie told her as they walked out of the bedroom.

Ellie and Natasha walked out to the communal area to see Bucky and Steve covered in batter and flour.

"We can't take you two anywhere" Natasha said as she walked over to Steve and wiped some batter from his eyes.

"He wasn't making them right!" Steve defended.

"He was adding water. I kept reminding him this isn't the 30s! We have milk" Bucky said as Steve tried to reach past him to take the waffle maker and Bucky hit his hand with a pancake turner, "Back off"

"Boys, boys… settle down" Ellie said as she walked over, "Bucky is right, Steve. We have milk and can afford milk now"

"You always take his side" Steve said rolling his eyes.

"BUT Buck, we ate waffles with water as kids and it didn't kill us. It would have been fine" Ellie told Bucky giving Steve a look.

"But they taste better with milk" Bucky told her with his sad puppy dog face that he knew would get her.

"Aww come on Buck" Steve said seeing his ploy a mile away.

"How about you both make waffles? Between all of us, you know they will be eaten" Ellie told them.

"Ha!" Steve said sticking his tongue out at Bucky.

"My God are you two years old?" Natasha asked.

"Shut up punk" Bucky told him pushing him.

"Don't be a jerk" Steve replied throwing more flour at him.

"Oh quit with your punk and jerk act again. You are really dork and geek. Let's be honest" Ellie grinned.

Steve plated his batch and put it on two plates for Ellie and Natasha, "Who is who?"

Ellie winked, "I'll let you two figure that out"

Bucky walked over and set another plate down in front of her, reaching over to put just the right amount of butter on them along with syrup. He leaned down and kissed her, "Happy Birthday baby"

Ellie just stared at him.

"What?" Bucky asked as he started preparing his own waffles.

"You are just amazing you know that?" Ellie asked him with tears in her eyes.

"Nah… not amazing. I just know you" Bucky told her giving her another kiss.

* * *

Later that night at dinner, everyone had sat down to enjoy Ellie's favorite dinner of chicken, broccoli, mashed potatoes and gravy. Then they enjoyed a delicious chocolate cake.

"Okay presents time!" Shuri announced excited as she stood up and clapped her hands together.

"Wait? We were supposed to get presents?" Bucky asked as Ellie elbowed him and he laughed, "I'm kidding. Wait… you didn't get me anything for my birthday"

"Yeah I did… me" Ellie joked as she kissed him.

Steve stood up, "Bucky and I got this together… together" Steve said as he handed it to her, "With Natasha's help"

"I just contacted some people" Natasha said innocently.

Ellie tore the paper off to see a set of photo albums. On the top was a familiar one. Ellie looked at Steve, "How did you get this?"

Steve looked at Natasha and smiled, "Nat contacted Becca's grandkids. One of them sent Natasha a bunch of photos that Winnie took. Becca kept them then Jamie kept them. Jamie is still alive and he remembers you. Turns out Becca told him everything. The photo album was in SHIELD storage. Tony got it out actually"

Ellie ran her finger over her and Bucky's wedding photo then cleared her throat, "Thank you. I have the memories but…"

"There is nothing like seeing them" Bucky said as he kissed the side of her head.

Wanda grabbed a box and walked it over to her, "I read online that this would be great for you"

Ellie took the lid off the box and pulled out something that looked like a raft, "Thank you guys"

"It's a pregnancy mattress pillow thing. So you can lay on your belly. Your belly goes into the hole" Wanda told her.

Ellie looked over at Bucky, "Think our bed is big enough for this and you? Because you might be bumped to the couch babe"

Bucky looked at Sam, "Thanks"

"There is also a massage certificate in there" Sam told her.

"Oooh" Ellie said as she put the pillow back in the box, "Thank you guys"

Natasha set a small bag in front of her.

Ellie looked inside and pulled out a book, "Shit No One Tells You: Guide to surviving your baby's first year"

"And I am borrowing that occasionally" Natasha told her.

Ellie laughed, "And makeup… thanks now I won't have to borrow any"

"Mother, go ahead" Shuri said looking at Ramonda.

"T'Challa and I wanted to express our love to you both and we figured… its traditional for the family to help with the baby's expenses. So you do not have to worry about a crib, changing table or any other furniture. We have it covered. You just pick it out" Ramonda told her.

"Oh Ramonda… thank you. You are much too kind" Ellie said as she stood up and hugged her.

"Thank you for being there for him. I have a soft spot for Bucky" Ramonda told her with a smile looking at him.

"My turn! So… I designed you an entire wardrobe" Shuri told her as she got up, "Modern meets 1940s for your style. Seven different outfits for every day of the week. Once the baby comes, we will change it up. Because maternity clothes now… are so behind the times. But… this is my favorite piece. Come"

Ellie stood up glancing at Bucky, who shrugged.

"I need you to put this on" Shuri said handing her a necklace.

Ellie took the necklace with a tiny bird on it from her and put it around her neck, "It's beautiful Shuri"

"Wait" Shuri said as she took her Kimoyo beads and put them behind Ellie's ear and Ellie felt a quick sting, "Sorry… had to code to you "

"Code what?" Ellie asked.

"Your suit. Tell it to go on" Shuri told her.

Ellie looked at her confused then said, "On"

Suddenly as if water was flowing down her body, red appeared, then black from chest up. As the fluid flowed down her arms from her biceps down, it then turned yellow. Down her torso, the red continued until her waist where yellow flowed until the red continued until mid thigh down where yellow covered her legs.

Shuri stood back as everyone stood up and looked at her, "it's made entirely out of Vibranium. The arms are conductive for your powers and the middle is stretchable for your expanding belly. The feet are my new invention, I call them sneakers… they are sound absorbent so no one will hear you coming"

Ellie walked over to a mirror and felt as if she was walking on air, "This is amazing"

"I gave it the red look of the Dora Milaje because you are a woman warrior" Shuri told her as she pointed at the star on her waist, "That is a beacon. No matter where you are, it will search for Bucky so you can go to him if needed"

Shuri walked over to Bucky and put her Kimoyo beads behind his ear and branded him, "Now it's coded specifically to him"

"This is amazing Shuri… Thank you" Ellie said as Bucky walked over to her to examine it.

"With the middle being expandable, it also means after you have the baby… you can use it as well. The Vibranium is also bulletproof but please don't test that feature" Shuri told her.

Ellie walked over and hugged her, "Thank you"

"Try it out" Shuri told her.

Ellie glanced at Wanda, who nodded, "So… I've discovered something… well Wanda and I have"

"What's that?" Steve asked.

Ellie put her arms out and let her powers rush through her arms then channeled it down to her hands like she and Wanda had practiced and felt her feet lift off the ground. She looked out at Bucky and her new family below her as her hair whipped around her, "I can fly"

"Holy shit!" Bucky said looking up at her, "Not just hovering off the ground now"

Ellie came back onto the ground, "Wanda has taught me how to channel and use it. Grant isn't even fazed by it now because I can channel it through my arms"

"That's amazing" Shuri said, "You know you looked like a Phoenix with the outfit and your powers. Your hair was glowing and your eyes… they were mesmerizing with how blue they were as they sparkled"

"I highly doubt they meant for that to happen when they gave me these" Ellie told her, "Now how do I take it off"

Ellie felt the same liquid feeling spread up her body as the suit disappeared back into the necklace, "Guess that's how"

"Now, I brought some of the classic Disney movies" Shuri said with a grin, "I heard you loved Snow White"

"Wait, Snow White is still around?" Bucky asked excited.

Shuri held up the remote, "I have it on the TV"

"Wait, you don't even need a physical copy anymore?" Steve asked confused.

"Technology" Shuri said with a grin, "I also have Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and the newest classic… Frozen"

"Frozen? Please tell me the Princess isn't frozen and they have to kiss her alive" Bucky said sitting on the couch.

"No, Elsa has powers to freeze things" Shuri told him turning on the TV.

* * *

 ***~*~* August 8, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

"So how are things going?" Sam asked as he and Steve jogged through the garden that was next to the Royal Palace.

"Good, Middle East has been pretty quiet" Steve told him.

"No, I meant with you and Nat" Sam told him.

"Oh… I think it's going good. We both discussed that, yes we are having a baby but that doesn't mean we have to get married. We need to work on us as a real couple first, but we are such good friends that it's not a huge difference honestly. It's just the… physical stuff" Steve told him as he heard the sound of feet pounding on the ground and Bucky ran past yelling, "On your left!"

"Not you too!" Sam yelled as Steve laughed.

Bucky stopped and let them catch up, "Thought it would be funny. Steve told me that is how you guys met"

"Yeah he was a big jerk" Sam said with a grin.

"Think you can keep up with both of us?" Bucky asked.

"No, but try to keep it slow for me" Sam told him.

"Where are the girls?" Steve asked as they started jogging.

"When I left they were watching exercise videos… I had to leave because Ellie in a sports bra and tiny shorts…" Bucky said as he tripped then corrected himself.

Sam snorted, "Master assassin my ass. You had people doing it for you didn't you?"

Bucky scratched the back of his neck, "Actually I did have a team following me around. At first I didn't… but then the programming would start breaking down faster and faster… I'd try to leave clues behind to be discovered so I started having to have handlers. Started out as one, by the time SHIELD fell I think there were 8. Most of them were just to pick up my 'messes' that I left behind as clues"

"So you were trying to get caught?" Sam asked.

Bucky nodded, "I even took off from a mission in the 60s. But I was stupid to think they didn't realize where I was going. I went right back to Brooklyn. I saw my sister"

Steve stopped, "Becca remembered"

Bucky stopped and looked at him, "She did?"

"But she didn't think it was you obviously but she said the person looked a lot like you. Did you talk to her?" Steve asked.

"She was at some park I think it was a soccer game. I had a hat down low… but I remembered her but I didn't want to freak her out but I wanted to know where Ellie was. She wasn't in the phone book" Bucky remembered.

* * *

 _Bucky went to the address that he had found in the phone book that was listed as his sister's address._

" _Let's go Jamie! We are going to be late!" A woman yelled as she exited the house and went to her vehicle._

 _A teenage boy came out of the house and shut the door behind him, "We are not going to be late Mom"_

 _They climbed into the car and Bucky followed them on the motorcycle he stole to a soccer field. Parking it a short distance away from them, to not be suspicious but still be able to watch them. He watched her take a chair out of her car and her son ran off to the field._

 _She set up the chair and a short time later more people showed and the game started. Cautiously Bucky walked over to the area she was in to get a closer look. Bucky smiled as he realized that she grew up looking like their mother. Throwing caution to the wind, he walked up next to her pulling his hat down lower on his face._

" _Hello" She said as she glanced over at him then back to the game._

" _Hi" He breathed._

" _Do you have someone on the team?" Becca asked._

" _No… just interested in the sport" Bucky told her gruffly._

" _They are the best in the area so good choice on… go Jamie!" Becca yelled._

" _You have just one on the team?" Bucky asked._

 _Becca nodded, "My son Jamie. He's number 34"_

" _No nephews or nieces?" Bucky inquired._

" _No, I don't have any of those anyways" Becca said as she looked at him, "Wow… you bare a really close resemblance to my late brother"_

" _Really? Small world" Bucky said._

 _She gave him a sad smile._

" _Never know… maybe I'm his kid I didn't know my parents" Bucky lied._

 _Becca looked at him, "No… he would have never done that to my sister-in-law. She was an amazing person and he loved her very much"_

" _Was?" Bucky asked as his heart dropped._

 _Becca looked down sadly, "She went missing… gosh 13 years ago"_

" _Missing?" Bucky asked as he felt a panic attack coming on, "I'm sorry. Nice…talking to you"_

 _Bucky hurried off and ran to his bike struggling to catch his breath, "Oh god… she's gone"_

"After that I was such a wreck that Hydra found me easily" Bucky said shaking his head as he sat on the ground to collect his thoughts.

* * *

Ellie laughed as the lady on the screen did a funny lunge, "Yeah not doing that with this belly" She said as she did a simplified version of it.

"This is ridiculous" Natasha said laughing as she switched legs.

The instructor got down on the floor and Ellie went to get down when her stomach cramped up, "Oww" She said as she struggled to catch her breath and froze in pain.

"You okay?" Natasha asked sitting on her knees looking at her.

"Yeah I just… oww… Nat… something isn't right" Ellie said grabbing her belly as she pitched forward.

Natasha sprung up and walked in front of her; "Come on" Natasha said helping her up, "We have to get you to the hospital"

"Nat… I'm only 26 weeks along" Ellie said looking at her worried as she pulled her onto her feet.

Natasha held out her hand and touched the Kimoyo bead that Shuri said was the communication bead, "Shuri"

In her hand Shuri appeared, "Natasha is something wrong?"

"Something is wrong with Ellie, she is having pains" Natasha told her as Ellie hissed as another pain shot across her abdomen.

"Bring her to the hospital immediately. Let me make a call" Shuri said.

"Come on" Natasha said helping her up.

They left the apartment area, stopping a couple times as pain rippled through Ellie's abdomen.

"Okay Ellie, just to the stairs and down them" Natasha said leading her to the stairs.

Ellie slowly walked down them and stood falling to a knee on the stairs as another pain hit.

Natasha steadied her so she would not fall then looked up when she heard footsteps as T'Challa and a woman came up behind them on the stairs.

"Shuri said something is wrong" T'Challa said as he hurried to Ellie's other side to support her.

"She just started having pain" Natasha explained concerned as she gave him a look.

"I think… its contractions" Ellie told him as she looked at him with tear filled eyes.

T'Challa took her in his arms then looked at the woman next to him, "Nakia, go find Sergeant Barnes and Captain Rogers. They run from here to Warrior Creek"

Nakia nodded and ran off down the stairs.

"Go" Natasha told T'Challa, "I'll catch up"

T'Challa ran off and out of the palace, "I'm not hurting you am I?"

"Not anymore than these already are" Ellie said as she flinched, "There was another"

T'Challa ran down the street to the hospital and ran inside, "I need Dr. Nalia!"

The receptionist looked up then picked up the phone, "Take her to room four"

T'Challa found the open room and put Ellie on the bed, "Are you still in pain?"

"It went away but it came back four" Ellie told him as she tried to get comfortable on the bed, "No pain right now".

A nurse came in, "Yintoni engalunganga? (What is wrong?)" She asked T'Challa.

"Ukholelwa ukuba unesicatshulwa (She believes she is having contractions)" T'Challa told her.

Nalia hurried in the room, "Ellie? What happened?" She asked as she came over to her and took her wrist in hers to check her pulse.

"Nalia... I think I am having contractions" Ellie told her worried.

Nalia started feeling her belly.

"I'll go hunt down Sargeant Barnes and Miss Romanoff" T'Challa told her as he turned to leave and she grabbed his wrist.

"Thank you T'Challa" Ellie told him as Nalia got out some machines and pulled them over then he left.

* * *

Bucky, Sam and Steve were starting their trek back when Bucky's Kimoyo bracelet went off along with Steve's.

They stopped and looked at each other then held their hands out and the communication bead rolled into their palms. In between both their hands Shuri appeared.

"Bucky, Steve... Ellie just had to be taken to the hospital. She thinks she is having contractions. Get there at once" Shuri told them.

Bucky ran fast as he could with Steve hot on his heels to the hospital and ran into T'Challa not far from the hospital.

"Did Shuri get a hold of you?" T'Challa asked stopping.

"Yes" Bucky told him as he stopped in front of him, Steve right behind him.

"Follow me" T'Challa told them as he took off.

They ran to the hospital and slowed to a walk once inside. T'Challa led them to the room where he had left her and saw that Natasha had found her and was standing beside her holding her hand.

"El" Bucky said as he walked over to her and took her other hand that now had an IV in it, "What's wrong?"

"I think I had some contractions" Ellie told him pointing to the monitor, "Dr. Nalia has me hooked to the monitor... Grant's heart rate is good but Nalia thinks they were just something called Braxton Hicks contractions. She says I am too dehydrated so my body is warming up to the real contractions and... cramping because I am dehydrated"

"Well hello everyone" Nalia said as she walked back into the room, "Excuse me" She said as she squeezed past Steve, "Okay Ellie, let's get some fluids in you. Have you had anymore?" She asked as she hung the bag on the pole next to Ellie's bed and connected it to the IV in Ellie's arm.

"No" Ellie told her shaking her head.

"Definitely sounds like Braxton Hicks then" Nalia told her as she looked over the monitors, "I need you to be drinking more"

Ellie frowned, "But I hate having to pee all the time" Ellie told her, "I peed myself the other day when he moved against my bladder and I had just peed an hour before"

"I know that but your body needs it" Nalia told her as she checked the flow of the IV, "If you have any more page me immediately or send one of your what... three super soldiers and one enhanced king to get me. It would probably be faster"

Ellie chuckled, "Thanks Nalia"

"Thank you doc" Bucky told her as she left and he turned to look at her, "God you scared the shit out of me"

Natasha walked over to Steve and he pulled her into his arms and she buried her face in his chest.

"Try experiencing it first hand" Ellie said as she put her arm over her face, "I feel like I'm actually old right now. If those were Braxton Hicks... I hate to think what the real ones are going to feel like"

"Us working out probably didn't help. I told you nothing good comes from it" Natasha joked as she walked back over and sat on the edge of her bed as Steve moved closer.

"Shit El, my heart hasn't felt that way since we were kids when T'Challa said you were having issues" Steve told her as he sat at the foot of her bed and took her foot in his hand and started massaging it.

"Now Steve, don't give her took good of a foot rub" Natasha said with a grin.

"Eww" Bucky said shaking his head, "I don't think I want to know"

Natasha glanced at Steve then looked at Ellie, "I'll have him give Buck some tips"

Ellie snorted.

All four of them jumped when T'Challa spoke up, "Since all of you are here... Nakia is here from America and Tony Stark relayed a message to her to send to us" T'Challa told them as Nakia came forward.

Natasha and Steve jumped off the bed and looked at her.

"Hi Nakia, we've never met... I'm Ellie" Ellie said holding out her hand that didn't have the IV in it.

Nakia shook it, "Its a pleasure to finally meet you. T'Challa and Shuri have told me a lot about you" Nakia told her as she glanced at the others, "Tony Stark found me at one of the Wakandan outreach centers in New York. The President of the United States, Matthew Ellis would like an audience with you, Steve and Bucky"

Ellie looked at Steve and Bucky, "What?" She asked surprised.

"Yes... but he didn't know how to reach you so he contacted Tony but Tony is being watched by the Secretary of State. So he found me. Of course he didn't realize who I was" Nakia said with a grin.

Bucky laughed then sat on bed next to her as he looked at Ellie, "She's the future Queen"

Nakia looked at T'Challa with a familiar grin, "He has to ask me first" Nakia teased T'Challa.

"It has to be the right time" T'Challa defended.

Ellie sighed as she shifted under Bucky's arm, "Did he say when?"

"As soon as possible. I told Tony that we would have T'Challa contact him. I think it is safe for the President of the United States to know you are here" Nakia said as she glanced at T'Challa.

"I agree... it is time. If the President of the United States is trying to speak with you, hopefully that means that he is understanding of our side of the accords" T'Challa told her as he looked at the three by her side, "I will go and speak with him at once... ask him to come here on the pretenses of speaking about the accords"

Nakia and T'Challa left the room and Bucky sat in the one chair that was in the room and put his head in his hands.

"Everything is going to be okay Buck" Ellie told him looking at him concerned as Steve went over and put his hand on his back.

"I know" Bucky said with a half smile as he looked up at them.

Nalia walked back in the room, "How are we looking?" She asked as she went to the IV, "Flow is slowing down but still nearly a whole liter. You definitely need to be drinking more"

"Oh we will make sure she does" Natasha told her as she squeezed Ellie's hand.

"But I didnt come here to speak to you actually" Nalia said as she turned to Natasha, "Natasha, your appointment is tomorrow for your ultrasound and check up. If you want to head upstairs we can just do it today"

"Really?" Natasha asked as she glanced at Steve, who nodded.

Nalia nodded, "I had a cancellation so as soon as Ellie is done, we can head upstairs"

"I was there for yours, want to come to mine?" Natasha asked Ellie with a smile.

"I'd love to" Ellie told her with a smile, "I can't wait to see my niece or nephew"

* * *

Ellie watched the monitor as the familiar grays and blacks appeared on the screen as Steve held Natasha's hand.

Bucky pulled her close to him resting his chin on her head, "Do you believe this is happening?"

Ellie laughed quietly as she rubbed the back of his flesh hand that was resting over their son, "No, I didn't think Steve would make it to 30 much less father a child" Ellie mumbled trying to hold back the tears.

Bucky squeezed her hand.

"Lets see what your baby is looking like today" Nalia said pushing some buttons, "Here it is"

Steve looked at the monitor in awe as the heartbeat was heard.

Ellie could not help it when a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Everything looks good... from your date of possible conception plus what I am measuring... I am going to say February 22nd for your due date" Nalia told them.

"Nat... that's our baby" Steve said amazed as he squeezed her hand.

"It's real" Natasha told him as she looked up at him with tear filled eyes, "I mean I knew but... there is really a baby in there"

Steve smiled and leaned down to kiss her, "I love you so much"

"I love you more Rogers" She said as she grinned through her tears, "Thanks for messing up my plan"

"We are Avengers... we don't really have a plan... we just attack things head on" Steve told her.

Natasha let out a breath as she looked at the little person on the screen.

* * *

a/n3:Go see Endgame! I don't want to accidentally spoil anything for anyone!

Thank you Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967 for the review!

* * *

Here is your Sneak Peek of Chapter 46, Black Balloon:

 **"Ellie… can I call you Ellie?" President Ellis asked.**

 **"Yes sir you may" Ellie told him.**

 **"After your… public announcement, you put us in a tough spot" President Ellis told her.**

 **"Sir, if I may say… not as tough of a spot as the accords has put Steve in.**


	46. Chapter 46 - Black Balloon

**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**

 **A/n2: So I'm about to head out to go see Endgame again, this time in IMAX. What did everyone think? Still not sure what to think about the ending and still trying to formulate what if any of this story will be affected. Let me know what you think and if you think Endgame should affect this story and how you'd see it affecting this story. The power of Fanfiction you can make it your own! The Russo Brothers spoiler ban is still on until Monday, but I will say one thing… Sebastian actually exists in the MCU and Steve must never have watched Hot Tub Time Machine lol Also if you want to see what Ellie's uniform looks like I have posted it over on PrincessCaptainWinter on Facebook.  
**

 **Thank you to the new followers: Shay Shadowhunter, MaskedMadness, FireDragon27, sytherclaw2114, Firecrane930, HufflepuffBlonde (Shout out to the Puffs! We have the cookies!), and GemmaCR. We are 3 reviews away from 110, let's do it!**

* * *

 **And scars are souvenirs you never lose  
The past is never far  
Did you lose yourself somewhere out there  
Did you get to be a star  
And don't it make you sad to know that life  
Is more than who we are**

 **~ Black Balloon by Goo Goo Dolls**

* * *

 ***~*~* August 8, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

Later the same day after seeing their baby for the first time, Natasha and Steve sat on the couch as Ellie sat in the recliner, with 'Lady and the Tramp' playing on the television screen in front of them. Bucky was at the village checking on his goats and the border after giving Ellie strict orders to rest and drink as much as possible. She currently was drinking from her second bottle of water as she was engrossed in the movie, as was Steve. Natasha had the ultrasound picture in her hand and her eyes has not left it in the last five minute.

Steve glanced over at her, "You okay?" Steve asked putting his arm around her pulling her close to him.

Natasha rested her head on his chest and held the picture in front of him, "Yeah... I just... I wish I could share this with Laura and Clint" Natasha told him.

Ellie grabbed the remote from the table and paused the movie, "Why can't you? Clint is Hawkeye right?" Ellie asked pushing the recliner in.

Natasha nodded, "He isn't supposed to have any contact with us as part of his house arrest agreement. Their poor house probably looks nothing like it did when we last saw it. He likes to tinker and do improvement projects when he isn't being an Avenger"

Ellie looked at her, "Oh come on Nat, Bucky and Steve have both told me that you are some super... don't know, some super spy. Isn't there something to talk to him over a secret channel?"

Natasha sat up and looked at Steve, who shrugged.

"Shit... why didn't I think of that?" Natasha said as she got up off the couch, "This pregnancy is messing with my brain"

She grabbed her laptop off the table and brought it over to the couch and sat down with it in her lap. Steve looked over her shoulder as she did some code and went between various pages faster than he could process them.

Ellie sat back and turned the movie back on, taking another drink, "I feel like I am going to float down a river" Ellie grumbled as she got up then walked down the hallway towards the bathroom.

Steve glanced over at Natasha again and kissed her cheek.

"Stop Steve, I'm working" Natasha told him pushing him away as she completed more code.

Steve put his arm on the back of the couch behind her and started watching the TV again as Ellie walked in and took her seat in the recliner again.

"Damn firewall... I taught him too well" Natasha mumbled.

Ellie looked over at her, "What is a firewall?" She asked as she glanced at Steve.

Steve laughed, "Don't ask me to explain it. All I know is that it protects your computer"

Natasha sighed shaking her head, "It's basically a virtual wall that blocks outside attacks or hacks" Natasha told her.

Ellie got up out of the recliner walked over and sat on the other side of her, "I have an idea... I doubt it will work but..."

Ellie put her hand on the computer and closed her eyes, focusing on the energy of the computer. In her mind, lots of 0s and 1s flashed in her mind. Then a black wall. Mentally Ellie pushed past it then encountered more 0s and 1s.

Sitting back against the arm rest, Ellie took her hand off the computer, "Try it now" She said slightly winded.

Natasha typed a few more things on her computer then smiled, "How did you do that?" She asked is disbelief.

Ellie held her hand up with some tendrils of electricity flowing between her fingers, "I really don't know how this works so... no clue. I just know I could manipulate Steve's record player... but that was in the other room" Ellie said as she went back to her recliner, "I don't know where Clint lives but I'm guessing it is a little farther"

Natasha sent another request through the video conferencing app, "Come on Clint... I don't know how long this will be secure" Natasha mumbled.

Laura's face came on the screen, "I don't recognize this number. Hello? Nat!"

Ellie grabbed the remote and paused it again.

Natasha smiled as she saw one of her best friend's faces for a first time in months, "hey Laura"

"Clint! Clint! Come here... its Nat! How are you?" Laura asked with a huge smile on her face, "Wait... how are you doing this? You are on the run"

"I have a friend" Natasha said as Clint appeared next to Laura, "Clint... how are you?"

"The news is wild about you guys. The public wants the Accords appealed" Clint told her, "I'd be fine with that. No offense to Laura and the kids but I need to get out of here"

"Our poor house needs you out of here" Laura told him as he gave her a look.

"Well we have a meeting with the President soon. Hopefully he is able to help" Natasha told him, "How are the kids?"

"Great. Nate is running around now somewhere outside. Cooper is at a game and Lila is at a friends or I would let you talk to them. Where are you guys? Are you still with Cap?" Clint asked.

"How'd you figure that out?" Natasha asked glancing at Steve as she moved her laptop to pan the camera over.

"Hey Clint" Steve said waving.

"Glad you are with her Steve, so she doesn't get into trouble" Clint teased.

Natasha shook her head as she moved into Steve's side so they could both be in the shot, "Well... about that" Natasha said, "So I almost died six months ago"

"WHAT?! And this is the first time we are hearing about it?" Laura asked.

"First time I could communicate with you. We are based here in Wakanda now. We were traveling all over the Middle East working with Fury but... unless the accords end... we are basically benched here until at least February" Natasha told her.

"Why February?" Clint asked.

"Well when I almost died, I took three bullets meant for Steve. They did some... pretty big damage" Natasha told him.

"She died... three times Clint" Steve told him looking at her.

Natasha looked up at Steve, "But Steve saved me. He gave me a direct blood transfusion. So I have super soldier serum running through my veins now. Steve brought me here to Wakanda and... you guys its amazing here. They are so technologically advanced. Between the serum and their technology I was 100% healed in a month"

"If you are 100% healed why are you benched?" Clint asked confused, "Did something happen over there?"

Natasha stood up and handed the laptop to Steve, "Hold on, Steve hold this... like right there. Perfect. Can you guys see me?" Standing back from the laptop.

"Are you watching Lady and the Tramp? My god what are they doing to you Nat?" Clint asked laughing.

"Shut up Clint, Yeah... that is a cute top. Is that Wakandan?" Laura asked, "I might have you try to send me some of their clothes if so"

"Yes it is" Natasha said modeling it as she turned sideways and put her hands on her hips, "Like it?"

"I love it... but no offense... it does make you look poochy" Laura told her.

"Its not the top" Natasha told her as she lifted her shirt to show her belly from the side.

"NO FUCKING WAY!" Laura screamed as she jumped up and Clint fell out of the picture, "How?"

"Wakanda has great technology and they healed me a little too well" Natasha told them as she sat back down and took the laptop back from Steve.

"How far along are you?" Laura asked as Clint grumbling under the microphone's capability to pick up what he was saying.

"12 weeks tomorrow. I am due a little after Valentine's Day" Natasha told them with a smile.

"Natasha Romanoff is pregnant. Who would have thought. Who is the father?" Clint asked.

Natasha panned over to Steve, who waved.

"Wait Cap? When did that happen?" Clint asked in disbelief.

"Well officially being together is only well... when the baby was conceived but... Steve and I have been kind of skirting around the issue for the last year" Natasha told him as she glanced at Steve with a smile as he put his arm over her shoulders.

"Cap, you look at me" Clint said as Steve looked back at the computer, "You better be treating her right" Clint warned.

"Really Clint? It's Captain America not someone from Hydra" Laura told him.

Natasha rolled her eyes, "Seriously Clint, its Steve"

A smile spread across his face, "I know but... I had to be like the big brother and all tough" Clint told her.

Natasha bit her lip then sighed, "This isn't going to be guaranteed secure much longer so I'm going to go. Hopefully I'll be able to talk to you soon"

"Keep in touch Nat and take care of each other" Laura told her and Steve.

Natasha looked over at Steve and smiled, "We will"

* * *

 ***~*~* August 11, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie sighed as she looked in the mirror, "I wish I could fit into my uniform again"

Natasha looked at her from her spot on Ellie's bed reading her pregnancy book, "Your new uniform?"

"No, my SSR uniform" Ellie said smoothing her dress down, "I might not know anything about him being president but…meeting the President of the United States is a big deal. I met President Truman when I was working for the SSR"

"He's been President since 2012, he was a huge supporter for Superheroes for the longest time. Especially after Tony and Rhodey saved his life. Its just when Ross got into is inner circle things changed" Natasha told her with a sigh, "Ross has always been very… scared of things he doesn't understand. He and Banner… Banner dated his daughter and Bruce joined his Bio-Tech Force project because Ross was trying to recreate the super soldier serum. History showed that they used something to enhance the serum, Bruce thought it was Gamma radiation… that is what turned him into the Hulk. When Ross found out, he decided Bruce's best purpose was a weapon for the military"

Ellie turned around, "So wait… he essentially wanted to make the Hulk into the government's version of Bucky?" Ellie asked shocked.

"Yeah" Natasha said as she sat up.

"I really don't like him now" Ellie said shaking her head, "I never have met the guy and I'd be able to clock him if I saw him without thinking twice"

"SHIELD found him but didn't do anything but monitor him until he went back to his University where he did his research and battled someone who tried to use Banner's blood to mutate themselves. That is what pushed the government to launch the Avengers Initiative. But it was me, Tony and Banner. Tony wanted the guy they called Abomination for the Avengers but Ross wouldn't give him up. Just a few months later, the Battle of New York happened and Thor came to Earth and Clint joined in, then they found Steve. But Ross, was just at the bottom of the totem pole so to speak until Ellis put him as Secretary of State. Suddenly he had the power to put forth his agenda. He wants control of the enhanced. He could care less how they help people. He just wants to control us" Natasha told her.

"Why aren't you coming? You know all this" Ellie told her holding another shirt up to her chest.

"The President only requested you three but now you know it all" Natasha told her, "You are our best bet now"

"Thanks for that added pressure" Ellie said looking in the mirror.

"You will do great. You will have Steve and Bucky with you" Natasha told her turning the page on the book, "And T'Challa … but you know I will be close by if you guys need me"

Steve came in the room in his Captain America uniform, "You almost ready? T'Challa said they will be here soon"

"As I will ever be" Ellie told him setting the shirt in her hand on the bed.

Steve took her hand in his, "let's go"

"You know you don't have to hold my hand. I'm not a little girl anymore Steve" Ellie told him.

Steve gave her a sad smile, "El…in my mind you will always will be. Sorry if it bothers you but… I will always want to protect you"

Ellie pulled him into a hug.

* * *

"He's late" Ellie said pacing in the throne room.

Bucky and Steve were watching out the window of the throne room at the sky, looking to see anyone coming into Wakanda by air.

"Do you think he changed his mind?" Steve asked Bucky.

Bucky let out a breath then shook his head, "I don't know" Bucky told him.

Ellie's Kimoyo beads went off and Shuri appeared in her hand, "yes Shuri?"

"The President will be landing shortly" Shuri told her.

"Thanks" Ellie said as she ended the call.

Steve and Bucky walked over to her, "El, have a seat until they come in. You need to be resting" Steve told her.

Ellie rolled her eyes, "I'm fine, quit being a worry wart Steve" Ellie told him.

"That's Capsicle's best power" Tony said as he swaggered in wearing the Iron Man suit. He stopped then the suit opened up for him to step out of.

"Tony what are you doing here?" Steve asked with a frown.

"I was the president's personal security detail" Tony told him as T'Challa and a man walked into the room with the Dora Milaje and men in suits following.

Steve and Bucky came forward blocking Ellie causing her to sigh.

"Mr. President" Steve said as he put hands on his belt standing tall.

"Captain Rogers… it is nice seeing you again. I am sorry it's not under better circumstances" President Ellis said.

"President Ellis, I'd like you to meet Sergeant James Barnes" Steve said nodding to Bucky.

"Sir" Bucky said as President Ellis walked over to him and shook his hand.

"I cannot believe I am meeting two of the Howling Commandoes" President Ellis said shaking his head, "I was a fan of you growing up. The stories that you could tell" President Ellis said in awe.

"Well we'd like you to meet a third member of the Commandoes as well" Steve said as he moved aside for Ellie to be seen.

"About time. Sorry sir, they went all protective on me" Ellie said as she pushed Steve aside making him stumble a bit, "Pleasure to meet you Mr. President sir"

President Ellis shook her hand, "You are definitely smaller than I would have thought you would be" The President said taking in her 5'2" frame next to the 6 foot tall super soldiers next to her.

"When I got the super soldier serum it didn't make me grow… I just got powers from it instead" Ellie told him.

"You have powers? Where have you been hiding all these years?" President Ellis asked.

"Let's have a seat" T'Challa said pointing to his throne and the other chairs surrounding it.

T'Challa sat on his throne and pointed at the chair next to his for President Ellis to sit in, "Here you go sir"

"Thank you" President Ellis said as he sat down.

Tony walked up next to Ellie and grinned as he put his hand on her shoulder, "You are looking great" Tony said.

"Thanks, 26 weeks along now" Ellie told him, "It's a boy"

"Bucky Jr?" Tony teased.

"Grant Barnes" Ellie told him as they took their own seats and looked at the president.

"Ellie… can I call you Ellie?" President Ellis asked her.

"Yes sir you may" Ellie told him crossing her legs to the side trying to sit as proper as she used to see Peggy do.

"After your… public announcement, you put us in a tough spot" President Ellis told her sitting back in his chair.

"Sir, if I may say… not as tough of a spot as the accords has put Steve in. The moment the accords were supposed to be signed happened to be the moment that Zemo decided the frame my husband" She said glancing at Bucky, who swallowed hard, "When the order was put out by your government to shoot and kill on sight without a trial, Steve had to react. Zemo not only played the Avengers, he played you too" Ellie told him, "Steve was just trying to save my husband's life"

"After he was captured though, he could have gone on trial. Why did you evade capture?" Ellis asked Bucky.

Bucky sighed, "Hydra put programming into my brain that if a set of words was read in the right order they could control me. Somehow Zemo found that out, read the words and asked for a mission report from the day Tony's parents were killed. Tony's father had created a serum similar to what Steve had and what he used to create Ellie's serum. This time it didn't have to be a relative of Steve's for it to work. But Hydra found out and sent me to obtain it and told me to allow no witnesses. So they sentenced Howard and his wife to their death"

"So you killed his parents?" President Ellis asked Bucky.

Bucky looked at Tony sadly, "yes"

"But not as Bucky, as the Winter Soldier sir" Steve defended, "When Hydra read the words, Bucky was gone. He didn't even recognize me"

"So when you were the Winter Soldier, you had no control of your body?" President Ellis asked Bucky.

"No sir, the times that I did gain control of my brain I took off, but Hydra would always track me shortly after. They were everywhere" Bucky told him.

"That they were. Took us a long time to clean up the government after the fall of SHIELD" President Ellis told them as he looked at Ellie, "And where were you Ellie while all this was happening?"

"Well I was given the serum in 1949, but I was unstable so I went into cryo-sleep in 1950 by Dr. Reinstein and Howard Stark. They woke me up in 1987 and I wasn't awake very long before I went back under because the stability was not solved" Ellie told him.

"So you were asleep?" Ellis asked, "For over 60 years?"

"Yes sir until this March" Ellie told him, "Bucky and Steve figured out the mystery of where I was with Tony's help and got me out of cryo. Steve has been doing missions to save the world from alien weapons while Bucky and I have been here in Wakanda helping them"

"Sir, the accords bind us from being able to help others. My team has been doing small covert missions to try to capture some of the remaining alien weaponry that is out there from the Battle in New York and when there was the attack in England amongst others. But I have to protect my family sir" Steve told him, "We were helping in the Middle East but it's too risky now"

"You were aiding in the Middle East? Is that why things have suddenly gotten worse in Syria?" President Ellis asked Steve, "You aren't helping anymore?"

"No sir" Steve told him.

"And why is that?" President Ellis asked.

"Like I said, I have to protect my family. I cannot fight alone. Bucky is a fugitive stuck here in Wakanda, under Wakandan protection now but heaven forbid someone recognizes him and shoots before discussing or asking. Ellie has her own skill set but… we can't risk her baby" Steve told him.

"Who were you working with in the Middle East?" President Ellis asked.

"It was myself, the Falcon, the Scarlet Witch and Black Widow" Steve told him.

"Are they here?" President Ellis asked, "In Wakanda?"

Ellie closed her eyes and sensed that they were only a short distance away as if waiting for the call, "Natasha, you guys can come in!"

Steve looked at the door as it opened and Wanda pushed the doors open with her powers. Sam and Natasha following behind her.

Steve stood up and walked over next to Natasha putting his arm around her, resting his hand on her hip, "Like I said Mr. President… I have to protect my family" Steve told him as he glanced over at Natasha, "You just had to wear your tightest shirt"

"I wanted to make a point" Natasha said looking at him with a grin.

Tony stood up and walked over to them, "Well this is a new development"

"It's not just Bucky and Ellie and their baby anymore whose lives are at stake now Tony" Natasha told him, "Now we have to think about our future and the life of our baby and-"

"Whoa, whoa hold up… you're pregnant?" Tony asked shocked.

"Are you seriously that blind?" Natasha asked, "Am I usually this fat?"

"I thought maybe Wakanda just had good food. Holy shit… Captain America put his little America in the ex-Russian spy" Tony said.

"Don't be so crass Tony" Ellie told him as she zapped him from behind causing him to yelp.

"What is in the water here in Wakanda? Seriously?" Tony asked, "So when are you having this little one?"

"February" Steve told him.

"Does Clint know?" Tony asked them.

Natasha nodded, "It happened after we saw you last"

"Barnes and Noble here can't do one thing without the other. Now they have their girlies being preggo buddies" Tony said shaking his head.

"Tony, I was sterilized by the Red Room… this shouldn't have happened but I was nearly killed in the Middle East in April. I should have died but thanks to Wakanda and Steve they saved my life and because of… their amazing doctors I get to have what I never thought I could have… a real family" Natasha told him.

Tony looked between the two of them sadly, "I thought we used to be one… you know the Avengers" Tony said.

"The Accords ripped us apart Tony, we didn't" Steve said as he looked at the President, "Sir I decided not to sign because I didn't like how a group of people had control over anyone who was deemed Enhanced. Secretary Ross has had issues with enhanced individuals since he and Dr. Banner didn't get along when Dr. Banner dated his daughter"

"Wait" President Ellis said as he stood up, "Secretary Ross's daughter dated the Hulk?"

"Secretary Ross helped create the Hulk" Natasha told him shaking her head, "But he wanted to use the Hulk as a weapon and when Bruce disagreed he had to go into hiding. Ross has been trying to control him ever since"

"Sir, have you ever heard of the Abomination?" Natasha asked President Ellis.

"No I haven't" President Ellis said.

"Emil Blonsky was a special- ops commando with the British Royal Marines, at the time General Thaddeus Ross was trying to catch the Hulk so he obtained Blonsky on loan from the British Marines. To better aide in his capture, Ross gave him a dose of the small amount of Super Soldier Serum that the government did have and also a dose of Bruce Banner's blood. The two together created a… beast called the Abomination. He was the size of the Hulk and destroyed a large part of Harlem, NY. Ross realized what he had done and tried to kill Abomination, Abomination killed everyone in Ross' helicopter but Ross and his daughter. Abomination tried to kill both Ross and his daughter, Banner saved them and Abomination was taken into custody. Last I knew, he is in Alaska at the SHIELD Vault in custody. When World Security Council was assembling the Avengers they wanted him as part of it. SHIELD knew how he really was, evil, and wouldn't let him out of custody. That is when Banner was brought in" Natasha told him, "Ross wants control of anyone who is seen as enhanced"

"When we were putting the Avengers together he wanted to know what I was doing for that. He wasn't in charge of it so I didn't give him details. He wasn't happy" Tony told him.

"Now sir, you have given him control of not only all enhanced in the United States but by being the head of the Task Force for the United States, he has control of the enhanced worldwide" Steve told him.

"Sir… after the Avengers battled in Berlin, do you know where Ross had them sent? Where Wanda, Sam, Hawkeye and Ant Man were held until Steve broke in and busted them out?" Ellie asked.

"He captured them? Why did I never hear about that?" President Ellis asked glancing at his people.

"Probably because he was ashamed they escaped. He put them in the RAFT sir" Natasha told him.

President Ellis looked at them in shock, "The RAFT? No, it's never actually been used outside of one prisoner ever. He killed himself in custody when he went insane"

"Sorry sir but you are wrong. Wanda and I were there for almost a week until Steve freed us. We were confined in our cells for 24 hours a day. We were fed one meal a day" Sam told him, "Given nothing to occupy our time"

President Ellis frowned and looked at Tony, "Are there anymore individuals at the RAFT?"

"To my knowledge, no sir. I was there. I went to talk to Ross who was at the RAFT when he first imprisoned them to tell him how Zemo played us. He told me he had no interest in hearing what I had to say, that I was lucky he wasn't throwing me in one of the cells for letting Rogers go. They had Wanda in a straight jacket and shock collar sir" Tony told him.

He looked at Wanda, who nodded.

"Well this changes some things. I am not sure if you have heard of it but there is a pro-Accords group called the Watchdogs. They somehow got the list of the Inhumans that had registered and many have been killed" President Ellis told them.

Steve sighed looking at the ground, "All the accords have done is turned it into a witch hunt of those with abilities sir"

"Well after your little video, there are only 30 countries remaining in the Accords. I will have a session with my chiefs of staff and some of the predominant senators and see what we can do" President Ellis told them.

"Thank you sir, which is all we can ask" Steve said.

"Sir, you are welcome to stay here and explore our wonderful country. There is more to us that meets the eye" T'Challa told him.

"Some other time, I was able to sneak away for only a short time" President Ellis said as he stood up and they all stood up with him as he looked at Ellie, "I just had to come and meet the person that has stolen America's hearts and England as well… it is hard to believe that you could have been alive to save Queen Elizabeth when she was just a princess, and that you are having a baby today"

"Trust me sir, we weren't expecting this miracle either" Ellie said running his hand over her belly as she took Bucky's hand.

"Captain Rogers, Sergeant Barnes, Miss Romanoff, Miss Maximoff… I don't think we've been properly introduced actually" President Ellis said looking at Sam.

"Sam Wilson sir, US Air Force 58th Rescue Squadron" Sam told him shaking his hand.

President Ellis sighed, "A Captain and Sergeant for the army and a retired Air Force pilot on the run for trying to do what they signed up for… saving people…We will be in touch"

"I will walk you out sir" T'Challa said as he and Ellis walked out of the throne room.

Tony glanced at the remaining Avengers in front of him, "Keep me in touch with everything. Things might not be the best between all of us but… I just want to be included"

"We will Tony" Ellie told him as she walked over and gave him a hug.

Tony jumped back in shock staring at her belly, "Holy shit that kid kicks"

"I think I am permanently bruised inside" Ellie told him with a grin, "Take care of Pepper"

"Well you guys would be happy to know… I proposed" Tony told them with a smile, "We are getting married next August"

"Congratulations Tony… I am glad that you two worked things out" Steve told him.

Tony nodded to them and turned to follow T'Challa and the President.

Ellie let out a breath and sat down as soon as the doors closed, putting her head in her hands. Bucky sat next to her and rubbed her back.

"Well honestly it sounds like the President is at mercy of Ross himself" Steve said as he sat down.

"It's going to take going to the UN eventually I have a feeling" Natasha told them sitting beside them.

"It's a waiting game now" Steve told them as he watched out the window to see Tony take off with a plane following him.

* * *

a/n3: So what is going to happen?! Is Ellis going to win out? Thank you for reading, last week I saw an influx of readers but please review so I know what ya'll think about this!

 **Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967: Thank you as always for reading and reviewing! Glad you enjoyed it!**

 **Guest: Thank you for reading and reviewing! I'm glad you found it "Awe"!**

* * *

 **Sneak Peek of Chapter 47- All of Me:**

 _"Well… in a normal pregnancy depending on where, yes… but we are dealing with a super soldier baby. I wish I could do an amnio but I don't want to risk it. We have a hard enough time getting a needle into your skin to do blood workup" Nalia told her._

 _"Do you think something could be wrong?" Ellie asked._


	47. Chapter 47 - All of Me

**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**

 **A/n2: It's been a rough week so I will keep it short. Thank you to the new followers: AlphaDog1132, honeyduck, sweetserenity11, vari14, Miaslytherin, Ginny05, XxHeatherXD, Alice-Hatter and Doc-LeeE. This is now sitting at 109 reviews. Thank you to everyone that reads and reviews as well as follows. Please remember, feel free to drop me a quick note of a review so I know how many people are actually reading this. I am a teacher and we are all year round. I do not have a lot of free time between life, work and planning, so knowing that people are enjoying these ideas floating through my head makes my day. Thank you all again so much!**

 **Oh and side note: just a little smut at the end, warning those who might not be looking for it. Enjoy ;)**

* * *

'Cause all of me  
Loves all of you  
Love your curves and all your edges  
All your perfect imperfections  
Give your all to me  
I'll give my all to you  
You're my end and my beginning  
Even when I lose I'm winning  
'Cause I give you all of me  
And you give me all, all of you

~ All of Me by John Legend

* * *

 ***~*~* September 1, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Ellie groaned as she sat down on the recliner part of the couch, "I feel like a freaking whale" She said as she put the recliner out.

Natasha looked over at her, "You aren't that big"

"I can't see my toes anymore" Ellie told her wiggling her toes as she raised her foot.

"Seriously Ellie, come here" Natasha said as pushed the recliner down then she pulled her up. Ellie sat the nail polish in her hand on the coffee table and stood side by side with her, "We aren't that far apart as far as bellies and I have 14 more weeks until I am where you are at. Just watch, it's going to be a bouncing baby super soldier Steve that will come out throwing little shields"

"I just feel huge I guess… and look" Ellie said as she pulled her shirt up, "My belly button is inside out"

"And that traditionally happens earlier… see you are fine" Natasha told her as she sat down on the other side of the couch.

Ellie sat back down on the recliner and popped it out then looked at the table, "Shit"

"I got it" Natasha said as she pushed herself up and grabbed the bottle for her.

"Thanks" Ellie said as she tried to reach down to her toes and groaned, "Are you kidding me?"

"Put them up here. Then you can do mine" Natasha told her, "I like that color anyways. It's a pretty gold"

"Shuri was excited when the mercantile has been getting more 'modern' stuff. She has been taking trips to New York and California to buy things" Ellie said as she moved to the middle of the couch and put her feet in Natasha's lap.

"I never thought I would miss Target so much" Natasha told her as she opened up the bottle.

"What is Target?" Ellie asked.

"A store, like Wal-Mart but… wait you probably don't know what Wal-mart is either" Natasha said.

"It's Sears and Roebucks but with food" Steve told her as he walked into the room, "At least Wal-mart is, Target is like… Macys but cheaper"

Natasha looked at him, "Comparing Target to Macy's?" Natasha asked in disbelief.

"Well then …maybe Macy's of our time" Steve told her as he sat down on the recliner.

"Where is Bucky?" Ellie asked glancing behind her at Steve.

"I don't have to be attached to Steve's hip… so Macy's still exists?" Bucky asked sliding behind Ellie on the couch.

"Hey! I was going sit there again after we were done with our nails" Ellie told him as he put his feet up on the foot rest.

"I can share" Bucky told her as he looked at Natasha, "Can I have the remote?"

"No" Natasha said as she grabbed the remote from the table, "When we all get back to avenging… we are going to be so bored. All the stakeouts and no TV" Natasha told them as she turned the TV on, "I want to watch a movie"

"Then pick one" Bucky replied.

"Hey Bucky?" Ellie said looking back at him.

"Yeah?" Bucky said as he watched Natasha navigated to the movie channels.

"Could you make me some popcorn? I'm craving some popcorn" Ellie told him as she laid back on his lap.

"Popcorn?" Bucky asked as he shrugged looking down at her, "Sure"

He pushed her back up and walked into the kitchen, "Thanks Babe!"

"This one looks interesting" Natasha said looking over at Steve, "You love space and this one is called The Martian… a scientist gets left on Mars"

"Couldn't hurt to try it" Steve told her, "Put it on"

Natasha clicked on it and it started up.

"Extra butter or regular?" Bucky asked from the kitchen.

"Extra" Ellie and Natasha said.

"I wonder… what does Mars actually look like?" Bucky asked leaning against the back of the couch watching the movie as it showed the movie surface of Mars.

"We sent a rover to Mars. We have pictures" Steve told him as he looked over at him.

Ellie glanced at the TV and stared at one of the characters in the background of the scene, "He looks really familiar"

"The guy in the movie?" Natasha asked.

"That guy that was in the blue in the background" Ellie said pointing at the screen, "The one looking at the microscope"

He walked closer and his face was suddenly seen.

"Holy shit!" Bucky said as he walked over to the TV.

"Um… Buck? Did you become a movie star and we didn't know it?" Steve asked leaning closer.

"Seriously… he stole my face" Bucky said, "That's freaky"

Natasha pulled her phone out and started searching, "His name is Sebastian Stan… his movies as of late have been I, Tonya, The Bronze, Ricki and the Flash and this one. He is from Romania" She said as she looked at Bucky.

Bucky stared at her, "What?"

"He was born in Romania" Natasha told him, "In 1982"

"Well I hadn't slept with anyone but you and Ellie so, he isn't my kid" Bucky told them, "Plus I think I was frozen then"

"That is still so freaky" Ellie said, "I'm going to have to look those other movies up"

Bucky looked at her as the timer went off again and shook his head, "Well at least if you have the hots for someone else they have my face" He joked as he went to get the popcorn.

Ellie looked at Steve, "Do you see it?"

"Yeah that is really weird" Steve said.

"Well they do say we all have doppelgangers out there somewhere that look just like us" Natasha said shrugging.

Bucky walked in and sat next to her sitting the popcorn on the table, "I wonder if there are celebrities that look like you guys or is my handsome face just too much for one person"

Ellie laughed lying back on his lap, "Seriously?"

"What?" Bucky asked.

Ellie tried to sit up on her own and groaned, "A little help please"

Bucky snorted as he pushed her up.

"Don't make fun of your poor pregnant wife" Natasha said throwing the remote at him.

Bucky caught it, "Thanks"

"Shit… don't turn it I'm actually getting into this" Natasha told him handing Ellie the nail polish bottle then putting her feet on Ellie's lap, "What is that moving under your shirt?"

"What do you mean?" Ellie asked starting on her big toe, "Oh, Grant is moving around"

Steve got up and knelt down next to her watching her skin move beneath her shirt, "That doesn't hurt?"

"What?" Ellie asked confused.

Bucky leaned over watching, "Oh that's just his elbow" Bucky explained, "He's running out of room so we'll be able to literally see parts of him"

"God it's like Alien" Natasha said as she touched Bucky's face with her toe then laughed.

Bucky flicked her off as he sat back against the couch.

Ellie looked back at Bucky, "He must have flipped, the elbow was pretty low"

"Good" Bucky said as he put his arm over her chest and his right leg up to support her back as he went back to the movie.

"You are done" Ellie told Natasha as she capped the nail polish then moved back against Bucky.

Bucky reached forward before she asked for it and grabbed the bowl of popcorn, putting it on his lap.

Ellie grabbed some and frowned as she chewed.

"What's wrong?" Bucky asked.

"Something is missing" Ellie said as she took another bite.

"Not enough butter?" Bucky asked, "We have some in the fridge I can melt"

"No… it's… peanut butter! Ooh and chocolate" Ellie said looking up at him.

"Seriously?" Bucky asked.

"Yes seriously, why is that weird?" Ellie asked her eyes sparkling with incoming tears.

"No, no, not at all. I'll go see if I can do that" Bucky said as he got up.

"Whipped!" Steve said with a laugh.

Ellie held out her hand and spent a spark at him causing him to yelp, "Shut it"

"Well that's new" Natasha said laughing as Steve's hair stood up.

* * *

Ellie opened her eyes and looked around the living area of the common room. The TV screen was dark and from the windows she could see the fading sunlight. Pushing herself up off the couch, she walked to their apartment.

"Bucky?" Ellie asked looking around.

"On the balcony!" Bucky said.

Ellie walked through the bedroom and opened the screen slider to the balcony, "I wondered where you went"

"You fell asleep about an hour into the movie… guess when they stopped showing my look-a-like you lost interest" Bucky teased.

"Shut it" Ellie said as she walked over and sat on his lap then kissed him.

Bucky grinned against her lips and pulled her closer.

"See... they never even notice me" Steve said.

Ellie stopped kissing Bucky and looked over at Steve, who had Natasha on his lap, "Oh hey guys"

Steve looked down at Natasha, who was curled up and sleeping on his chest, "I guess we bored her"

"Or it could be the fact that pregnancy is exhausting" Ellie told him with a yawn.

"How are you feeling?" Steve asked pulling Natasha closer to him.

"Well I could do without the dizzy spells and the leaky breasts. All these cravings are killing me. Like I would kill for a soft pretzel right now" Ellie said as Bucky rubbed her belly when Grant kicked.

"Or Coney Island cotton candy" Steve said.

"You were the only one that ever liked that shit Steve" Bucky told him, "It was just pure sugar. Of course you were so out of it most of the time, stuff like that must have been much better for you"

Steve scoffed, "I was not out of it most of the time"

Ellie laughed, "Yes you were. Steve do you realize what I was in most of your medication back then?"

"Yeah asthma medication" Steve said.

"No, belladonna was one of the ingredients. It was a poisonous leaf. Part of the nightshade family. It was in your asthma cigarettes" Ellie told him.

"Really?" Steve asked.

Bucky nodded, "And the tablets they'd give you for a really bad attack? Heroin"

"Your coughing fits… opium" Ellie told him.

"Damn… what do they do now for asthma?" Steve asked.

Natasha sighed as she stretched in his lap and moved her face up into his neck, rubbing her face against his beard, "Nebulizers"

Bucky snorted into Ellie's shoulder as Steve's eyes rolled into his skull as Natasha moved against his lap.

Ellie cleared his throat, "Inhalers and a breathing machine. I've researched into it in case Grant might have it"

Natasha opened her eyes and looked over at Bucky and Ellie, "Oh hi"

"Hi" Bucky said with a grin.

Ellie hit him, "I see the exhaustion is hitting you"

"I swear I can sleep ten hours at night but by 2, I am so… tired" Natasha said as she yawned.

"It doesn't get much better. Well… for a few months it did but its back for me" Ellie told her as she placed her hands over Bucky's on her belly.

Bucky ran his thumb over a spot as Grant poked through her belly on the other side and he poked back.

"Don't you dare start with him now James Buchanan" Ellie said as Grant poked back again.

"What? I'm just… trying to keep him awake so you can sleep tonight" Bucky said innocently.

Ellie shook her head as her belly moved.

"What is that?" Bucky asked.

"I think he might have the hiccups" Ellie said as it did it again, "It feels funny. I think that is his head hitting my belly whenever he has them"

Natasha sighed as she snuggled into Steve's arms, "Pepper called me"

"What did Pepper want?" Steve asked.

"She and Tony talked about it… they want to sneak us into the United States. I guess he and Ellis were talking and… Ellis before he goes out of office… he wants to pardon Bucky" Natasha told her.

Bucky stared at her, "What?"

"He wants to give you a presidential pardon of all your Winter Soldier crimes. He is leaving office in January and he said that he wants to do that for you. He hasn't told anyone close to him yet. He is still reading the terrain on when to do it" Natasha told them.

"He will wait until December" Ellie told them with a sigh, "That way he will do it before he leaves office. There won't be too many repercussions"

Bucky kissed her shoulder, "President still gets appointed in January right?"

Natasha nodded.

"Yeah I think you are right or literally the week before he leaves office" Bucky said.

"What are your plans after you are cleared?" Steve asked them, "Technically you and Ellie could both go back to America"

Ellie glanced at Bucky, "I don't know… we will have to discuss it. I'd love to visit home you know but… it wouldn't be the same without you Steve"

Steve looked at Natasha, "We could head back to the compound and just stay really quiet"

"When you guys get to go back, we will gauge it. Who knows when it will actually happen" Natasha told them.

"I just hate how our lives are depending so much on…. Oh fuck" Ellie said grabbing her belly.

"What happened?" Bucky asked sitting up straighter, "I felt him kick but-"

"My god… that hurt" Ellie said wincing as she rubbed the top of her belly, "He is definitely head down… took my breath away"

"Are you sure you are okay?" Steve asked.

"Now that I have my breath back… yes" Ellie said rubbing, "Man I haven't felt that breathless in a long time. I swear he kicked my lungs. These next 10 weeks are going to be awesome"

"Ten weeks… I can't believe its 10 weeks away already" Bucky said relaxing again

"Well Nalia said that he could come earlier. She expects him earlier with how big he is growing" Ellie said, "She said she wants him to wait until week 38 but he is already measuring a week ahead. He will be the first super soldier baby… there is no real way to know if his development will be just like a typical child or not"

"Well at least we can learn from him for our baby" Natasha said as she laid her head back on Steve's shoulder.

"Are you thinking about pregnancy classes?" Ellie asked Natasha, "Nalia asked me if I was interested in them"

Natasha nodded, "Yeah I have no baby experience I'm going to need them"

* * *

 ***~*~* September 8, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Ellie shifted on the table as she laid down, running her hand over her face, "God it's been a long ass day already"

Natasha went to reply and the room door opened.

"Welcome to 30 weeks" Nalia said as she walked into their room.

"Hi Nalia" Ellie said as she tried to sit back up and couldn't then waved as she laid back down.

"How we feeling today?" Nalia asked as she washed her hands.

"Tired… sore…cranky" Ellie told her, "I told Bucky he couldn't come today because he pissed me off"

"What did he do?" Nalia asked as she sat down next to Ellie's bed.

Ellie bit her lip, "Breathed in my face this morning with bad breath"

"Is that what you two were fighting over?" Natasha asked in disbelief.

Ellie started crying, "Yes"

"Oh Ellie, he knows you meant nothing by it" Nalia told her, "Anyways, this is just going to be a quick in and out appointment. Then you can do apologize to him. We are just going to do a quick check up. Your weight is the same still. I figure it's the serum but it's amazing how you are literally only gaining baby weight"

"Doesn't feel that way" Ellie said.

"Your blood pressure is on point still; your uterus is measuring a week to two ahead. So in two weeks, we will do another ultrasound to see if he's getting too big" Nalia said, "Any concerns?"

"He kicked me so hard the other day I cried. Is that normal?" Ellie asked.

"Well… in a normal pregnancy depending on where, yes… but we are dealing with a super soldier baby. I wish I could do an amnio but I don't want to risk it. We have a hard enough time getting a needle into your skin to do blood workup" Nalia told her.

"Do you think something could be wrong?" Ellie asked wishing that she had Bucky here.

"No, it is just… there are a lot of unknowns with this baby. I obtained copies of your original records from Mr. Stark but nothing is really known about Bucky's serum and how… he got his strength or how the formula was different than your brothers or your own" Nalia told her, "We did some genetic testing and from what we can tell yours and Steve's are almost identical but your serum does have some of the markers that Bucky's does. Plus he is passing everything with flying colors and appears to be in the 99th percentile in everything"

Ellie nodded.

"Have you thought about pregnancy classes yet?" Nalia asked.

"Next week is my first class" Ellie told her as she looked at Natasha, "We are taking it together"

"I think it will really help you" Nalia told her, "Now I have some homework for you"

Ellie sat up with Natasha's help and swung her legs down, "What?"

"I need you to go out of this office and find Bucky. That poor guy loves you more than the world itself and he is just trying his best Ellie" Nalia told her.

Ellie sighed, "I know… it's just these hormones have my rationale brain processes in the very back and I jump on him for every little thing"

"Every woman does. It's the hormones and we haven't tested yours but I have a feeling you have more than typical coursing through your body. So just go tell him that you didn't mean to react they way you did" Nalia told her.

Ellie nodded as she climbed off the table.

"I wouldn't put it past him that he was even sitting in the waiting area" Nalia told her as she held the door open for them.

"No, I hurt him I told him not to…" Ellie said as she saw Bucky asleep in the waiting room.

"See… I wish my husband was at least half as involved as Bucky is" Nalia told her squeezing her shoulder.

Ellie walked over to Bucky, "Bucky honey, wake up"

Bucky sighed as he opened his eyes and saw her standing over him, "I fell asleep didn't I?"

"Yes you did. Come on let's go back to the palace" Ellie told him as she took his hands.

Bucky got up.

"I'll see you two later. Steve and I were going to catch a movie after this" Natasha told them.

"Will you be home for dinner? I am going to make baked chicken, mashed potatoes and maybe some kind of vegetable" Ellie told her.

"Nah, we will go get something out probably" Natasha told her.

"See you tonight then" Ellie said as they parted ways.

* * *

Bucky came out of their bedroom to see Ellie in the kitchen. He folded his arms and leaned against the wall, watching as she cut carrots then potatoes for dinner. With her back to him, he barely could even tell that she was so far along. Suddenly, he wished that they were back when they were growing up and that both his Mom and hers were still alive. With less than ten weeks to go, he was starting to freak out just a bit over the fact that the baby would soon be here. To have their mothers there to help them, to calm his fears would have been amazing.

Ellie reached into the cupboard to grab a few spice jars and he smiled to himself, allowing him to see the swell of her belly. 'Mom would have been so happy'

Pushing himself up off the wall, he walked over behind her and put her arms around her, smiling as Grant kicked. Ellie leaned back against his chest.

"So what are you making?" Bucky asked as she put the cut potatoes into a pot.

"Mashed potatoes, Italian chicken and baked carrots" Ellie told him as she started stirring.

Bucky put his hand over hers and helped her stir the potatoes, "What else needs done?"

Ellie closed her eyes as Bucky's presence surrounded her and woke up her body in ways that hadn't been awake in nearly two weeks. His breath hot against her neck, as his body pressed up against her back. Between the heat of the stove and the heat from his body, she felt as if she was burning up.

She gasped as his lips skirted against the back of her neck and pushed back against him, trying not to moan as she realized he was affected just as much as she was. It had been nearly two weeks since they had made love. She had not felt interested as much with the weight of Grant between them. Two weeks of suffering at the hands of an extremely attractive husband, which constantly had her turned on had got to her more than she thought it had. He was the fire to the endless supply of gasoline just waiting to be ignited in her body.

"What else needs done?" Bucky asked nipping at her earlobe.

"What?" Ellie said her brain in a fog.

"What else needs done with dinner?" Bucky asked, running his hand up her belly to cup her breast.

"They…they need to… cooook" Ellie said as his hands started working on her sensitive nipples.

"How much longer?" Bucky asked as his right hand slid over her belly and reached into her skirt.

Her head suddenly felt as if it was not supported, as it fell back onto his shoulders as his fingers ambled between her swollen lower lips. His fingers teased her and she grabbed his arm to stay standing.

Bucky grinned against her neck, "Bed?" He asked as he felt her body tremble against his.

She reached out, nearly falling forward if not for the hand on her breast and turned the stove off.

Her breath caught in her throat as he stroked her clit, "Can't…oh god" Ellie said as her head fell back against his shoulder again.

"Can't what?" Bucky asked quickening his movements.

"Too… far" Ellie groaned as she felt her orgasm coming on fast.

Bucky pulled his hand out of her pants and pushed her shirt up and slid her panties down. Ellie penguin walked over to the table and leaned forward on her arms, looking over her shoulder.

"I need you now" Ellie gasped.

He slid his pants down then gently spread her legs open wider, his fingers searching for the spot that he knew would make her scream. She reached down and pushed his hand harder.

"Bucky… fuck… now!" Ellie groaned as he stopped and got onto the floor under her, "What are you… Oh god" She said as he started licking her and grazing her with his teeth.

Ellie gasped as her orgasm hit her like a bus and he grabbed her so she wouldn't fall. She gazed back at him through hooded eyes as he got up and put his arm around her to support her as she pushed herself back into him as he filled her.

His lips burned her skin as he made love to her with slow, careful thrusts as he kissed her neck. Her head fell forward as it hit the table at the sudden frustration of his slow movements.

"Bucky, harder damnit" Ellie said pushing back against him harder. He pinched her nipple in response, causing her to groan. Then almost sobbed in relief as he started thrusting harder. The change in pace increased and she felt her own orgasm building again.

"Are you there?" Bucky asked pulling her back against him harder.

"I don't… oh god!" Ellie yelled as her second orgasm hit her harder and he slammed into her twice more. She fell forward against the table as he rested his head on her back as his own hit him.

Ellie barely registered a sharp crack sound as Bucky pulled her back against his chest.

"You okay?" Bucky asked breathless.

Ellie opened her eyes, as Grant suddenly was doing hard flips and kicks, to see the table was now on the floor, "Shit… we broke T'Challa's table"

Bucky pulled out and she looked over her shoulder and saw his blue eyes were dark and focused, "Are you sure you are okay? I was too rough at the end"

"No… that was hot" Ellie said as she pushed her skirt back down, "Shit… where are my panties?"

Bucky grabbed them and helped her slide them on. Then stood up to kiss her.

Ellie grinned against his lips, "We still have it"

Bucky laughed as he glanced back at the broken table, "How are we going to explain that one?"

"Can I come out there now that you two are done getting freaky?"

Ellie laughed as Bucky scrambled to pull his pants up, "Go wash your hands"

Sam walked into the communal area with his eyes covered, "Is it safe?"

"You asshole, yes" Bucky said flicking him off as he went into the kitchen.

* * *

Ellie was lying in the recliner trying to get some sleep as a meaningless show was on the screen in the background. She looked up as she heard someone shuffling through the hallway, "Hey" she whispered as she saw Natasha.

"Hey, can't sleep either?" Natasha asked walking over to her.

"No… sleeping on my back is impossible and I woke Bucky up twice turning over to get comfortable so I came in here. We need a recliner for our room" Ellie told her.

Natasha sat on the couch and put out the recliner on the end of it, "So… the table?" She asked, "What happened to it?"

Ellie blushed, "That was me and Bucky"

Natasha looked at her, "How?"

"He was a little…hard on his thrusts" Ellie said blushing, "And our combined weight… yeah"

"Holy shit, you two are still having sex?" Natasha asked in disbelief.

"Well not as frequent but yeah, why? You and Steve aren't?" Ellie asked.

Natasha bit her lip, "No… not since I really started showing"

Ellie pulled her blanket closer to her, "Bucky was terrified to hurt Grant… maybe that is why Steve is afraid-"

"No… it's me" Natasha told her with a sigh, "I just… Don't think he could be really interested in it"

"Nat… he is a man. That is all they think about… well Steve may be different but… I am sure he still thinks of you as attractive" Ellie told her rubbing her belly as she sighed, "Bucky, once he got over the fact that he was not as big as he thought he was and wasn't going to poke Grant in the head… he was all over me again"

Natasha laughed, "He really thought he was going to poke Grant?" Natasha asked.

"Yeah" Ellie said rolling her eyes, "He might have been… enhanced slightly from before but he isn't that big"

Natasha looked at the ceiling, "So… he wasn't always that big?"

"No… about an inch larger" Ellie said, "Why?"

"I can't talk about this with Steve's sister" Natasha said shaking her head.

"Nat, I used to give him baths and we would all have to huddle together to stay warm when he was too weak… I've seen him since he was grown up… he was slightly larger than Bucky pre-serum… not that I really tried to look but… I did because I wondered about Bucky" Ellie said with a blush, "Remember… no sex before marriage"

"Well Steve is about three inches longer than Bucky now" Natasha told her.

Ellie stared at her in disbelief, "Holy shit… how do you walk after?" Ellie asked, "Sometimes when we get too into it, I feel like I can't walk after"

"I guess it enhanced everything" Natasha said with a grin.

Natasha laughed at Ellie's face as Bucky walked out shirtless with just boxers on, scratching his stomach.

"What the hell are you two doing up still?" Bucky asked stopping when he saw them.

Natasha saw a scrape down Bucky's arm and looked at Ellie, "Nice work"

Ellie laughed then groaned; "Now I have to pee"

* * *

A/n3: Thank you for reading! I still won't spoil Endgame in case people haven't seen it… all I will say is. I have seen it four times, and I think they need to start an AA… Avengers Anonymous… it has been 6 days now since I have last seen Endgame…but I think I need to start that countdown all over again. I need a good cry. Enjoy the preview of Chapter 48… new characters will be visiting Wakanda!

Thank you to all that reviewed last chapter:

 **Tuckerjnp1: I will take your opinion into consideration. It's a long way off in the plan if I even get to Endgame with this story but we will see. I just want them to get their happy endings. I am a sap like that.**

 **Fallondyson: Thanks for reviewing, enjoy the new chapter!**

* * *

Here is the sneak peek of Chapter 48- Speed of Sound:

 _"You will have my decision by the end of the day" Steve told him._

 _"Mr. Richards… Mrs. Richards, if you follow me I will take you somewhere where you can relax while Captain Rogers makes his decision" T'Challa told them._

 _They nodded then followed him out._


	48. Chapter 48 - Speed of Sound

**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**

 **A/n2: Thank you to the new followers this week: Cerchi, Chest Fiend, Maribelle1141, gingin1975, Taigirl101 and mara41496. Thank you to those that reviewed as well! It is now at over 110 reviews. I appreciate all of you!**

* * *

 **Ideas that you'll never find**

 **All the inventors could never design**

 **The buildings that you put up**

 **Japan and China all lit up**

 **The sign that I couldn't read**

 **Or a light that I couldn't see**

 **Some things you have to believe**

 **But others are puzzles, puzzling me**

 **~ Speed of Sound by Coldplay**

* * *

 ***~*~* September 22, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Natasha walked into the communal living area and grinned when she saw Steve sitting on the couch watching CNN.

"Hey babe" Natasha said as she walked up next to the couch.

"God Nat, North Korea is threatening to test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean" Steve said staring at the screen.

Natasha shook her head, "Steve, we can't do anything about it"

"I know but… what if it happens?" Steve asked concerned.

Natasha walked over and put her leg over his lap straddling him.

"What are you doing?" Steve asked confused.

"If you don't understand then surely I'm doing it wrong" Natasha said as she pushed him back against the back of the couch and kissed him.

Steve grinned against her lips, "What brought this on?"

"Honestly the new table… want to see if we can break it?" Natasha asked with a grin.

Steve frowned, "Wait how did the original get broke in the first place?"

Natasha moved on his lap causing him to hiss, "Doesn't matter… just that we do it better"

Steve kissed her hard, pulling her hips down onto him as he thrust up against her.

Walking down the hallway, Bucky chuckled as they made their way to the apartment's door.

"What?" Ellie said looking at him with a smile.

"Did you see that little boy running around with the trash can lid?" Bucky asked with a smile, "He reminded me of Steve. Did I ever tell you about the alley?"

Ellie put her hand on the wall and the door opened, "When you saved his ass yet again?"

Bucky laughed, "One in probably one hundred times"

They laughed as they walked into the communal living area and saw Natasha was straddling Steve's lap on the couch.

"Did we interrupt?" Ellie asked grinning.

Natasha climbed off of Steve's lap, "No" Her tone of voice saying something different.

Bucky snorted, "Yes… look at Steve, he is so uncomfortable. Blue balls bro?"

"Shut the fuck up" Steve told him flicking him off.

"Whoa, Cap is swearing?" Sam asked walking in the room from the apartments.

Steve groaned, "Fuck you all"

"Don't let him fool you. He isn't as innocent as you all think he is" Ellie said as she sat down in the recliner.

"Anything new?" Natasha asked looking over at Ellie as she adjusted her clothes.

"They did another ultrasound… let me tell you… ultrasounds are amazing. I had Nalia print these off so I could compare them when he is born" Ellie said holding out the photo.

Natasha took it, "Wow, look at his lips, you can see his chin… oh and look at those cheeks"

"Just wait… look at this one" Bucky said handing her another photo then heading into the kitchen.

"Oh… toes… Steve look at his little toes!" Natasha said as Steve took it.

"Man… he is crammed in there isn't he?" Steve said, "Wow you can see the little fingernails and everything on these fingers"

Bucky walked in the room and handed Ellie a bowl of ice cream and she took it with a smile, "You remembered"

"It's all you talked about on the walk home" Bucky said as he kissed her then sat on the table at her feet.

Ellie sat the bowl on her belly, "Look, built in table" She said with a smile.

Bucky shook his head, "So they estimate from the latest scan that he is around 18 inches long and four pounds" Bucky told them as he leaned over and started massaging Ellie's feet.

Ellie put her spoon back in the bowl and looked at him, "What did you do?"

"What do you mean?" Bucky asked confused.

"You are massaging my feet and you brought me ice cream without me asking" Ellie told him.

"You complained about your feet on the walk back too" Bucky told her.

"Don't question it Ellie. I wish I could have my feet massaged every day" Natasha told her.

"All you have to do is ask" Steve told her patting his lap, "Put them up"

Sam shook his head as Steve moved so that Natasha's feet were in his lap and both he and Bucky were massaging the girls' feet, "If everyone could see you two now, two big bad super soldiers reduced to massaging feet"

Natasha with her eyes closed, threw a pillow at him knocking him in the face.

"How the hell did you do that?" Sam asked surprised.

"Don't question it man" Bucky said with a grin as he reached over to high five Natasha.

"You four are so weird. Freaky weird" Sam said, "I'm going out on a run"

Ellie closed her eyes as she enjoyed the feeling of Bucky's thumbs, one hot and one cold against her skin.

"No more tables are getting broken tonight I hope" Sam said as he turned around.

Ellie put her hand behind her and zapped him in the behind.

"Fuck! No angering you, got it" Sam said as he left.

Natasha wiped the tears from her eyes, "I love it"

Ellie looked over at her, "Have you two decided what type of diapers to do?"

"Diapers?" Natasha asked confused.

"You know cloth or disposable" Ellie said.

"That is what you are thinking about right now?" Natasha asked in disbelief.

"Just one of the million thoughts. Like setting up the crib, washing all the baby clothes… hell, buying baby clothes. Whether to breastfeed or bottle feed-"

"And that has to be decided right now?" Natasha asked.

"Just wondering if you had decided" Ellie said as she yawned, "I would love cloth but I think we are going disposable"

Bucky looked over at Steve, "Are you going to that pregnancy class today?"

"Yeah because she said you were going" Steve said with a frown.

"Only if you go… or no, I'm going but yeah it will be better if you go too" Bucky said as Ellie's left foot pushed forward in his lap.

Steve snorted and Ellie glared at him.

"God if Hydra could see me now… they wouldn't want me anyways" Bucky said rolling his eyes.

"Good… you are mine forever" Ellie said as Grant started moving around again.

"Doesn't that hurt?" Natasha asked as she watched her stomach moving around as if there were waves of water under the skin.

"Not anymore, I think my organs are just permanently bruised so it doesn't hurt anymore" Ellie said, "It doesn't hurt until he kicks my lungs… I swear he actually can"

"What time is the class?" Steve asked.

"Three" Ellie said with a yawn, "In fact… I'm going to try to go take a nap. Walking back from the hospital made me tired"

Bucky helped her up, "Then let's go. It's been a few days since you've even been able to sleep in bed. Let's see if you can just take a nap"

"Give me a full body massage like you just did for my feet and I can guarantee it" Ellie told him.

"Nah nah nah" Steve said covering his ears.

"Get your mind out of the gutter" Ellie told him smacking him on the top of his head.

* * *

Bucky held the door open for Ellie and Natasha then elbowed Steve so he could walk in first as they entered the building holding the birthing class that Nalia had told them about.

"Asshole" Steve said pushing him causing Bucky to laugh.

They walked into the room and the woman at the front looked up from a table at them, "hello! Welcome! Find a spot; we have pillows for each woman to lie on. Each partner can sit behind or next to their partner, your choice" She said, "I am Holli"

Ellie and Natasha walked over to two pillow sets, "Here looks good" Ellie said as she held her hand out for Bucky so that she could sit.

Bucky sat behind her so that she could lie back on his chest. Smoothing her hair back, he looked around, "We are the oldest here"

"We are the oldest anywhere Buck" Steve said looking around, "But there are some really young people here"

"At the hospital, most people here have children young" Ellie told them as everyone settled in.

"Welcome everyone. Hello I am Holli, I have been a nurse and a midwife for the last 30 years. I love teaching these classes because so many people go into parenting blind, I love being able to share the information and my experiences with you so that you can understand being a parent better. Today we are going to go through late pregnancy, ways to get ready for labor, the act of labor itself, and then we will look at the first moments. How to get through your first hours, first day, and first week as a new parent. As always if you have any questions, feel free to ask" She said as she started walking around.

"Let's keep in mind that not only through this experience are you going to be birthing a baby but you are going to be birthing becoming parents as well. Do we have all partners here… no singles or solos?" Holli asked.

Ellie glanced around and everyone was paired off.

"There was research done looking at partners after birth a month, to a year after a birth and everyone thought that the happiest partners would be the healthy, successful pregnancies and births. But there was no correlation, it was the partners that were happy with each other and supportive that were the happiest. Whether they were there for each other and they were a team" Holli told them.

Bucky squeezed Ellie's hand as she looked back at him.

"Alright, let's start talking about late pregnancy… most of you are already in that stage already but what does it really mean? Is it a waiting game for the big day or much more? It's really helpful to understand that the last few months of pregnancy is just a gradual transition into labor. Some mothers go into the transition faster than others, some slower than others. So let's start with a little anatomy" Holli said holding up part of a skeleton, "This is a pelvis. Now all pelvises aren't the same. There are actually four different types and each type has a different type of labor. Some people's pelvis help facilitate labor and birth. Keep in mind no matter what type; your hormones literally soften the bones so they can move for an easier labor. There are also different positions that also help to open the pelvis more. Squatting or leaning over a table are two positions that open up the pelvis in the back, giving the baby more room. Also the simple maneuver of hula hooping, pretending you are hula hooping… many people do it throughout labor to open up the pelvis" Holli told them as she turned towards the board behind her, "The next part is about the uterus"

"Shit" Bucky swore under his breath and Ellie elbowed him.

"Your uterus starts out as an upside down pear about 7centimeters high" She said as she drew a little pear shape, "Then it grows and it ends up being 30 centimeters high then there is the cervix the opening that stays closed until labor. Then you also have layers of muscles inside the uterus. The uterus has an amazing ability to contract then retract and you have a sense of control of it."

Bucky buried his face in her neck.

"Some things that can actually help labor are quiet rooms, dark rooms… it helps the hormone that facilitates labor. The primary job of your partner is to help facilitate that. The calmness, the love… the quiet you need to relax" Holli told them, "In our world that is hard because everyone is excited"

Ellie looked at Bucky, "No one in the room but you, Nalia, Nat or Steve"

Bucky nodded.

"The nerves in your body also are different on every person and will affect your labor as well. We cannot do anything to change it, everyone is born different but some people have spaghetti nerves… small thin nerves that when the baby pressures them… they do not hurt as much but then there are others with larger nerves that go through the groin and they experience more pain. There is no way to know until labor starts to happen which type you are but we can prepare for the pain in case it happens. You tend to have pain in your lower abdomen, legs or back. Then this is where your partner comes in as the most important person in the planet. Men have better upper body strength which comes in handy when doing this. Let's have a volunteer" Holli said.

One of the younger women raised their hand and jumped up.

"I wish I could move like that again" Ellie mumbled.

Bucky rubbed her arms.

"Remembering that the nerves are here in the pelvis, we are going to lift the uterus up. So what you are going to do with your partner is stand behind them and lift their belly up. Now snuggle in closer and move like a penguin back and forth supporting as you walk, that will help prevent some pain" Holli told them, "How about everyone stand up and practice"

Bucky stood up and helped Ellie up then put his arms around her, "How's this feel?"

"Whoa… I think this is your new job" Ellie said laying her head back on him.

"Steve!" Natasha yelled as he picked her up off the ground.

Ellie snorted as she laughed then groaned, "I gotta pee now"

"Basically we can help our cervix in many ways prior to labor to make labor more possible. Sex is fabulous for people in the last trimester. Studies go back and forth between whether it works, because it is really hard to control those studies. How long did those people have sex, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour?" Holli asked.

"An hour?!" Steve mumbled.

Bucky grinned, "Then you aren't doing it right. Two hours is our record… ow!"

Ellie had pinched him, "Brother, Bucky, he is still my brother!"

"This is the ways that you can have an effect. Walking, squatting but basically the cervix is helped by stimulation. So if you are a couple who is regularly having sex you have movement of the cervix. When it moves, it gets softer. Semen also softens it, or nipple stimulation. I am not saying don't have sex if you don't feel like it but it will help" Holli told them.

Ellie put her hand out and Bucky slapped it, "Piece of cake"

"When they study cultures that have sex nearly every day, almost no one goes over 40 weeks" Holli told them.

"Every freaking day from now on" Ellie told him.

"I'm good with that" Bucky said kissing her shoulder.

"Alright, now onto what you all came for. Labor and birth. Labor is actually three stages. Early labor is the first stage and it can literally take place over days" Holli told them.

Ellie groaned.

"What happens is your contractions will start… 10 minutes apart… 8 minutes apart… finally 5 minutes apart… then back to 8 minutes apart. This stage is like watching a kettle boil. When you pay attention to it… nothing seems to be happening. Try to move around continue throughout your day. What is happening through this stage is when your cervix starts going from not being dilated to up to 4 centimeters. Then you go into active labor this is from 4 centimeters to 10 centimeters. There is no real measuring of these stages but when active labor is over, the cervix is over the baby's head and it is coming. When the cervix is gone, then the head can come down. That puts you into the second stage, the pushing stage. Most people having your first baby the second stage lasts about 90 minutes for pushing and the birth. When you add an epidural, usually you add an hour. Again it depends on each person, their pelvis. Some people can push the baby out in 3 minutes. It is normal as long as the baby's heart rate is fine and you are fine and making progress. Third stage is the placenta, it usually comes out in 8 minutes" Holli told them, "First stage starts with your cervix effacing. Don't get excited about early labor. It starts, stops and takes forever. When your water breaks, that means it is really time to be serious. That means things are going usually within the next 48 hours. Half a centimeter to a centimeter an hour is the goal for active labor. As long as everything is moving, everything is good though. When you get to 6 centimeters, the vast majority of people will be pushing in 2-3 hours. Of course it is completely unknowable"

Ellie settled back deeper into Bucky and sighed, "Is it bad I am bored?" Ellie whispered.

Bucky snorted, "This is good information though"

"Let's go through the coping mechanisms for each stage" Holli said going back to her board, "First stage, baths, showers, walks, that's the early labor. Sex if you feel like it and your water hasn't broken. It shouldn't be unbearable. Drugs can be fabulous for some people but doctors do not want to give drugs if they don't have to at this stage. Instead you can do things like hydrotherapy. This is a fancy way of saying shower or tub. Putting a shower on your lower back or getting into a tub, is helpful for a lot of people especially at 5 centimeters. Also birth balls. Sitting and moving in different positions. For homework today, I want you to go home and research positions and practice them to see what you may like the day of. Now during active labor, the baby will appear then disappear as it practices coming out. As long as the baby's heart rate is fine, it will practice the movement and stretch not only the cervix and vagina but the baby's head as well. The bones on the head will literally fold on themselves. Sometimes you will even see the bones on top of each other. Don't be freaked out if you see the baby's head looking strange"

"You aren't looking" Ellie told Bucky.

"Of course I'm not" Bucky said looking at her like she was crazy to even think he would, "I think it's even weird Dad's are allowed in the room now"

"Once the baby's head is out, the doctor might wipe the eyes or check for the cord around the neck. Now the cords are around the neck all the time, most of the time the cord is not tight enough and you can just slip it over the head. A lot of the blood for the baby is in the placenta, the best course of action for the baby is to deliver then wait until the placenta is pushed out. Then you can clamp and cut" Holli told them, "Now I want to invite everyone to work with their partners on relaxation and pain relief techniques. I'll be walking around to help you if you need it"

* * *

Ellie yawned as they entered the palace with Natasha and Steve following, "I took a nap and I still am feeling tired, I don't get this"

"You are literally making a baby. It's basically like being a 24/7 baby oven with the power at 100% the entire day. You deserve to be tired baby. I knew we shouldn't have walked back" Bucky told her.

"No, I need the exercise" Ellie told him as they walked up to the apartment area and Ellie placed her hand on the pad.

The door opened and they walked inside to see Sam standing at the back of the couch.

"Hey guys, done with your class?" Sam asked as he saw them.

Ellie nodded then looked at the seating area to see T'Challa, Wanda, Shuri and a man with a woman on the couch.

T'Challa stood up, "Ellie, Bucky, Steve and Natasha I have some people for you to meet"

The two individuals stood up and turned to face them.

Natasha and Ellie both sighed as Bucky and Steve took their places in front of them.

"Astonishing" The man said walking over towards them.

"I have always seen pictures of you Captain America but to see you in person…" The woman said gazing at Steve.

Steve held out his hand as the man stood in front of him, "Steve Rogers"

"Reed Richards" The man said shaking his hand.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Richards, this is my… this is Natasha Romanoff" Steve introduced as he stepped aside so she could stand next to him.

"Black Widow… who is having a baby. That is a very well kept secret" Reed said.

"One we intend to keep as long as possible" Steve told him.

"Wait, Black Widow and Captain America are having a baby together?" The woman asked.

"Yes Miss we are" Steve told her.

"Sue Storm-Richards" She introduced shaking his hand, "I'm sorry for staring but… the likeness that you have to my brother is just blowing my mind right now"

"Talking about brothers, he is my brother… Ellie Barnes" Ellie said holding out her hand, "And this is my husband Bucky"

"You are even prettier in person" Sue said as she looked at her, "What is in the water here? Two babies?"

"Well this baby wasn't conceived here" Ellie told her, "But I get your point"

"Steve, they came here because they have run into a problem that they need assistance with" T'Challa told him as Ellie saw Sue pull her phone out then aim it at Steve.

Ellie held up her hand, "I wouldn't do that"

Sue looked up at her to see Ellie with sparks in her hand.

"You take that picture and I short your phone out" Ellie told her.

"You have powers?" Reed asked surprised.

"Yes and I can short out electronic devices like that phone if you don't put the fucking thing down!" Ellie yelled her hair starting to crackle as the waves went down through her body.

"El, calm down baby" Bucky said touching her then jumping back as his arm was suddenly charged as if electricity was jumping between his fingers.

"I'm sorry! I was just taking a picture to show Johnny… my brother. Like I said they look a lot alike" Sue told her putting it away.

"He can just come here" Ellie told her.

"El… calm down" Steve told her.

"What if they are working with Ross, Steve?" Ellie asked.

"Ross? As in General Ross?" Reed asked.

"You know Ross?" Steve asked.

"He wanted our help years ago with dealing with the Hulk" Reed told them.

"What help do you need?" Steve asked.

"There is a man named Ivan Kragoff… he was a Soviet scientist that at one time wanted to beat NASA to the moon and claim it for the communists. He was captured and recently escaped. Now he is old so we do not believe he is a major threat but he needs to be found. He was working on a lunar rocket prior to his capture" Reed told him.

"How do you need my help?" Steve asked.

"We need extra hands. Someone trained in Stealth and… Nick Fury told us where to find you" Reed told them as he looked at Steve and Sam, "We could really use the both of you too"

Steve looked at Natasha then Sam, "Will you give us some time to discuss it?"

"Oh yes, of course" Sue said.

"We need your decision today. Our information only will have him pinned down for so long" Reed told them.

"You will have my decision by the end of the day" Steve told him.

"Mr. Richards… Mrs. Richards, if you follow me I will take you somewhere where you can relax while Captain Rogers makes his decision" T'Challa told them.

They nodded then followed him out.

Ellie sat down and groaned, "My legs are killing me"

Natasha sat down and looked at Steve, "So what are you going to do?"

Steve looked at Sam, "What do you think?"

"Well Fury sent them to us. If Fury can trust them… I guess we can" Sam said with a frown, "But why have we never heard of them before?"

Natasha was busy on her phone searching, "They are part of a group of four called the Fantastic Four. An experiment in Space changed their DNA. Reed is called Mr. Fantastic and… he can change at a molecular level and stretch. Sue can turn invisible and… is the Invisible Woman, her brother… holy shit"

"What?" Steve asked as he looked over her shoulder, "Wow… he does look like me"

"Well there is your doppelganger or whatever you call them. He isn't an actor but a superhero… that can catch fire?" Bucky said reading over Natasha's shoulder.

"Poor guy… the Thing?" Steve said.

"Yeah… he got the short end of those powers. He's a giant… rock basically" Natasha said as she looked at Steve, "What do you think?"

"It's not just up to me. It's up to our team. Nat is benched, Ellie is benched, Bucky… no offense until the President pardon's you… you're benched. It's up to you and Wanda, Sam" Steve told them.

"Sounds like they just want you man" Sam told him as he looked at Wanda, "But if they want our team… I'm in"

"Me too" Wanda said with a nod.

Natasha frowned, "I don't like the ideas of me not being there. I am sure I can still-"

Steve shook his head, "Natasha I don't tell you what to do, but in this instance, no. You are staying here. You are 18 weeks pregnant… it's too risky"

"Plus you can't even fit into your uniform any more" Sam said.

Natasha looked at him and Sam's eyes got wide.

"Oh shit I'm gonna die" Sam yelled as he ran.

"You better run Wilson!" Natasha yelled as she ran after him.

Steve sat down and put his head in his hands then looked up at Ellie and Bucky, "What do you think?"

Bucky shook his head, "He's a soviet scum. I say capture the bastard but I'm biased"

"El?" Steve asked.

Ellie pushed herself up and walked over to the window, "I don't like it. There are too many unknowns. We don't know them… but…" She sighed and looked back at him, "They need your help and they think you are the man for the job. You are important to people Steve… just be smart"

* * *

A/n3: Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing!

 **Gingin1975: Thank you for the review, I am glad you are loving the characters together.**

 **Tuckerjnp1: I honestly wrote that and when the Hot Tub Time Machine thing came up in Endgame I nearly laughed. He does exist! Maybe the others will come up too!**

 **Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967: Thank you for reviewing as always!**

* * *

Sneak peek of Chapter 49- Music of My Heart:

"Talk to her… she is a little… concerned about some things" Natasha told her, "Come on Wanda"

Wanda stopped and looked back at Bucky, "You both are afraid of hurting each other so you are holding back. Instead you are hurting each other more by holding back"


	49. Chapter 49 - Music of My Heart

**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**

 **A/n2: Thank you to the new followers Taigirl101, TheHourglassofreality, Sara Sosa, and karehendry. Thank you everyone who reads this and reviews this story. Please remember just let me know if you are actually reading this. Even if its just a MORE SOON! I want to know if you guys are actually enjoying this or even if you are not. What direction do you want to see it? That is the power of this website, as an author I can communicate with all of you.**

* * *

 _ **What you taught me  
Only your love could ever teach me  
You got through when no one else could reach me (baby ohhh ohhh ohhh)  
'Cause you always saw in me  
All the best that I could be  
It was you who set me free**_

 **~ Music of my Heart by Nsync**

* * *

 ***~*~* September 29, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Ellie opened her eyes as a shooting pain shot up her leg as she laid in bed. She hissed then glanced over at Bucky, who remained asleep. Wincing, she held her leg and tried not to make a noise as she pushed herself out of bed and walked out of their bedroom. Over the last week, the pressure on her hips had increased to the point that she was now waddling and she was also very front heavy. It felt as if Grant had gained five pounds in a week.

After a quick visit to the bathroom, Ellie grabbed the sink then leaned on it trying to work her tightened back and hip muscles. She groaned as she stood up then walked out of her and Bucky's apartment out to the common area.

"Shit" Ellie mumbled as she knocked over one of the statues in the hallway with her hip as she passed it.

Looking at it on the floor, she eyed it then estimated how she would have to bend in order to pick it up. She had just started to squat when Steve's door opened and Natasha looked out, her widow sticks in her hands.

"Oh it's just you" Natasha said as she put down her sticks, "Ellie, let me get it before you fall"

Ellie shook her head, "I can't even bend over anymore… and look" She said as she held out her hand and sparks flew but fizzled out, "I can't even use my powers anymore"

"Do you think it could be Grant causing them not to work?" Natasha asked as she picked up the statue then helped Ellie stand.

"Why?" Ellie asked confused.

"His shielding powers… what if because he is getting bigger and stronger so are his abilities and they are blocking yours?" Natasha asked.

Ellie sighed, "I didn't even think of that I bet you are right"

"I'm not going back to sleep… want some pancakes?" Natasha asked.

"Sounds amazing" Ellie said as she followed Natasha to the kitchen.

She sat down and watched Natasha gather ingredients. Natasha had just put the first batch on when the apartment door dinged.

Ellie jumped off the chair and held her hands out as Steve walked in, "Shit Steve you scared the shit out of us. Its 4am"

Natasha turned the heat off on the stove then ran over to him, throwing herself into his arms.

Steve held her close to him and kissed her, "Sorry I didn't call"

Natasha looked him over, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just tired" Steve told her shaking his head, "We found him and he is in Fury's custody"

Natasha watched him yawn and looked over at Ellie.

Ellie waved her off, "Go… I'm already exhausted so I'm headed back to bed. Pancakes can wait"

Steve watched her waddle towards the bedrooms, "I was only gone a week right?"

"I know, I know… I'm huge as a house and I waddle like a duck. Nalia is going to have a field day with it I have a feeling. Nat, remember… we have an appointment at 3" Ellie said as she waved to them, "Welcome home Steve… see you when we wake up"

Waddling back into their apartment, she crawled back into bed with Bucky.

Bucky rolled over and looked at her through half lidded eyes, "You okay?"

"Yeah, Steve is home" Ellie told him.

Bucky pulled her to him, resting his hand on her belly, "Good… now get some sleep… it's too early"

"Or we can help things along a little… you know for an easier delivery" Ellie said as she ran her finger over his hand.

Bucky's reply was a snore in her ear.

Ellie glanced over her shoulder, "Seriously?!"

Ellie grabbed her pillow and started hitting him with it.

"What the fuck?!" Bucky yelled as he jumped out of bed.

"You fucking fell asleep!" Ellie yelled.

"Its 4 in the morning what the hell am I supposed to do then?" Bucky yelled.

"I was trying to have sex with you!" Ellie yelled.

"How the hell was I supposed to know that I was asleep!" Bucky told her.

Ellie shook her head, "I'm sleeping out there" She said as she tried to get up, "Damnit!"

Bucky sighed, "El, let me help-"

"Fucking leave me alone" Ellie said as she finally got up and grabbed her pillow.

Bucky stared at the door as it slammed causing the pictures on the wall to fall and shatter.

* * *

Natasha walked into the common area around 9am and heard snoring coming from the recliner. Walking into the common area, she saw Ellie asleep on the recliner and Bucky asleep on the couch.

Hitting Bucky's foot, his eyes flew open and looked at her.

Natasha motioned behind her to the kitchen and Bucky sighed as he got up.

"What is it Natasha? I'm tired" Bucky told her yawning.

"It's 9 in the morning" Natasha told him, "Why are you guys out here?"

"Because she got pissed off at me and was screaming at me and came out here… I can't sleep without her so I came out here after she fell asleep" Bucky said as he sat at the kitchen bar, "I don't know what to do Nat"

Natasha took in his slumped shoulders and the dejected look on his face, "What is wrong Bucky?"

"I can't make her happy anymore" Bucky admitted, "I make her upset with everything I do and I-"

"Stop this" Natasha told him, "Are you kidding me?"

Bucky looked up at her and rubbed his eyes clearing his throat, "What?"

"You can't make her happy? Bucky really? She might be hormonal and get upset easier but you do make her happy" Natasha told him.

"We never used to fight and now we do all the time" Bucky told her as he looked up from bar, "I don't get it"

"Look Bucky, from a fellow pregnant lady I feel like I'm not in control of my own body anymore. I say stuff to Steve and react about stupid stuff that he does. Last night it was that he threw his uniform in the hamper and didn't fold it. Steve must have thought I was crazy" Natasha told him, "Just give her time"

Ellie started coughing in the sitting room and Bucky rushed over to her, "Ellie, Ellie baby wake up"

"Stop! Stop I'm fine!" Ellie said pushing him away, "I just coughed. Move! I have to pee now"

Bucky stood back as she fought with the recliner trying to get up.

"Damnit, help me" Ellie said.

Bucky pushed the recliner in then helped her up.

He sighed as he watched her walk away.

"Want me to talk to her?" Natasha asked him.

"No… once she wakes up completely, it will be better" Bucky told her.

Steve walked down the hallway and looked at them confused, "Why did Ellie just tell me to take you somewhere Buck?"

Bucky shook his head, "I'm going out for a run"

"I'll come with" Steve told him as he gave Natasha a quick kiss then left with Bucky.

Natasha shook her head and walked back to Bucky and Ellie's apartment and put her hand on the wall to unlock the door. Walking inside, she heard quiet crying.

"Ellie" Natasha said as she tried to open the bedroom door and it was locked, "Do you really think a locked door is going to stop me?"

"Go away Natasha" Ellie told her.

Natasha looked at the door, "Well time to test the super serum"

Natasha put her hand on the handle and messed with it until the door broke around the lock enough that she could open the door.

She pushed the door opened and it swung back and hit the wall.

"Go the fuck away Nat" Ellie mumbled into her pillow.

"Ellie whatever is wrong you have to tell someone. You have Bucky so torn up right now he literally went out running on his own and he didn't sleep last night and he looks like shit" Natasha told her.

Ellie's shoulders shook as Natasha heard a sob escape.

Natasha walked over and sat on the bed next to her, "What is wrong?"

"I'm so scared" Ellie told her shaking her head.

"Of what?" Natasha asked confused.

"Bucky… he… doesn't seem scared. He is just excited. There are so many things that can still go wrong and so much still to do and I don't know what the hell I am going to do. I want my mom and…I just miss her" Ellie cried.

Natasha hugged her as Wanda walked into the room.

"The energy is so thick, what's wrong?" Wanda asked.

Ellie let out a sob.

"Oh Ellie, you are going to be an amazing Mom" Wanda said as she sat down on the bed next to her and Natasha.

"I don't feel like I will… I don't know how to be one" Ellie cried.

"And you think I do either?" Natasha asked her with a laugh, "I was raised literally to kill… there was no nurturing environment. From what I heard, your mom was amazing. Steve talks about her all the time"

"She was amazing…I mean she has been gone for awhile… even without the missing years but it never makes it easier" Ellie told them shaking her head.

"Hold on" Wanda said as she jumped up and left the bedroom.

Ellie sighed as she wiped her eyes, "I am being crazy… my God… I've gone officially insane" She said trying to catch her breath.

"It's all the baby hormones. Poor Steve… I went nutso on him the other day on the fact that there was toothpaste left in my sink" Natasha said as she looked at the other side of the bed, "Has the sheets been washed since you two had sex last?"

Ellie laughed, "Yes I changed them yesterday"

"You two basically have to change them every day" Natasha joked as she sat back on the headboard on Bucky's side.

"We aren't that bad… anymore" Ellie said with a laugh, "… it's been a few days anyways"

A TV floated into the room covered in red mist followed by bowls, spoons and ice cream cartons.

"We are so having a girl's day" Wanda told them as she manipulated the ice cream supplies to the bedside table and the TV to the wall at the end of the bed.

"Of course you'd suggest that when I have my appointment today and I have to get on a scale" Natasha told her as she grabbed the vanilla.

"Give me that chocolate" Ellie said as she took the chocolate carton and a spoon, "Screw the bowls"

"Okay… how do we set this up?" Wanda asked looking at the TV.

Natasha jumped off the bed, "Hold my ice cream. This is my forte"

* * *

Steve sat down next to Bucky as he sat down at the ledge of the mouth of the panther, "Finally tired and want to talk?"

Bucky stared out at the scenery in front of them, "I'm scared to death Steve"

"Of what?" Steve asked confused.

"How the hell I am going to be a good Dad and help Ellie… plus what if having a kid changes us?" Bucky asked as he ran his hands through his hair, "Things have already been different… what if a kid is the tipping point?"

"How are things different?" Steve asked.

Bucky shook his head, "I shouldn't be talking about this with you"

"Buck, you do realize Natasha and Ellie talk about EVERYTHING right? You, me…stuff we do with them" Steve told him shaking his head, "Natasha told me and I couldn't believe Ellie was okay with it but… she is"

Bucky sighed as he ran his hand through his hair, "Before I… died. Ellie and my… love life was… different"

"Good or bad different?" Steve asked.

Bucky glanced at him, "Good… both are good but…physically… she's rougher" Bucky said as he pulled his knees to his chest, "I know it's because she is physically tougher now but I loved and I miss that… gentle Ellie sometimes"

"Have you told her that?" Steve asked.

"Hell no, I don't want to sound like a dame" Bucky told him with a laugh, "I try to… initiate it as a romantic slow thing but… damn Steve she is so strong that she takes control and… not that I don't like it … it's just… we would go for hours before." He said closing his eyes in memory of it, "Now it's like 30 minutes later and it's over and one of us is asleep. I know the pregnancy is part of it but… I just miss the slow burn you know. The… no offense but, when you were out at work or doing whatever you were doing... before I shipped out it was just us in the apartment and the quiet just being close and enjoying each other time. Before we were married, just… trying things, not going all the way. Or you were out with the Commandoes and it was just us. I mean I enjoy it both ways but… I don't know. Having a kid changes things too"

Bucky looked out at the forest below.

Steve bumped his shoulder with his own,"Talk to her Buck. She probably is like me and Nat… I was terrified to hurt her our first time. Then I realized I wasn't going to and you are right, that opened up possibilities that we would probably never do if she didn't have the serum in her veins now. But she doesn't know unless you talk to her about it" Steve told him as he looked at his watch, "Now let's go… I get to see my baby today"

Steve jumped up and dusted off his pants then held out his hand.

Bucky took his hand and let Steve pull him up, "I bet you are going to end up having a girl"

"Why do you say that?" Steve asked as they started to run back through the forest.

"Because… you've always been so much like one" Bucky yelled as he took off through the path that he was familiar with that had been made in the Battle of Wakanda with Killmonger.

"You son of a bitch!" Steve yelled as he took off after him.

Bucky laughed as he ran faster, "Ma would smack you with a spoon for that!"

* * *

After they arrived back at the palace, Steve went back to his apartment and Bucky went to his and Ellie's. Walking inside the apartment, he noticed that the bedroom door was broken at the frame.

'Oh god' Bucky thought to himself as he grabbed a knife from the kitchen and inched his way towards the bedroom door.

Listening closely he heard a man's voice.

Shoulder against the door he slowly opened it to discover the voice was on the TV. Ellie and Natasha were asleep at the top of the bed and Wanda was at the foot of the bed watching a television that hadn't been there when he left.

Sensing him, Wanda looked up then put her finger to her lips as she pointed at Natasha whose eyes opened as the red mist hit her head. Wanda motioned outside of the bedroom and Natasha got up following Wanda and Bucky to the living room of Bucky and Ellie's apartment.

"What's with the knife?" Natasha asked stretching.

"The door was broken. I thought someone forced themselves in the bedroom" Bucky explained in defense.

"I did. It was just me" Natasha told him, "She wouldn't let me in and I got in"

Bucky put the knife back in the holder and sighed, "Don't scare me like that"

"Sorry but Bucky… you two need to talk some things out and I have to get to the doctor. Is Steve back?" Natasha asked heading to the door.

Bucky nodded as he pointed in the direction of Steve's apartment that had now become their apartment unofficially.

"Talk to her… she is a little… concerned about some things" Natasha told him glancing at Wanda, "Come on Wanda"

Wanda stopped and looked back at Bucky, "You both are afraid of hurting each other so you are holding back. Instead you are hurting each other more by holding back"

Bucky sighed as the door shut.

He pushed the door to their bedroom back open and walked inside. Sitting on the bed, he kicked his shoes off then climbed in next to her. Pushing a piece of hair that was in her face back behind her ear, her eyes fluttered open.

"Hey Angel" He whispered as he leaned forward and kissed her forehead, then her cheeks and her nose as her eyes fluttered shut and his lips found hers.

Ellie moaned into the kiss as he pulled her closer, moving her leg over his hips.

"I'm sorry" Ellie mumbled against his lips as she pulled back and looked him in his eyes.

"No doll, I'm sorry. I seem to forget sometimes that you aren't in control of your body anymore. He is basically in control and it scares the shit out of me" Bucky said.

Ellie looked at him, "What? You are scared too?"

"Scared shitless" He said as he licked his lips, "You are going to be a great Mom… what if I fuck him up with all my baggage"

"Oh Buck" Ellie said as she pulled him close to her, "You are going to be an amazing father. You took care of Steve that was just your best friend for so long. I'm honestly terrified"

"You are going to be an amazing Mom, Angel" Bucky told her as he placed his hand on her face and ran his thumb over her cheek.

Ellie kissed it when it skirted over her lips then drew it into her mouth.

"Nope, no sex" Bucky said as he got up and she looked like she was slapped, "No babe I mean… I'm going to draw us a bath and how about we just take a nice relaxing bath together and relax"

Ellie just stared at him, "Bucky… do you not want to have sex with me anymore?"

Bucky grinned as he walked over to the bed and sat next to her, "Honey… no I don't because it's never just sex between us. I prefer making love to you… nice… and slow" Bucky said as he kissed her neck.

Ellie moaned, "Really?"

"Lately it's just quick and dirty. I miss our fun, slow and flirty that we used to do" Bucky told her with a smile as he stood up, "I'm going to go get the tub ready. Stay here"

Ellie laid back and smiled as she felt the tension that she didn't realize she had been holding in her body relax.

"Angel, wake up"

Ellie blinked open her eyes and focused on Bucky.

"Your bath is ready" Bucky told her as he took her hands and pulled her up.

Ellie let him lead her to the bathroom and smiled as she took in the bathroom. After she drifted off, Bucky must have hunted down any candle he could find. The bathroom was bathed in flickering light and fragrant aromas that made her close her eyes as the warm environment surrounded her.

Bucky ran his hands up her hips and pulled her dress off so that she stood in front of him in just her panties and a sports bra. He helped her strip her remaining clothes off then pulled his shirt over his head.

Ellie put her arms around him and laid light kisses on his chest and up the scar tissue on his shoulder and got onto her tip toes to kiss his neck.

"Hmmm nope… not falling for your charms Rogers" Bucky said as he captured her lips in his.

Ellie moved her hand down into his shorts and grabbed his butt cheeks, pulling him into her feeling the large bulge in his shorts against her, "You sure about that?"

Bucky kicked his shorts off then climbed into the tub and eased himself down into it, "Come on"

Ellie gnawed on her lip, "What if I hurt you?"

Bucky frowned, "How would you do that?"

"Electricity… water… doesn't mix" Ellie told him shyly.

Bucky smiled, "I trust you El… get in"

Ellie put a toe in then Bucky yelped making her gasp as he laughed, "You asshole!"

"Sorry, sorry I couldn't resist. Get in here" Bucky said.

Ellie slowly climbed in and with Bucky's help eased her body down into the water so her back was against his front.

She moaned as the warmth from the water and the warmth of his body washed over her body.

"Feels amazing doesn't it?" Bucky asked as he kissed her shoulder.

"We need to make sure the New York house has a big tub like this one… I don't remember if it does" Ellie mumbled.

"No… it was a normal tub… clawfooted" Bucky said as he picked up the washcloth and started running it over her belly.

"What color are we going to paint his room?" Ellie asked.

Bucky sighed, "Can you even paint logs? Not blue… too standard. How about a nice pale green?"

Ellie laid her head back on his shoulder, "Actually I have an idea"

"Hmm?" Bucky mumbled closing his eyes.

Ellie ran her tongue over her lips, "Why don't we use that house as a vacation or weekend house. A house just for us?"

Bucky opened his eyes, "And where would we live?"

"How about we find a big house… we have the money. No offense to Tony but… Nat and Steve both have told me that the compound is… overrun with tons of people. They have their private quarters but… it's less private than here. What if we got a property that maybe had two houses… one for us and one for Steve and Nat? Or with tons of rooms that whoever wanted to stay in… could stay in. Wanda would probably" Ellie said as she laced her fingers in his as Grant moved beneath their hands, "That way we could have our room, Grant can have his room, a playroom and… room for more kids"

"You want more?" Bucky asked surprised.

"Don't you?" Ellie asked him.

"Baby as long as you will carry them we could have 10 kids and I'd be happy" Bucky told her.

"Ten? Not sure about ten" Ellie said with a chuckle, "You aren't the one carrying them"

"Multiples run in my family… just saying. I had cousins who were twins and there were three sets of them. Every time their Mom got pregnant again, another set of twins" Bucky told her.

"Good to know… history of twins and your super sperm… recipe for me being pregnant most of the time huh?" Ellie joked, "Not that I would mind. I'd give you the world Bucky Barnes if I could"

Bucky kissed under her ear then pulled at her earlobe with his teeth, "You already have. Remember the first time we did this?"

Ellie giggled, "That little tiny bathtub in the apartment… us in our underwear so we wouldn't be tempted"

"Hell my girl hot and wet against me… was so hard not to take you right there in that tub" Bucky told her as he kissed her neck.

"Why were we taking a bath together anyways?" Ellie asked trying to remember.

"There was a bad storm and we were walking back and got soaked and it was cold, so cold. So I drew you a bath… then you looked at me and said-"

"I hope you don't expect me to warm up on my own" Ellie said with a smile.

Bucky ran the washcloth over her arm, "So let it be known, you tried to seduce me first"

Ellie laughed, "One out of 100"

"Bullshit, you seduce me nearly every night" Bucky said with a laugh.

"Hey I have a license that says I legally can" Ellie told him settling back into his arms again.

"So… a big house?" Bucky asked after a few minutes.

"Mmmhmm" Ellie mumbled as she let him put his arms around her and she relaxed completely in his embrace.

"I like the idea of that… somewhere that not only we can call home but… everyone we care about can too" Bucky told her.

"Sounds amazing" Ellie mumbled, "We can look online later"

Bucky smiled, "Are you falling asleep on me?"

"Mmm" Ellie mumbled.

"Let's get you dried off and into bed" Bucky said as he stood up and picked her up in his arms.

"Bucky! I'm too heavy" Ellie mumbled into his neck as she snuggled into it anyways.

"Never" Bucky said as he set her down and grabbed her towel. Drying her off, he picked her back up then carried her back into their bedroom.

Laying her down in their bed, he climbed in next to her and she immediately snuggled up to him.

"I love you" Bucky told her.

"Love you more" Ellie mumbled as she drifted off to sleep.

Bucky pulled the covers up over them more and felt as if he had just drifted off to sleep when someone poked him in the cheek.

"Fuck off Steve" Bucky mumbled.

"Buck… Buck… wake up"

Bucky looked at him annoyed, "What?"

"I'm going to be a dad" Steve said in shock.

Bucky looked at him and laughed, "Well that's not exactly breaking news Steve"

"I'm going to have a daughter" Steve told him with a dazed smile.

Bucky grinned, "Knew it"

"Shit Buck… I'm going to have a daughter" Steve said as he sat on the floor.

Bucky looked over the edge of the bed down at him sitting cross legged on the floor.

"Little girl Romanoff-Rogers... I can't believe we are here" Bucky said as Ellie moaned in her sleep.

"God… she even does it in her sleep. I'm leaving" Steve said as Ellie started kissing Bucky's neck.

"She is insatiable" Bucky told him with a chuckle as Steve shut the door behind him, "Are you awake?"

"Mmm awake enough for you to seduce me Mr. Barnes… Uncle Bucky" Ellie said as she opened her eyes.

"Fine Aunt Ellie" Bucky said as he pulled her onto her side.

* * *

a/n3: So I was hoping to be able to continue this until The Falcon and the Winter Soldier comes out. We will have to see but Sebastian says that it will only be filming in October. I do not see this story going that long but we will have to see how the story falls. I appreciate each and every one of you. Thank you as always for reading. Now to answer some reviews:

 **Crystal-wolf-guardain-967: Thank you for reading and reviewing! Glad that you loved it!**

 **Tuckerjnp1: Glad you love the chapter. Johnny will be a visitor in the story. Can't wait for you guys to read that reaction.**

 **Gingin1975: Hope the information wasn't too much, I am a facts person and like to do my research. Fantastic 4 won't be in it much but they will visit. Maybe in the future more.**

* * *

 **Sneak Peek of Chapter 50- Chances:**

Steve sat back down and put his head in his hands, "We may dim half of Brooklyn… they nearly shorted out the power grid with me. So by using the Tesseract instead…"

"They would be able to do it in secret" Ellie told him, "It's just a theory. I never saw it there but… if I could touch it… I just think there is a reason behind it"


	50. Chapter 50 - Chances

**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**

 **A/n2: Thank you to the new followers: the-dork-across-the-road, Tonilisa, DarkAries240, aeh2, winterhail, staygoldxo and kanka 1201. Enjoy the new chapter! Things are going to change from here on out** **We have made it to chapter 50! With my future plan, I hope to make it to chapter 75.**

* * *

 _ **''Is it love? Is it fate?''  
''Where it leads, who can say?''  
''Maybe you and I were meant to be''**_

 _ **~ Chances by Backstreet Boys**_

* * *

 ***~*~* October 6, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Ellie opened her eyes as Bucky snuggled into her neck from behind in his sleep. She laid on her side and stared at the wall in front of her, wondering why she was suddenly awake other than from the hot breathing on her neck that she was accustom to. She didn't have to use the bathroom and she wasn't hungry. She was just about to close her eyes and snuggle back into Bucky's embrace, when she felt suddenly nauseous.

Breathing in slowly then letting it out even slower, she tried to get out of Bucky's embrace and he held her harder.

"Buck" She said as she pushed him away.

Bucky sat up as she waddled as fast as she could to the bathroom and frowned as he heard her throw up.

Getting up, he walked into the bathroom and turned the light on to find her on her knees in front of the toilet. Kneeling down next to her, he held her hair up, "You haven't gotten sick in months"

"I …know" Ellie gasped as she gagged again.

After a few minutes, her stomach settled down and she flushed the toilet. Bucky helped her up and she rinsed out her mouth as she leaned on the sink.

"Think that's it?" Bucky asked rubbing her back.

"God I hope so. I didn't have much of it the first trimester, why did it appear again now?" Ellie groaned.

"Let's go back to bed… you feel clammy" Bucky said as he put his metal hand on her face.

"God that feels good" Ellie said closing her eyes.

"I hope you aren't sick… can we even get sick? I haven't been sick since '43" Bucky said concerned.

"I haven't since I got the serum either… who knows with the baby" Ellie said as he led her back to bed.

Bucky tucked her back into bed, "Are you feeling okay? Other than sick to your stomach?"

"I am so hot…and I feel like a truck hit me" Ellie told him as she settled into bed and saw the concern on his face, "It's just me being 34 weeks pregnant Bucky, stop worrying"

"I would feel better if you would let me get Dr. Ksie" Bucky told her as he kissed her head and frowned when she was warmer than usual.

"Get back in bed with me… I just want to cuddle" Ellie told him as she pulled on his arm.

Bucky climbed in behind her and pulled her closer to him and placed his hand on her belly, letting out a breath in relief as Grant moved under his hand.

* * *

Ellie sighed as she felt wonderful for the first time in weeks. A sleep in and snuggle with Bucky was just what her body needed. Snuggling into the pillow, she noticed how hard it felt just as she heard the bedroom door open.

Lifting her head, she opened her eyes and shot up, "What the hell?" She asked wide eyed as she stared at the person who had just came through the door.

Steve back at her looked at her, "What?"

"You're… you are small again" Ellie said in shock as she looked around the room and noticed, she was not in Wakanda but in a room that looked very similar to their Brooklyn family apartment.

Steve walked over and felt her head, "You are warm El… god you are burning up"

Ellie grabbed his arm and Steve yelped.

"You aren't sick enough to lose your strength though, let go. You are going to break my arm" Steve told her struggling to pull his arm from her grasp.

Ellie let go and watched as Steve rubbed his skinny arm as he stood back from her eyeing her apprehensively.

"You look like you've seen a ghost" Steve told her as he rubbed his arm that seemed much smaller than even she remembered.

"I feel like I have… where is Bucky?" Ellie asked as she pushed herself up in the bed.

"At his house" Steve said slowly as he looked at her confused.

"What year is it?" Ellie asked as she swung her legs over the side of the bed and looked around, "God I'm in my old bedroom"

Steve swallowed hard and backed away from her, "Mom!" He said as he inched towards the door.

"Mom?" Ellie asked confused as the bedroom door opened and her mother walked in, "Mom… oh Mom" She said as she started to cry.

Steve looked at their mother, "Mom something is wrong… she is really confused and she is really hot"

"I'm so confused… what year is this?" Ellie asked grabbing her head as pain shot through her temples.

"Steve, go get my kit" Sarah Rogers said as she walked over to Ellie, "Ellie honey, what year do you think it is?"

"I fell… I fell asleep in 2017" Ellie said confused as she looked into the same eyes she saw in the mirror every day, "Where's Bucky?"

Sarah sat on the edge of her bed and felt her forehead, "Lord Jesus, you are burning up and your eyes… it is like… they are sparkling"

"Mom… what year is it?" Ellie insisted grabbing her hand.

Sarah Rogers stared at her concerned, "1937… I knew I shouldn't have let you walk downtown" Sarah said, "Lie back down"

Ellie let her mother lay her back down on the bed and closed her eyes trying to remember when she went downtown in 1937, "I wanted to see the lights" She said as she suddenly remembered going into downtown New York City to see the lights at the plaza and at the store fronts.

"I hope it was worth it and you didn't catch your death" Sarah said as Steve brought in her kit and she took it, "Steve go get as many bowls as you can and fill the tub with as much snow as you can find"

Sarah took her thermometer out of her bag, "Hold this under your tongue" She said as she put the thermometer into Ellie's mouth as Steve left the room.

"Does anything hurt?" Sarah asked as she took Ellie's wrist in her hands and looked at her watch.

"My head" Ellie mumbled around the thermometer.

Sarah pulled down her eyelids, "I hope you aren't getting something I brought home from the hospital. I have never seen anything that made someone's eyes… it is literally as if your eyes have small lights inside them and glitter"

Ellie fought with her foggy brain, "Pneumonia… I got pneumonia in November of 1937… is it November?"

"Yes it is November" Sarah said as she looked at her confused as she removed the thermometer, "My god 103 almost 104"

"Even a fever for me. My average core temperature is around 100… Steve's is 101" Ellie mumbled suddenly feeling chilled.

"Do not get up" Sarah told her as she got up.

Ellie laid back trying to figure out what was going on. Was she in a hallucination? Stuck in a dream? Running her hand over her belly, it was flat and Grant was not with her.

She glanced up as she heard someone come through the door and Bucky came in, hair slicked back and wearing his work clothes from the docks, "Thank god… Buck…"

Bucky walked over and sat next to her bed, "Steve says your sick" Bucky said as he ran his hand over her face, "God El, you are burning up"

Ellie grabbed left hand as he went to take it away from her face, "Oh god… I am in 1937… its real"

Bucky looked at her confused, "What's real? Yes its 1937" He said as she ran her fingers over his callused fingers.

Steve walked in and sat at the end of her bed, "Buck… she thinks its 2017"

"2017?! That's 80 years from now" Bucky told him confused.

"I'm… I'm so confused" Ellie said rubbing her temples as they throbbed, "Is this a dream? This isn't Wakanda"

"Wakanda?" Bucky asked as he looked at Steve, "Go, I'll sit with her. She is delirious and shouldn't be left alone"

Steve nodded as he left the bedroom.

"Buck… wait…" She said as he went to get up and she held onto his hand, "If this is really 1937…it's November, so I'm 18 now" Ellie said frantic.

"El-" Bucky said looking a bit scared.

"No, I'm Angel" Ellie said as she looked at him as she pulled him down onto her and grabbed the back of his head and kissed him.

"Hmmm Ellie! What are you doing?" Bucky asked as he jumped off the bed and looked at her wide-eyed.

"On my 18th birthday, Mom took me to get made over. When you came over you got sick… because you realized you liked me… really liked me" Ellie said looking at him, "It wasn't the sandwich"

Bucky stared at her in shock, "How do you know that?"

Ellie smiled, "Because you told me"

"I… I don't think I have even told Steve!" Bucky told her running his hands through his hair as he paced.

"God" Ellie said as she looked around the room, "I don't know how I did it. Somehow I'm in my 1937 body" Ellie said as she held her hand out and focused and light sparks danced across her fingers, "Well at least those came with"

Bucky looked at her as he watched the electricity dance between her fingers, "What was that?"

Ellie sighed as she held out her hand, "Come here Buck"

Bucky slowly approached her bed and sat next to her.

"Look I'm not crazy… I might be running a little hotter than normal but… in a few years there is going to be a war" She said with a shake of her head, "Without going into a lot of details… you get drafted, Steve gets into some weird science stuff and suddenly he is over 6 foot tall and I get… well…I become a spy. We get married-"

"Wait what?" Bucky asked, "We get married?"

Ellie grinned as she leaned over and kissed him causing him to moan as he pulled her close. She kissed down his jaw and nipped at the spot on his neck that was his weakness.

"Holy shit Ellie" Bucky said as his eyes snapped open.

"Perk of being married for 74 years… I know what gets you" Ellie told him sadly.

"74 years?" Bucky asked in disbelief.

Ellie sighed, "This better be a dream or something. Without telling too much, the Germans capture your troop and they do some… awful things to you but you come out of it stronger and better. You and Steve… you guys do some amazing things to help better the world. But you go… missing in action for awhile, Steve… does too. So I go crazy… without you two and let the scientists work on me too. I get… powers, like the comic books you always read but say you don't. The ones under your bed in that suitcase"

Bucky just stared at her so she continued, "The future is… crazy Buck. Aliens are real. They don't come in spaceships they come through portals from other worlds. We are nearly 100 years old and we look like we are 30. We are having a baby at nearly 100 years old"

"El… you really sound crazy you know that right?" Bucky asked her shaking his head.

"I know…I know I do but its true" Ellie told him as she leaned closed to him, "If it wasn't… how would I know that you have three freckles right over your penis? If you connect them they make a triangle"

Bucky's eyes got wide as Steve came back in the room.

"What are you doing Ellie?!" Steve asked confused at their closeness on the bed.

"Trying to kiss Bucky" Ellie said with a grin as she laid her head on Bucky's shoulder as the pain in her head flared up again.

"You are delirious" Steve said looking at Bucky, "Bucky can you carry her into the bathroom?"

Bucky stared at her for a second then picked her up and she threw her arms around his neck, "My hero!" Ellie said with a giggle.

Bucky carried her through the apartment into the bathroom.

"Place her in the tub, we have to cool her temperature down" Sarah told him.

Bucky gently set her in the tub.

"Holy shit" Ellie yelled as the ice and snow hit her, "God its cold"

"Steve go get the doctor, but first get into my pocketbook and get Bucky some money. Bucky go get ice from the corner store. We need more" Sarah told him.

Bucky stared at Ellie, who was now shivering in the tub.

"Buck, come on" Steve said pulling him.

Bucky glanced back at her and she offered him a weak smile.

"I'llll….bbeee fine BBuck" Ellie said shivering.

Bucky turned then followed Steve.

"Mom" Ellie breathed out as she willed her eyes to focus on her mother as she tried to get her body covered as much possible.

"Yes baby" Sarah said running her hand over her face.

"This might be just all in my mind… but… I needed this" Ellie told her shivering, "I'm pregnant…in 2017 I'm pregnant… all I want is you to be there…. To help me… to tell me everything will be okay"

"Baby girl, whenever it happens… you will be an amazing Mom. You never have to worry about it. Even if it doesn't happen until 2017" Sarah told her as she ran her fingers through Ellie's hair, "As long as you work together with the father and love that baby"

Ellie felt her body relax, "Bucky can't wait" Ellie said with a yawn.

"Wait Bucky?" Sarah asked with a smile, "You are interested in Bucky"

Ellie gave her a sleepy smile as her eyelids started to feel heavy, "We get married… we are married for 74 years Momma. He makes me happy"'

"Honey keep your eyes open for me" Sarah told her as her mother's face started to blur.

"I'm just so sleepy…love you" Ellie mumbled as she closed her eyes.

* * *

"Ellie… Ellie!"

"Angel… come on, open those beautiful eyes for me"

Ellie fought with the lead weights that were holding her eyelids down.

"Ellie… do you hear me? If you can hear me squeeze my hand" Steve's voice said as she felt a warm hand in hers.

She tried to say, "Do you have to be so loud?" but instead it came out as, "Two you haf be fo lou?"

"Angel… Ellie, open your eyes baby"

Ellie groaned, "Sore" She told him as she won the battle with her eyes and opened them.

"There are those pretty blues" Bucky said holding her hand.

"What…what year is it?" Ellie asked him looking around noticing she was in the hospital.

Bucky looked at Steve then back at her, "2017"

"Thank god… what happened?" Ellie asked.

"Ellie, you were bitten by some kind of rare fly down here and your heightened immune system tried to attack the sickness extra hard by raising your body temperature too high" Steve told her.

Ellie reached for her belly, "Oh god, Grant-"

"He's fine. I knew something wasn't right when you were so hot so I called Dr. Ksie… by that time we couldn't wake you up" Bucky said smoothing back her hair.

"God I had the weirdest dream… how long was I out?" Ellie asked.

"Two days, you really had us freaked out" Bucky told her.

Ellie lifted her hand, which suddenly felt as if it weighed ten pounds, up to her face, "God that dream was so real. I was back home… in 1937 but I remembered everything I do now… it was when I got that really bad pneumonia after walking to Time Square"

Steve looked confused, "When did you have pneumonia?"

Bucky laughed, "I remember that… you were so loopy you kissed me"

"No I didn't. The first time we kissed wasn't until I came home for the first time" Ellie said confused.

"No, I was watching you while your Mom went to get the doctor and Steve got snow because that's all we had available and you grabbed me and laid one on me. Then passed out after we put you in the tub" Bucky told her, "But never showed me any other interest until you were 21"

"No, no… I did. Don't you remember when you snuck into my room?" Ellie asked with a grin.

"I snuck into your room?" Bucky asked.

"You were trashed" Ellie told him laughing then groaning when it made her body hurt, "You climbed up the fire escape and opened my bedroom window, the tripped over something. I thought someone was breaking in… which technically you were. I didn't want you to wake up Mom and you were so trashed I knew that you wouldn't make it home safely so I told you to take my bed. You offered to sleep on the floor and I told you that there was no way I'd let you so I had you climb in bed with me. Then I kissed you goodnight"

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Bucky asked with a laugh, "That was 6 years before I finally made my move! I waited 6 years for nothing?"

Steve laughed.

"So are you sure everything is okay with Grant?" Ellie asked as she noticed that band around her belly.

"They've been monitoring him. Thankfully the infection didn't make it into your blood stream too bad. Everything has been going well" Bucky told her.

"I'm going to go let Nat know that you are awake. Love you El" Steve said as he kissed her forehead.

"Love you too" Ellie said as Steve left.

She sighed as she closed her eyes.

"How are you feeling?" Bucky asked.

She cleared her throat and looked at him, "Like I was hit by a spaceship"

Bucky frowned.

"What?" Ellie asked.

"It's just…I think I remember you saying something about spaceships when you were sick in 1937" Bucky said confused.

Ellie stared at him, "What else do you remember?"

Bucky stood up and started pacing, "Those memories are so disjointed from the early years. You were in bed…then aliens and spaceships…" He stopped and looked at her, "You said we were going to be 100 years old and pregnant"

"Are you kidding me? It was real?" Ellie asked confused.

Bucky sat next to her, "I…I wrote it off back then… then the freckles thing, I figured you snuck in or saw me changing in your house or something"

"How did…how did I do that?" Ellie asked confused.

Bucky shook his head as he took her hand, "I don't know but… let's keep this one to ourselves"

Ellie nodded, "But my body never left here right?"

"No, you just were asleep" Bucky told her, "Literally it was as if you were in a coma though"

Ellie bit her lip, "I had my powers though. In my 1937 body. Shit I wish I knew more about these. It's not like I time traveled because my body stayed but… my mind was in 37? But how?"

Bucky climbed into bed with her, "I wish…did Howard know all he was doing or was it Reinstein?"

Ellie sighed into his embrace, "I don't think Howard even realized what was going on under his nose. I need to talk to Fury… see if he can get me all the files that SHIELD might have had on the Phoenix project. I'm the only one alive that knows anything about the project and I need more information. There has to be something besides Howard's personal files"

Bucky ran his hand up her arm drawing shapes on her skin.

"How long do you think I'll be here?" Ellie asked.

"As long as Ksie needs you to be here" Bucky told her looking her straight in the eyes.

"Damnit" Ellie mumbled burying her face in his neck.

"You really scared me El…when I couldn't wake you up" Bucky said as his voice quivered.

"You can't get rid of me yet… between a marriage certificate and super serum… you are stuck with me for a really long time. Who knows when we will die" Ellie told him as she kissed him.

"That better be a promise" Bucky said tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

"I'm too stubborn to die" Ellie said with a grin.

Bucky shook his head as the door opened.

"You were supposed to come to get me as soon as she woke up" Dr. Ksie told Bucky.

"Sorry… I just was glad she was awake" Bucky told Ksie.

Dr. Ksie smiled at her, "Well welcome back Ellie. You gave us a scare"

"I gotta keep everyone on their toes" Ellie joked.

"You are lucky Ellie. Most people do not experience the symptoms that you did until the severe onset of African Sleeping Sickness. Your body saved you by fighting as hard as it did. Nalia has been observing Grant and there is nothing showing he was affected at all. In some cases it can be passed to the fetus but… he is still as active as ever" Dr. Ksie said, "Amazing as he is running out of room"

"I can agree on that" Ellie said as Bucky's hand rubbed under the band on her belly, "So when can I leave?"

"I want you here for a couple days at least" Dr. Ksie told her, "It's not like you want to be outside anyways. When word spread around the village that you were in here and sick… you have came to be loved by many. The village people say that you are the reason it has been raining for two days. The sky is crying and everything is flooding"

"I'm not that important" Ellie said shaking her head.

"You do not even realize it but you are. You have helped change the view of the American person. History is not kind and people do not forget but seeing you, Steve and Bucky… people realize that people have changed. Not all Americans are bad or want to use us for other reasons that we do not want to revisit" Dr. Ksie told them checking the machines around her.

"That's a lot of responsibility" Ellie said frowning.

"No… it's just you being a good person" Dr. Ksie told her with a smile.

* * *

 ***~*~* October 8, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Ellie closed her eyes as she laid in bed at the hospital and tried to imagine herself back in 1987. She had been trying to recreate what had happened, since she and Bucky had realized what she had somehow done with no luck so far. Sighing when nothing happened she looked out the window to see it had finally stopped raining.

"Going stir crazy?" Nalia asked as she walked in the room.

"Yes, I have to get out of here and soon" Ellie told her as she sat up, "I feel fine"

"Well I was delivering a baby and I was the hold up so I apologize. Let's check on Grant then you will be free to go" Nalia told her as she brought over the ultrasound machine, "You feel fine now?"

"I was just tired and nauseous before it happened. I've slept enough for a week… I might not need to sleep for a week after this" Ellie told her.

"That won't be happening, even if you feel like you don't need it… your body still does" Nalia said removing the belly band, "I'm surprised Bucky isn't here"

Ellie bit her lip, she had sent Bucky to talk to Natasha about talking to Fury to see if he could help in their quest for information, "He will be back"

"Alright, let's see how Mr. Grant is" Nalia said as she put the gel on her belly.

Ellie relaxed looking at the screen as Grant's image appeared on it. She looked at Nalia's face that suddenly looked concerned, "What?"

"He… he is measuring at 36 weeks. He is now 2 weeks ahead of estimate. If he goes to 3 weeks ahead, we may need to think of delivering him early. There are still so many… what ifs and questions, it would be more of a precautionary thing than a necessity" Nalia told her.

"So he could be here in a month?" Ellie asked feeling a bit scared.

"Or sooner, due dates are not a scheduled thing. Yes we know the date he was conceived but… with the freezing and… we still do not know it all" Nalia told her, "But there is no need to be concerned. He is strong, you are strong… he is just growing faster than typical. Which we assumed might happen as a possibility" Nalia told her as she started typing on her tablet and looked up at her, "But he is head down now… so you will be able to deliver naturally. Now I am writing off on your release, but I would really like someone to be here to take you back to the palace"

Ellie grabbed her Kimoyo beads and put it on, calling Steve.

"El, what's wrong?" Steve asked appearing in her hand.

"Nalia is releasing me if I have someone to take me back to the palace. Is Bucky around?" Ellie asked.

"No, he and Nat went somewhere to look into something. I'll come get you" Steve told her.

"Thanks Steve" Ellie said as she put the bead back.

"Here are your clothes, go ahead and get dressed. Do you need help?" Nalia asked.

"No… but thank you" Ellie said as she took the bag.

Nalia shut the door and Ellie started getting dressed. She had put her panties and bra on, along with her dress when the door opened.

"I could have been naked you know" Ellie told Steve as she tried to put her sock on, "Come on! Seriously? I'm bested by a sock?"

Steve laughed as he came over to her, "Let me help"

Ellie sighed as she threw it at him and he caught it.

He knelt in front of her and took her foot, "So any idea what Bucky and Nat are up to?"

"I just… remembered some stuff. So I sent Bucky to Nat to see if she could help him get information" Ellie told him as he helped her up.

"About what?" Steve asked.

"That's the thing… I don't remember it all… the Phoenix project I mean. Then 1987 is even more of a mystery. I know I stayed with Howard for some of it but… I don't really remember leaving California and going to New York. That is where Peggy and Howard found me for the mission. New York is clearer, but I was off the medication because I didn't have a lot of electronics around me there at the cabin. California is mystery to me" Ellie told him with a frown, "I just want to fill in the blanks. There are names floating around my head and I don't remember who they belong to"

"Like who?" Steve asked as she grabbed his shoulder to steady herself as she threw her shoes onto the ground.

"More like what… I think… Howard and I were working on a project" Ellie told him as she slid her shoes on.

"What project?" Steve asked, "Maybe I've heard of it"

Ellie closed her eyes and thought about, "Zeus? No… Poseidon? Damnit… no that's not it. Why can't I think about it?" She said frustrated.

"Come on, I have a car out front" Steve told her putting his arm around her.

"Steve really? It's not that far. I can walk" Ellie told him.

"Not after you just got out of the hospital" Steve told her.

Nalia looked up from the nurse's desk, "Thanks for coming to get her Steve. Here are some pills I want you to take every day for the next week until our next appointment. Just to be safe and make sure the infection is out of your system"

"Come on doc" Ellie groaned, "I've never had to take pills before"

"Think of them as antibiotics" Nalia told her, "And the first feeling of anything weird, call me or my husband"

"I will make sure Bucky knows that as well" Steve told her as he reached and picked her up.

"Steve! Put me down! I do not need to be picked up!" Ellie yelled.

"Too bad. Bye Nalia" Steve said as she laughed.

"You and Bucky… I'm not a child" Ellie complained as he carried her out of the hospital and the driver opened the door to the car.

"Thank you" Steve said as he set Ellie down in the car.

Ellie huffed as she crossed her arms over her belly, "Just annoying Steve"

"Don't act like that. Now you are reminding me of that fit you pulled on Mom over making you wear a dress when we were kids" Steve said as he fastened her in as the driver pulled away.

Ellie just shook her head as she looked out the window.

"Fine be that way" Steve said with a smile.

"Pegasus" Ellie said.

"Huh?" Steve asked.

She turned and looked at him, "Project Pegasus… that's what I was helping Howard on. He…was working on… power cells or batteries or something. I was reading into electricity manipulation because of my powers and so they pulled me in on it. Oh shit" She said as it dawned on her.

"What?" Steve asked.

Ellie sighed, "The Tesseract… he was using it to try to harness power from it"

"Wait a second, Howard had it?" Steve asked confused.

"oh god… it's all coming back… he fished it out of the ocean looking for you and kept it. He was experimenting on it to try to use it as an energy source but…I need Fury to get me those files" Ellie said.

"Well Nat has his private number… she'll be able to get him" Steve told her.

* * *

Ellie opened her eyes as she heard the bedroom door open and saw Bucky slip in, "Hey"

"You should have called me to say they were releasing you" Bucky told her.

"Steve came to get me. No big deal" Ellie said as she sat up on the headboard, "Find anything?"

"Nat got a hold of Fury and Tony. They are both looking into it" Bucky said as he took his shirt off.

"Buck… I remembered something else too" Ellie told him.

"What?" Bucky asked as he sat on the bed and took his boots off.

"I have a bad feeling that…that my powers aren't… just from… electrical means" Ellie told him putting her hands on her belly.

Bucky looked at her, "Why do you say that?"

"Steve and I were talking and… when I was on the drugs in 87, before I went back to New York… I really don't remember a lot of that time but I remember I was working on something with Howard. A project that I seemed to be specialized in" Ellie told him as she bit her lip, "I researched into electrical manipulation and other aspects to learn more but it was more than that. I could touch their power source… and it didn't hurt me. I could interact with it and manipulate it"

"And no one else could?" Bucky asked interested.

Ellie shook her head, "No…and I think… that is because they didn't have powers from it"

Bucky stared at her, "Wait Howard did know how you got your powers?"

"In 87 he did. I don't think he did at first" Ellie said as she looked over at him, "The cube"

"The cube? Schmitt's cube?" Bucky asked as he jumped up, "The same cube he used to make the Hydra weapons?"

"My memory could be wrong but… yeah I think so" Ellie told him, "And I need to know, that is why I am hoping Fury can access more files than Tony had. Howard had to keep something on SHIELD records"

"And you touched it?" Bucky asked looking at her and Ellie could read fear in his eyes.

"I remember holding it in my hand and putting it into a case for one of their scientists" Ellie told him, "Their lead scientist called it-"

"The Tesseract" Bucky told her.

Ellie nodded, "Steve told you about it?"

"Yeah…" Bucky said as he sat next to her, "Steve said he saw it when he and Schmitt were fighting on the Valkyrie. Schmitt and he were fighting and… it was knocked out of the device that it was powering. Schmitt picked it up and held it… and disintegrated"

"What?" Ellie asked shaken.

"Steve said he disappeared like sand through your fingers, up into the sky, El" Bucky told her as he looked at her, "And you held that thing?"

"Yeah" Ellie said confused, "How could I hold it and he couldn't?"

"Well thank goodness you could" Bucky said, "He also said it melted through the ship and fell into the ocean. Then Howard fished it out, when Steve woke up it's what Loki was looking for and stole. It's how he brought the aliens from outer space too"

"I wonder where it is now" Ellie said.

"Thor has it I think" Bucky told her with a frown, "That's what Steve told me at least"

Ellie groaned as she rubbed her temples, "My brain hurts"

"We need to sit down and talk to Steve about this… privately" Bucky told her.

Ellie bit her lip and touched her communicator behind her ear and closed her eyes thinking of Steve, 'Steve, Steve… if you can hear me. I am trying something out… not sure if it works but… come to our room. We have a question and don't bring anyone with you'

"What did you do? Your eyes were glowing behind your eyelids and it was kinda weird" Bucky said.

"I don't know if it will work but I tried to contact Steve using the communicator so that Natasha wouldn't hear… not that I don't trust her but… I don't want this to get out" Ellie said as a knock was on the door and it opened.

"How'd you do that?" Steve asked shutting the door behind him.

Ellie shrugged, "I just try it and see if it works and it usually does when it comes to technology. I guess, part of my abilities are to just will technology to do what I want. Anyways, have a seat"

Steve sat down on the end of the bed.

Ellie sighed then laughed.

Steve looked over at Bucky, who shrugged as they watched Ellie wipe her eyes.

"I'm not losing it… I just… it's the three of us in a bed again telling stories, just like old times" Ellie said with a smile.

"Stories are a little different now" Bucky said sadly.

"That's for sure" Ellie said as she looked at Steve, "Where is the Tesseract?"

Steve frowned, "Thor took it back to Asgard, why?" Steve asked.

"For some reason I am starting to remember a little from 87 when I was awake. I was part of a project and I was working with it" Ellie told him.

"And that's not it, tell him" Bucky told her.

Ellie looked at Bucky then back at Steve, "And I can hold it"

Steve froze, "What?"

"I've picked it up… and it is powerful but I could hold it" Ellie told him.

Steve stood up and started pacing, "El, I watched Schmitt disappear before my eyes while holding it and you touched it?!"

"I didn't know Steve!" Ellie said her eyes sparkling, "You seem to forget that you fucking died after that!"

"Okay both of you calm down. Ellie you are making my hair static" Bucky said looking between the two of them, "She is still here with us Steve, and Ellie thinks there is a reason for that"

Steve looked at her.

"When I got my powers, when they were shocking me… the electricity was blue" Ellie told him, "Blue and orange… almost like fire but… if Howard was looking for it to be an energy source. The Tesseract I mean. What if he figured it out and used that to power… me?"

Steve sat back down and put his head in his hands, "We may dim half of Brooklyn… " He said slowly as he looked up at them, "They nearly shorted out the power grid with me. So by using the Tesseract instead…"

"They would be able to do it in secret" Ellie told him with a shrug, "It's just a theory. I never saw it there but… if I could touch it… I just think there is a reason behind it"

Steve looked up at her, "He knew it was a power source… a power source that he could… drain into something else like electricity to a battery. He took apart all the Hydra weapons that we brought back and after he obtained the Tesseract… Howard was smart, he would put two and two together. It was just getting the power from one to the other and he had Zola"

Ellie swallowed hard, "More and more I wish I could ask him if he knew… if he knew all Zola was orchestrating"

"The Howard I knew… thought I knew, I would hope not" Steve told them.

* * *

a/n3: Thank you to everyone that read and reviewed. I know I said that Captain Marvel will not affect this story at all and she won't but Project Pegasus will. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter . Longest chapter in a long while. Now for the reviews:

 **Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967: Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

 **Guest: This is how I saw how behind the scenes they might have been like. Glad that you are enjoying it!**

 **Tuckerjnp1: Thank you! Enjoy!**

 **Gingin1975: I have never been pregnant myself but I have researched for this story into pregnancy blogs. Thank you for reading!**

* * *

Sneak Peek of Chapter 51- Look How Far We've Come:

Ellie looked around at the people in the room, "No… these people are the people in our family. It's okay if they know"

Fury sighed, "You're not going to like it"

Ellie sighed, "I had a feeling I wouldn't. Did he know?" Ellie asked, "Please tell me he didn't know"

"He knew that the Tesseract had sustainable energy and that Hydra used it to power their weapons" Fury said as he handed her a file.


	51. Chapter 51- Look How Far We've Come

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 _ **A/n2: Thank you to the new followers: KassandraJ, Kiss-Me-Cryptic, StayGoldxo, salvatorresister887. Enjoy this latest chapter and thank you again for reading and reviewing!**_

* * *

 **Time is taking over  
Look how far we've come  
Some were never meant to come around  
Some were never meant to leave the ground**

 **~ Look How far we've come by Imagine Dragons**

* * *

 ***~*~* October 13, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Ellie opened her eyes in the middle of the night and heard clicking of keys. She yawned then looked over to see Bucky at the computer, "What are you doing?" She whispered.

"Did I wake you up?" Bucky asked as he turned to look back at her.

Ellie shook her head, "No I just woke up on my own" She told him as she sat up, "You never use that thing"

"I do when I can't sleep, to research into what I missed. I was just looking at houses" Bucky told her.

Ellie pushed herself out of bed and walked over to him, "That house is cute"

"It is six bedrooms, four bathrooms… three acres of property" Bucky told her, "Enough property that we could build on for Steve and Nat"

Ellie nodded, "Nearly 5 million?"

Bucky rolled his eyes, "It's no wonder Tony built the Avengers compound where he did. Real estate is expensive there. I mean we paid $55 a month for our apartment. Things have changed in New York"

"We have the money" Ellie told him as she sat on his lap so she could navigate the page, "We could buy it outright. Oh look though Buck, there are neighbors right behind the house. The driveway is all the acreage. Where is…Rye, New York?"

"Umm… oh its north of the city. Too far from upstate" Bucky said as he went to the next house, "What about this one?"

"Eww no" Ellie said shaking her head.

"Let's see this one… Water Mill… where is Water Mill?" Bucky thought out loud.

"Near the water" Ellie said with a grin.

"Good job smart ass" He said as he clicked the map, "Well its 3 hours away from the facility. How far do we want to go?" Bucky asked her.

"No more than an hour" Ellie told him as Grant flipped.

Bucky chuckled as he felt him, "No wonder you can't sleep"

"He's so active at night" Ellie said as the next place was on Long Island. "What about that place?" She said as she pointed at one of the pictures.

Bucky clicked on it, "It's cute… we would have to repaint the trimming around the windows or replace the doors though. The red, brown and yellow… no"

"Five bedrooms, so a bit smaller but… 4 acres. Long private driveway but property" Ellie said, "Where is it?"

"It's… well Kattskill Bay. That's north of the compound… two hours north" Bucky told her.

"We will put it as a maybe" Ellie told him as Bucky clicked on the next one, "Whoa… look at all that property. We could build Steve and Nat's house over here in that empty spot. Take out some of the trees for a helicopter pad. How many acres is that?"

"Let's see… 12 acres. Built in… 1929, so almost as old as us" Bucky joked.

"Eight bedrooms, 10 bathrooms… it's solar powered… gated already. Indoor pool, gym… 25 minutes from Manhattan… it's a little further than we wanted but, I like this one better than the Kattskill one" Ellie told him, "Ooh an indoor pool"

"I really like this one too… it doesn't seem fancy. It seems… normal" Bucky told her, "it's just got property and rooms so it's worth more"

"What about that one?" Ellie asked pointing to the last one on the page.

"It's in Riverdale… 10 bedrooms, 7 full bathrooms and 4 partial bathrooms. Only on an acre" Bucky told her.

"No, not enough land" Ellie told him, "I really like that Irvington house"

"Me too, but how would we see it?" Bucky asked.

"Well I definitely can't fly now. I'll ask Pepper. I wonder if she'd go see it for us" Ellie told him as she looked at the clock, "its 3am… what time would it be in New York?"

"Eight… I think" Bucky told her.

"Would it be too late to call?" Ellie asked him.

"8pm isn't that late" Bucky told her, "I mean it says it has been on the market for over a year"

"I'll call just to see" Ellie said as she got up and walked over to her phone that was laying on the bedside table, "I don't even remember the last time I actually used this thing other than the camera"

"Or Shuri" Bucky said leaning back in the chair.

Ellie opened her contacts and found Pepper's number.

"Well hello Agent Gorgeous, I am a little jealous that you are calling my gorgeous fiancée and not me"

Ellie sighed, "Tony can I speak with Pepper please?"

"She is in the shower… so you can talk to me" Tony told him, "How are things in Wakanda? Baby doing well?"

"Well as can be. I'm ready for him to come" Ellie told him as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Do you have everything you need?" Tony asked.

Ellie laughed, "No… well we have a crib and changing table, the nursery furniture that T'Challa and Queen Mother got us but that is it but really what else do you need at the beginning?"

"Wouldn't know. I avoid children like the plague. It's Agent Gorgeous Pep" Tony said.

"I'll take it, hello Ellie" Pepper said as she came on the phone.

"How are you Pepper?" Ellie asked as she laid back on the bed.

"Pretty good just wedding planning" Pepper told her.

"When is the wedding?" Ellie asked.

"Next August. We are hoping the Accords are all turned over so you guys will be able to attend" Pepper told her.

"Well… we are hoping to be back in the States before that for sure. Talking about that… could you do myself and Bucky a favor?" Ellie asked.

"Sure, what is it?" Pepper asked.

"We have a house that I bought in 87, but we wanted to find a bigger one for our family that we hope to expand… and if the Avengers want to get away from the compound for a bit… that they would feel comfortable coming to. We have been looking online and we found one that we really like" Ellie told her.

"I'd gladly go look at it for you. Maybe I can even get the price lowered for you… I'm great at real estate" Pepper told her.

"Wait… she doesn't want to live in the compound?" Tony asked in the background.

"Tony we don't even live in the compound" Pepper told him, "Plus the compound really isn't a place to raise children. Anyways Ellie, send me the address in a text message and the realtors contact information and I will contact them in the morning"

"Thank you Pepper we really appreciate it" Ellie told her.

"Not a problem. I will talk to you soon" Pepper told her.

"Have a good night Pepper" Ellie said as she hung up and rolled up so she could sit up, "She said she would do it"

Bucky got up then pulled her down onto the bed with him, "We could be homeowners and parents soon" He said rubbing her belly.

"Well parents for sure. I was measuring 36 weeks along last week… I'm probably 37 weeks this week. He could come at any time" Ellie told him placing her hand over his.

Bucky kissed her, "I am nervous but I cannot wait"

"Me either, I just can't wait to hold him in my arms" Ellie told him, "To see that he is real. I mean obviously he is real but… to actually physically hold this little… being that we created"

Bucky let out a breath, "Five more weeks"

"Really… any time now. He is measuring two weeks farther along. Nalia told me that due dates aren't a science. Two weeks before and two weeks after are the norm" Ellie said as she ran her fingers over the side of his face.

"It's perfectly normal to be scared right?" Bucky asked.

Ellie smiled running her thumb over his stubble, "Well…if you weren't I'd be worried since I am too"

* * *

 ***~*~* October 15, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Ellie groaned as she sat on the recliner, "It's official. I can no longer see my feet or reach my legs"

Natasha looked up from her laptop, "Why would you need to reach your legs?"

"To shave them. Bucky took pity on me and shaved them for me" Ellie told her wiggling her toes as she raised her foot, "There it is"

Shuri walked into the room, "Hello ladies, how are you feeling?"

"Like I am about to pop. I have been having Braxton Hicks contractions all day and they are just so annoying" Ellie told him.

"You need to relax. All of you, before the baby… well babies get here. Why don't you go to the beach?" Shuri suggested.

Ellie looked at her, "Me, big as a house and going to the beach?" Ellie asked her.

"You are not big as a house" Shuri told her.

"I am lately" Ellie told her as she pushed herself up off the couch.

"Well you have popped but you are still not very big" Shuri told her as Bucky and Steve came into the room laughing, "Don't you both agree with me?"

Steve looked at her, "Well first I need to know what I might agree about"

Bucky walked over to Ellie and gave her a kiss then helped her sit back down.

"The girls need to relax. I think a beach day is just what the doctor ordered. Go until dinner time; come back for dinner and I'll have the chef make a nice meal… even have some cake for dessert" Shuri told them.

"Cake? Maybe a chocolate cake with chocolate icing?" Ellie asked.

Shuri laughed, "If that is what you want"

"Oh that sounds good… or no… brownies. Brownies with icing" Ellie said.

Bucky laughed, "Just make chocolate chip cookies while you're at it Shuri"

Ellie hit him in the stomach.

Steve shrugged as he sat on the arm rest and looked at Natasha, "I don't know… I think it sounds nice"

"I don't think I even own a bathing suit that would fit me" Natasha told him.

"And you think I have one?" Ellie asked with a laugh, "I think… you know I'm for it. The weightlessness in the water might feel really good"

"That is a good idea… we could always wear a long shirt or dress" Natasha told her, "Plus the water should be pretty warm"

"T'Challa and I have a private cabana at one of the beach resorts, I'll go call ahead so they will know to expect you" Shuri told them.

"No need, we will just go to the beach" Ellie told her.

Shuri looked at her, "Lake Victoria is not allowed to be swam in. It is contaminated"

"Really? Bucky and I swam in it on our anniversary" Ellie told her.

"Not again, over the years there are too many pollutants in the water" Shuri told her shaking her head, "I'll have the directions for you in the car"

"I'll-"

"Steve can drive!" Bucky volunteered before Ellie said she would.

Ellie looked at Bucky, "You just hate me driving"

"No… I want to be alive for his birth" Bucky told her as she hit him with a pillow.

Steve looked at Ellie, "You can drive?"

"Learned from a race car driver during CIA training" Ellie told him as she looked at Bucky with a grin, "Bucky hates my driving"

"I don't hate her driving… she scares the shit out of me when she drives" Bucky said, "There is a difference"

* * *

The car pulled up to the Lutembe Beach Resort and Steve opened the door then helped Natasha and Ellie out.

A young man hurried down to the car, "Wamkelekile kwiindwendwe zeLutembe zeNdlunkulu, ngale ndlela (Welcome to Lutembe Resort guests of the King, this way)"

Steve looked at Ellie.

"Follow him" Ellie told him.

Steve nodded and put his arm around Natasha as they followed close behind.

Bucky took Ellie's hand, "I love seeing him so happy"

"I heard that... and I am glad I am" Steve said as he stole a kiss from Natasha.

They followed the man through the resort to a door that was held open for them. A gorgeous pool and small cabana sat over looking the beach and the Lake below.

"Nantsi i-cabana yakho kunye ne-pool, i-Princess Shuri inokuhlala kude kube ngu-16: 00. Unayo inkwenkwe yamanzini, mxelele ukuba ufuna into (Here is your cabana and pool, Princess Shuri has your stay until 16:00. You have a personal pool boy, let him know if you need anything)" He told them.

"Ndiyabonga kakhulu ngoncedo lwakho (Thank you so much for your help)" Ellie said nodding at him.

Ellie walked over to the pool then tried to sit down on the edge. Bucky grabbed her arm and helped her to the ground. Kicking her sandals off, she put her feet in the water, "Oh this is lovely. Just the right temperature for this hot day"

A young boy hurried over to them, "Hello, I am Akachi. I am your pool boy today. If you need anything, just yell for me. Your cabana is over there, if you want any private time, just close the curtains and I will not come in and check on you, for your most privacy. First would you like any drinks?"

"I will just take water Akachi" Natasha told him.

"I will take a beer" Steve told him.

"Same" Bucky said as he sat down next to Ellie.

"Do you have bottled tea?" Ellie asked.

"Yes ma'am" Akachi told her.

"I'll take that" Ellie said as she moved her feet in the water as Bucky put his own feet in the water.

"It is really comfortable" Bucky said as Steve and Natasha took off their clothes to get down to their bathing suits.

"First one in is a rotten egg!" Natasha yelled as she took off running.

"Not fair!" Steve yelled as he tripped over his shorts and face planted onto the ground.

Bucky shook his head as Natasha dove in, "So graceful… Captain America"

Steve ran and jumped in splashing them.

"Steve!" Ellie yelled as she tried to turn, not to get a face full of water.

"Not cool jerk!" Bucky yelled.

"Nope that's you!" Steve said with a laugh as he splashed Natasha.

"Sirs and madams, here are your drinks" Akachi said as he brought their drinks out on a tray.

"Thank you Akachi" Ellie said as she tried to get up and Bucky jumped up to help her, "No, let me do it"

She pushed herself up onto her knees then slowly got up, "See… I can do it… it just takes longer"

She sat down on one of the loungers and laid back, "Now this is the life"

Bucky sat down on the lounger next to her and picked up his beer, "I could get used to this"

Ellie closed her eyes and relaxed, "Me too"

She dozed off for a bit then heard Natasha giggling then feet against the pool patio.

"Um… we are going to go check out the cabana for a bit" Steve told them.

"Go have fun, just keep it down" Bucky said waving them off.

Ellie laughed as she laid back down, "We're next"

"You know it" Bucky told her.

Ellie closed her eyes and just listened to the birds in the distance and felt herself slip into dreamland.

"Bucky"

Bucky looked over at Ellie, "What? Can't fall asleep?"

Ellie grinned as she looked at her hands then at her body, "It worked"

Bucky froze, "Am I talking to a different Ellie?"

She grinned, "Not that far from now but yeah… so far it only works when I'm asleep… this is the first time I've actually got it to work"

"When… how far into the future are you from?" Bucky asked as he sat up to look at her.

Ellie groaned as she turned to put her feet on the ground, "Didn't miss this heaviness… Grant is two months old now"

"Everything is okay?" Bucky asked glancing around.

Ellie nodded, "He… is growing so fast that we can't believe it. Make sure I buy some more 3month old clothes, he needed them at 1 month"

"Lord… but everything went fine with the delivery?" Bucky asked.

Ellie chuckled, "So well that we've already started talking about possibly having another. I worried about the delivery for no reason at all. It was literally so fast… so easy. Also, you have been an amazing father" She said with a smile.

"Really?" Bucky asked.

Ellie nodded, "In fact, if I weren't the one with the breasts, he'd want you to do everything for him. He calms down immediately in your arms and you are amazing with him… of course the first couple weeks were tough getting used to being parents but we got through them"

"Is Steve and Nat's baby here yet? There I mean?" Bucky asked taking her hands.

"No, not yet. Also… make sure we don't name Grant, Grant Howard" Ellie told him as she bit her lip.

"Shit… he was involved wasn't he?" Bucky asked squeezing her hands.

"Not in the Hydra stuff but he purposely experimented on me with the Tesseract's power without knowing the effects or asking me. Fury will tell us soon" Ellie told him as she yawned, "Okay… I'm getting tired and can't hold this much longer"

"Thanks for the visit" Bucky said with a grin.

"Anytime babe" Ellie said with a groan as she laid back, "Next one better not be so front heavy"

Bucky laughed as she laid back and closed her eyes, "Bye Angel"

Ellie blinked her eyes, "Where are you going?"

"Nowhere" Bucky said with a smile.

"Then why did you tell me bye?" Ellie asked confused as Steve and Natasha came back out of the cabana, "Wait… they just went in there, did I fall asleep… or…" She asked as she looked at him wide-eyed.

Bucky nodded.

Ellie looked at him in shock, "I did it?"

"It wasn't you from very far in the future but Grant was 2 months old but… we aren't to name him Grant Howard" Bucky told her as Steve and Natasha went back into the water, "You nastiness! I hope you washed off first!"

Natasha flicked him off as she started swimming.

"Why not Grant Howard?" Ellie asked confused.

"You said we find out that he knew more than we thought. He didn't realize it was Hydra but… he knew what he was doing to a point I guess" Bucky told her.

"Shit" Ellie said as she put her arm over her eyes, "So Grant Steven? No… Grant James? Nah…Grant Buchanan… Grant Rogers… shit I can't decide" She said as she looked over at him, "Did I say when exactly he was coming?"

"Nope but it will be a really easy delivery. So easy we are talking about the next one after only two months" Bucky told her.

"Shit… must just shoot out of me if I forget all this discomfort that fast" Ellie said with a sigh.

"Oh and we need to buy more three month old sized clothes. You said he grew out of the newborns in no time" Bucky told her.

Ellie ran her hands over her belly, "Honestly…that is what scares me the most"

"What? Him growing fast?" Bucky asked.

"Too fast. He is growing weeks ahead now but what about when he grows up. Is he going to be the kid that looks like he should be in college in middle school?" Ellie asked.

"Seriously Ellie? He isn't even born yet. Let's take each moment with him moment by moment okay?" Bucky told her as he got up and sat next to her.

Ellie sighed, "I just worry by nature"

"Well you are a Mom… only natural" Bucky told her with a smile.

"That sounded so weird" Ellie said as she looked at him with a grin, "Dad"

"Crap it does" Bucky said shaking his head.

"I want to try the pool" Ellie told him as she pushed herself up.

"Sounds good to me" Bucky told her as he stood up and pulled his shirt off.

Ellie pulled her maxi dress off and set it on the lounger. Bucky led her to the stairs and they slowly walked into the water together.

"Oh I am already glad that we did this" Ellie said as soon as the water reached her belly.

"Helping with the aches?" Bucky asked.

"And the water is just the right temperature" Ellie told him as Steve swam over by them.

"This was a great idea" Steve said as he floated past them.

Bucky pulled Ellie into his arms and Ellie put her arms around his neck, letting the water push them together, "Did the house have a pool?"

Ellie grinned, "An indoor one"

"Sweet" Bucky said as he leaned down and kissed her.

* * *

"I am so tired, I think I am just going to go take a shower and curl up in bed" Ellie said as they climbed out of the car at the palace.

Bucky put his hand on the door and it unlocked the palace door.

"Seriously… you may need to carry me upstairs" Ellie said as she yawned.

"There is an elevator you know" Natasha told her.

"Shit really?" Ellie asked.

Natasha laughed, "Yeah, this way"

Natasha led them all to the elevator and hit the button for the apartment floor.

"Shit… why did I never know about this?" Ellie asked as she leaned back against the wall.

Bucky looked up as the lights flickered, "That's probably why we have never used it"

Ellie let out a breath, "I'm just tired, so it's harder to control it"

The doors open and they walked down the hallway to the apartments and Natasha unlocked the door.

"First dibs on the-"

"Surprise!" Shuri yelled as she jumped up from the couch.

Slowly, Ramonda, T'Challa, Sam and Wanda appeared from behind the couches.

"It's not much but I wanted you both to have a baby shower" Shuri told her.

Ellie started crying then walked over to her to hug her.

"Thank you" Ellie told her as she sobbed on her shoulder.

Shuri patted her back, "I'm just glad I could help. I know you were worrying about not having things sis"

Ellie wiped her eyes as she stepped back, "Just a bit"

"Okay guests of honor, have a seat" Shuri said taking Ellie and Natasha's hands and leading them over to the two recliners.

Ellie sat down and looked over at Natasha, "Did you have any clue?"

Natasha shook her head, "No"

"I hope you are both hungry" Shuri told them, "The chef is making-"

Shuri frowned as the doors opened and Nakia walked in, "What are you…I see you got the invitation but you are late Mr. Stark"

"I had to pick up an extra present and it was a little hard to get it out of the country" Tony said as he and Pepper walked into the room.

"And what is it a pony?" Natasha said sarcastically.

"I don't know, I think I'm a little better" Clint said as he entered the room with Laura behind him.

Natasha got up and hurried over to Laura then hugged her.

"I guess I am chopped liver" Clint said as he walked over, "Cap"

"Clint" Steve said shaking his hand, "Glad to see you. Is the house arrest over?"

Tony scoffed, "They've never actually checked on him so I put one of my life model decoys that I have been tinkering with in their house with the ankle monitor. They will be none the wiser"

"It's only a short trip but when Tony contacted us… I wanted to come" Laura told Natasha as she stepped back and looked at her, "Look at you"

"I know, hard to believe isn't it?" Natasha told her with a smile as she looked at Clint, "Hey Clint"

"Come here" Clint said as he pulled her into a hug, "God I never thought our lives were going to turn out this way kiddo… when I saved you from that place"

Natasha buried her face in his shoulder trying to block the sobs from showing.

"God, are you crying on me?" Clint asked with a laugh.

"It's the hormones" Natasha told him.

"Clint, there is someone I'd like you to meet" Steve told him as he looked at Ellie.

"Shit let me get up" Ellie said as she struggled to stand.

Clint laughed as Bucky helped her up, "So is that where your anti-language thing comes from? Your little sister was a sailor?"

"Don't let his ass fool you. Steve can swear with the rest of us when he wants to" Ellie said as she held her hand out, "Ellie Barnes"

"Clint Barton, Cap… she definitely got the looks in the family" Clint teased.

Bucky grinned, "I like you Clint, glad to see you again"

"So when is your baby due?" Clint asked.

Ellie yawned, "Sorry, mid-November or literally anytime"

Wanda walked over to them, "Hello Clint"

Clint smiled, "Wanda… I'm so glad you are okay"

Wanda hugged him, "Thank you"

"Laura honey, this is Wanda" Clint said with a smile.

Laura smiled at her, "My husband really cares about you"

"He's a special person" Wanda said, "He saved my life. Pietro knew he was a good man. He wouldn't have given his life for him if he didn't think so"

"I hope everyone is hungry. Our chef made some classic American food. Hamburgers, hot dogs, fries and lots of cookies for dessert" Shuri told everyone, "After we can eat, presents!"

* * *

After a dinner of hamburgers and hot dogs with all the fixings, they sat down in their recliners and received presents from everyone in the room. T'Challa and Nakia had the furniture brought in for not only Grant's room but Steve and Nat's baby girl as well. Ramonda also purchased a car seat and stroller set for both couples.

"Thank god, at least he will be safe when you drive now" Bucky had joked causing Ellie to hit him with a rattle that Clint had brought for Natasha. Clint and Laura had also brought all their remaining baby items from Lila and Nate, their two youngest children for Ellie and Natasha to share.

Sam had purchased baby clothes and diapers. He had even ordered little onesies that said 'My daddy is my superhero'. Shuri went crazy with baby wardrobe and linens for all the baby furniture. Wanda purchased a bassinet for each baby to sleep in besides their beds.

Tony and Pepper brought baby swings, high chairs, lots of diapers and Tony's input of tablets for each baby.

"Tony, babies don't use tablets" Natasha told him.

"It's the latest Stark Tech. They can control it by their eyes" Tony told them.

"Babies shouldn't be viewing screens until about 2 years old" Natasha told him.

The door opened to the apartments and Okoye walked in, "My king there is a visitor"

T'Challa stood up, "Who is…" He said as Nick Fury walked into the room.

"Fury, you son of a bitch, how'd you know we were all here?" Tony asked standing up.

"I didn't… I came to talk to the Barnes" Fury told them looking at everyone in the room.

Everyone glanced over at Ellie and Bucky.

Bucky stood up, "You found the information?"

Fury nodded, "Want to go somewhere to discuss my findings?"

Ellie looked around at the people in the room, "No… these people are the people in our family. It's okay if they know"

Fury sighed, "You're not going to like it"

Ellie sighed, "I had a feeling I wouldn't. Did he know?" Ellie asked, "Please tell me he didn't know"

"He knew that the Tesseract had sustainable energy and that Hydra used it to power their weapons" Fury said as he handed her a file.

Ellie sat down to read it.

"Howard?" Steve asked looking between Fury and his sister.

Tony frowned, "My dad?"

Ellie sighed as she looked at Fury, "Did you find anything about him using in the Phoenix project?"

"Page 23" Fury told her, "Instead of using the power grid, he found a way to funnel the energy from the Tesseract into the device that he and Reinstein used to… make you"

"Wait, what?" Tony asked looking at Ellie.

Ellie pinched her nose, "When your father and Reinstein gave me their super soldier serum, they experimented with using… electrocution basically to… jump start the serum. With Steve they used radiation from vita-rays and Nitramene to enhance him. With me they… well… Dr. Reinstein put electrodes all over my body and shocked all my muscle groups to… jump start the serum. I think it is why I have powers"

"You have powers?" Clint asked.

"Yes…" Ellie said as she held out her hand and sparks danced between her fingers, "I'd show you all of them but… I can't. They are currently out of commission until Grant is born. I can also see more than the average person and my sight changes basically to night vision at night. I can persuade people really easily into doing what I want and… I can shatter glass with my screams"

"And she can fly" Wanda said as she crossed her arms over her chest, "That would make sense… if your powers were given to you by the Tesseract… mine were given to me by the Mind Stone. That's why they are similar"

"You don't have photon blasts do you?" Fury asked.

"Photon what?" Ellie asked looking at him confused.

"I just… I met someone before that was…. affected by the Tesseract. She could shoot power blasts from her hands and fly too" Fury told her.

"Is she around here? Could I talk to her?" Ellie asked interested.

"She isn't from around here per say. She is actually in space" Fury told her.

"Wait she lives in outer space? Is she an alien?" Ellie asked surprised.

"No, she is a former air force pilot" Fury told her.

Ellie frowned, "Lawson?"

Fury froze, "You know who Wendy Lawson was?"

"Yeah, she was the head of Project Pegasus" Ellie told him, "I helped Howard and her on it before I left California in 1987"

"Well shit, did you know Captain Danvers?" Fury asked.

"I don't think so. I was working strictly on the Tesseract with Howard and Lawson, and how to use it for energy. There weren't many women allowed to work on the project and even less women were allowed to fly the planes. Lawson was the only woman at the time that was allowed. I'd never flown a plane before. So I was strictly kept behind the scenes" Ellie told him, "But you know about Project Pegasus?"

"Yes… a good bit" Fury told her, "So you were part of it?"

"Only for a short time. Howard brought me in because of my powers. Lawson was trying to create an engine for the fighter jets so they would go higher-"

"Further, faster" Fury finished and Ellie nodded, "Did they have it when you were there?"

"No, just the plans but I could never read her notes because they were in another language that I didn't know" Ellie told him.

"She was Kree" Fury told Ellie, "An Alien from another planet"

"You met an alien? Before all of us?" Bucky asked surprised.

"What? She looked human" Ellie said shocked, "Wait… she was?"

"She was killed in 89 by some of her fellow Kree" Fury told her sadly, "The Kree were at war and she was not on their side of the war. She was on the right side and they killed her because of it. Also they wanted the Tesseract"

"Poor Lawson" Ellie said shaking her head.

* * *

Later that night around midnight, Bucky rolled over in bed expecting to find Ellie next to him and instead found an empty space next to him. Pushing the covers off, he got out of bed and walked out of their bedroom. Walking into the hallway, he heard squeaking coming from the bedroom that they were making into the nursery.

Pushing open the door, he saw Ellie rocking in the rocking chair with her hands resting on her belly.

"Why aren't you asleep?" Bucky asked leaning against the doorway.

Ellie sniffed as she opened her eyes, "I can't… sleep. I'm timing contractions"

"Shit" Bucky said as he walked over to her and knelt down next to her, "How often?"

"Inconsistent. So I think they are just Braxton Hicks. They are just uncomfortable. Feel" Ellie said as she placed his hand on her belly.

Bucky felt as her belly hardened and got taut, "How long ago was the last one?"

"Five minutes, it was 8 minutes then 3 minutes between the last three. They just actually are uncomfortable this time and they are taking my breath away" Ellie told him, "But not painful. Nalia said the real ones would be uncomfortable and painful"

Bucky sat in front of her and rested his head on her belly, "I wish I could take over for you"

Ellie ran her fingers through his hair and smiled, "I know you do but… it's not possible that way"

Bucky turned his head and grinned, "I'm sure Shuri could figure out a way"

"Well that is probably true" Ellie told him as she laid her head back against the chair, "I probably did too much today"

"I can guarantee you did. Come on, let's go get you some fluids and see if they stop" Bucky said as he stood up then helped her up.

Ellie glanced around the empty nursery that had boxes of furniture around it, "We have a lot to work on"

* * *

a/n3: Thank you for reading! Please review and let me know what you think!

Onto the reviews:

 **Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967: Thank you for reading and reviewing again!**

 **Guest: More to come on the "timey wimey" stuff**

 **Gingin1975: She will have some peace of mind soon. Grant will be here soon!**

* * *

Sneak peek of Chapter 52- You and Me:

"Ooh" Ellie said as it took her breath away and she grabbed his leg.

"What?" Bucky asked as he looked over at her.

"Contraction" Ellie told him as it ended, "That was a hard one"

"Do you think it was a real one?" Bucky asked glancing at Natasha, who pulled out her phone.


	52. Chapter 52 - You and Me

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 _ **A/n2:**_ **Hello everyone! In honor of Chris Evans belated birthday I present you Chapter 52- You and Me! Really quickly I'd like to thank the new followers to this story: Ithilya, StillDreamingOn, Army-X-7 and Acenake! Please remember to review after you read so I know if you like it or if people are actually reading this! Thanks!**

* * *

 **There's something about you now  
I can't quite figure out  
Everything she does is beautiful  
Everything she does is right**

 **'Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do  
Nothing to lose  
And it's you and me and all of the people  
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you**

 **~You and Me by Lifehouse**

* * *

 ***~*~* October 20, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

"Well good news, he hasn't grown more than he should have since last week but he is still tracking at 38 weeks. He could come at any time" Nalia told them as Bucky helped Ellie sit up, "But his head is low, your cervix is thinning but it's not dilating. You are also group B negative so everything is looking good"

"How long in your professional opinion until he is here?" Bucky asked.

"Well… we will keep monitoring him. It is up to him but if he doesn't come by your due date, we will have to definitely sit down and discuss things. But that is a whole month away" Nalia told them.

"What things do we need to look for? To know it's actually time. She's been having Braxton Hicks a lot and I just want to make sure we know what else to expect" Bucky told her.

"Well when he drops, it will soon be time. He is low but when you start dilating his head will drop lower and you will suddenly be able to breathe better" Nalia told Ellie, "But downside to that… more trips to the bathroom"

"Great, I'll just live in there. Turn the bathtub into a bed" Ellie groaned.

"There is also something called the bloody show, it's just bloody discharge that is basically the seal about to be broke before your water breaks" Nalia told them.

"So water breaking is the ultimate sign right?" Bucky asked.

"Yes but it's clear fluid and if you start leaking anything else, call me immediately or if its bloody when your water breaks" Nalia told them, "But the number one thing is monitoring the contractions. First they will start out really far apart and uncomfortable, and then they will get shorter. When they are five minutes apart for two hours and harder to stand, I want you to call me. They will also get stronger. First contractions are typically felt in your back, and then they will start moving around to your belly"

Ellie let out a breath, "He better come soon. I feel huge as a house"

"Well keep in mind; we don't want to rush him either. Longer a baby is in the womb the better, better development and less chances of something being wrong. I am not trying to freak you out and everything has been looking perfect but, he is a nephew of Steve. Steve has told me all the issues he had, plus we still don't know what the serums could do to him until he is here" Nalia told them as she took in their concerned faces, "But everything looks positive. I don't actually see anything to be concerned with but… it's better to go into this thinking of what might be then be surprised if he comes out with lung issues. But I am giving you some homework. I want you to head back to the palace and relax. Can you do that?"

Ellie nodded.

"And start staying off your feet more. You have two super soldiers at the ready. I am sure that anything you need they can get for you" Nalia said as she looked at Bucky who nodded, "Now get out of here and hopefully next week I'll have some good news and you will be dilating"

Bucky helped her off the table and helped her put her sweater on.

"Thank you Nalia" Ellie told her.

"Not a problem" Nalia said as she left the room.

Bucky let out a breath, "less than a month"

"Less than a month from now, we will be holding him in our arms" Ellie told him shaking her head, "I can't believe it"

* * *

Natasha looked up as they entered the common area, "How'd it go?"

"Less than a month away but he could come at any time" Ellie said as she sat on the recliner, "I am to drink more, rest more and stay off my feet as much as possible. Did Steve already leave?"

"Oh yeah, he left around 7 this morning" Natasha told her, "Fury said it couldn't wait. Wanda and Sam went with him"

Ellie sat on the couch and Bucky helped her put the recliner up, "Thanks babe"

Bucky leaned down and kissed her, "I'm going to go see what help T'Challa needs with the outskirts. There was an issue earlier this morning with a group"

"Be careful" Ellie told him.

"Always" Bucky said as he left.

Ellie groaned as soon as she heard the door close, "God I'm exhausted"

"Didn't sleep well?" Natasha asked.

Ellie shook her head, "I swear he was head butting my bladder all night"

"Why don't we go to that spa that Shuri is always talking about?" Natasha asked her sitting up, "Get our hair done, nails, facials, massages?"

"The massage part sounds good. But I think we have to ask Nalia about it. When I used my certificate from before I had to get permission from her" Ellie told Natasha, "And that would be relaxing"

"No problem with that" Natasha said as she pulled her phone out and called Nalia's number.

"Hello Natasha" Nalia answered.

"Nalia I am sorry to bother you but Ellie and I have a quick question, we wanted to go to the spa that Shuri told us about. Do you think massages would be okay?" Natasha asked her looking at Ellie.

"Well obviously they will be able to know you are pregnant so they will know what precautions to use but make sure to ask for a maternity certified masseuse" Nalia told her.

"Great, thank you Nalia" Natasha said.

"No problem, I'm glad you are doing this. Ellie needs to relax a bit. Maybe this will help her sleep better tonight" Nalia told her, "Thanks for calling"

"Bye" Natasha said as she hung up, "Now they better have an opening for us now that I've gotten myself psyched up about it"

Ellie laughed then groaned, "Great I have to pee"

* * *

Ellie sat in the chair at the salon after her massage and rolled her eyes over to look at Natasha, "You are a genius my friend"

Natasha laughed, "Why do you say that?"

"My body feels amazing and like jello" Ellie told her as she looked at the nail artist, "Just a simple French manicure"

"Let's do this at least once a month" Natasha told her, "Wanda and Shuri can come with us"

"It's going to be harder next month. I'll have a baby attached to me most of the time" Ellie told her.

"When are you due?" The nail artist asked.

"I'm 36 weeks but he could come at any time" Ellie told her as the lady took Ellie's hand in hers and started massaging some cream onto it, "Hold on let me take my rings off"

Ellie tried to take her rings off and they wouldn't budge, "Frickin A"

Natasha laughed, "Fingers swollen?"

"Well they are pretty old. Most people have to get theirs resized eventually. My engagement ring is my mother's ring" Ellie told her as she finally wiggled it off, "Finally… now I won't be able to get them back on"

"Those are your mother's?" Natasha asked.

"Yeah. Dad gave this ring to Mom back when they got married in… 1913. Then Dad went off in the War. Mom stayed in New York, working and holding the house together until Steve was born. Then Steve was born... they weren't expecting me a little over a year later" Ellie told her with a smile, "Momma always said I was their unexpected miracle. After Steve's health issues, they weren't planning on having another. Then they had me. Poor Mom…" Ellie said shaking her head, "I don't remember much about Dad, but he was suffering from the effects of mustard gas from the war and… was always sick. Then Steve was always sick but… it was rare that I was sick. We had so many… close calls with Steve. So many times that I thought… this is it… I'm going to lose him, you know?"

The nail artist handed her a tissue and Ellie laughed a watery laugh, "Thanks"

"We lost Dad when I was… five years old. He… he wasn't around much though. Between working and… self medicating" Ellie said looking at the table then at Natasha, "Dad was an alcoholic. Did Steve ever tell you that?"

"No" Natasha said shaking her head, "In fact he really doesn't talk about him at all"

"Well Steve remembers more than I do. Dad spent time with him. I mean, no marriage is perfect and no one is perfect but… Dad was hard on Steve. I know his health wasn't the best and the drinking on top of it… Steve couldn't ever do anything right. We lived in Manhattan then. I don't remember that much" Ellie told her, "But I do remember Mom crying… a lot and he would…he called it spanking but he hit Steve a lot. I do remember that. Steve climbing in bed with me just… sobbing. At five, I didn't understand"

"So it's always been the two of you?" Natasha asked.

"We didn't have friends then… we didn't leave the house. We went to school then came home" Ellie sighed, "Then Dad died of the flu… we moved to Brooklyn because it was cheaper and Mom started a job at the hospital. Steve and I were left in care of the neighbor but… it was more me. Steve used to get so mad at me asking why I was trying to be Mom but… I had to. Mom wasn't there and Steve was so sick all the time. Thank god for Bucky" Ellie said with a watery laugh, "When we ran into him… Steve always was so big for his britches"

"He said that Bucky had to pull him out of a lot of fights throughout the years" Natasha said.

"He didn't like seeing people being hurt, physically or mentally. It probably was because of Dad… but at the same time, he wanted to be like Dad. We heard the stories from Dad's friends about his he was during the war. He was a hero. He got the Purple Heart. But we saw the other side of him. Steve ignored that part of him. He chose to see the hero instead" Ellie told her with a smile as the nail artist finished her left hand, "I totally got off subject didn't I? Anyways Mom was sick and knew before we did that Bucky and I would end up together… so she must have talked to Steve and he… he didn't expect to live long enough to have a relationship so he told Mom to give her ring to me, so she gave it to Bucky. We weren't even dating at the time"

She picked her ring up with her left hand, "It's simple and a little tarnished but… it's Mom's… and I wouldn't have any other"

* * *

Bucky walked into the apartments and glanced into the common room, "Hello?" he said out loud when he heard nothing and saw no one.

Kicking his shoes off, he walked back to their apartment and unlocked the door. Walking quietly back to the bedroom, in case she was asleep, he pushed open their bedroom door and almost laughed as he saw Ellie and Natasha sprawled out on the bed asleep.

Quietly walking over to the bedside table, he grabbed Ellie's phone and took a picture of them and sent it to Steve, 'See what you are missing. Guess its group sleepover night'

He went to set her phone down and it immediately went off.

 **Steve:** LOL where you going to sleep?

Bucky laughed and replied, 'Natasha better get lost or move over because I've been dealing with stuff with T'Challa all day'

Nearly immediately there was a reply, **Steve:** She wakes up as soon as she feels the bed move.

Bucky shook his head, 'Now go do work. I am holding down the fort here'

Setting Ellie's phone down, he stripped down to his boxers then pulled the covers back so he could slip in next to Ellie.

She sighed and opened her eyes, "What time is it?"

"10pm" Bucky told her pulling her to him, "I was with T'Challa all day. What did you two do?"

"We went and got massages, our hair and nails done. I feel amazing. We came back here to watch movies and never moved" Ellie told him as he kissed her.

"Don't you two dare start fucking with me in this bed with you" Natasha said from the other side of the bed.

Bucky laughed, "We wouldn't do that"

Ellie grinned, "Nothing you haven't seen before" She told Natasha as she smirked at Bucky.

Bucky looked at her in disbelief, "Seriously?!"

"What? Natasha and I have tried on clothes together, we've seen each other naked and obviously she's seen you" Ellie said.

Natasha looked at her, "Are you seriously basically just joking about a three way?"

"Hell no, love you Natasha but nothing like that. Just stating a fact" Ellie said.

"No offense Bucky but you were always dirty and gross back then" Natasha told him.

"They didn't let me bathe. All they would do was strip me down and hose me down with a hose" Bucky told her.

"Seriously?" Natasha asked as Ellie buried her face in his chest.

"Yeah but we're away from them" Bucky said rubbing Ellie's back, "Now let's all get some sleep. I don't care if we all are in this bed. I'm just tired"

"Fine. Just shut up Barnes" Natasha told him rolling over on the other side of the bed.

"Never thought that there would be five people in this bed" Ellie said.

Bucky kissed then nipped her ear, "We need a much bigger bed in the new house"

Ellie grinned, "You, me, Grant and more to come?"

"Hell yes" Bucky said as he kissed her again.

* * *

 ***~*~* October 27, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Bucky walked into their apartment after spending the morning in the fields with the goats, "El?"

"In the nursery!" Ellie called.

Bucky stopped at the bedroom before theirs and looked in to see Ellie rocking in the rocking chair as she stared out the window, "The window is new"

Ellie looked at him, "Shuri had it installed. She said the baby needed to be able to see the world. She hooked a camera or something up outside our room so it is projecting that view"

He leaned down and kissed her then kissed the top of her belly, "How are you feeling?"

She yawned, "Its 2:30 and I feel like I ran for miles. I was doing that nesting thing all morning. Everything is cleaned, all his clothes are washed"

"You need to take it easy Angel" Bucky said as he sat next to her and rested his head on her leg.

Ellie ran her fingers through his hair, "I know but… it's just hard for me. I had the energy so I thought I was good"

"Well how about we go take a bath then take a nap" Bucky suggested.

"Bath for sure, because you stink" Ellie said as he got up then helped her stand.

"I stink? Really?" Bucky joked as he picked her up.

"Bucky! Put me down!" Ellie told him.

"Nah honey, I'm sweeping you off your feet" Bucky told her as he carried her into their bedroom.

Ellie pulled his head down to hers, "You do that to me every day" She said as she kissed him.

* * *

Later that day they sat in the common room and were watching TV with Natasha, when Ellie felt a Braxton Hicks contraction.

"Ooh" Ellie said as it took her breath away and she grabbed his leg.

"What?" Bucky asked as he looked over at her.

"Contraction" Ellie told him as it ended, "That was a hard one"

"Do you think it was a real one?" Bucky asked glancing at Natasha, who pulled out her phone.

"I don't think so. It felt like the others… just more intense. Can you get me some water?" Ellie asked.

Bucky jumped up to get her a bottle of water and came back with two, "You haven't drank much today"

"I know but… I felt la…lazy" Ellie drawled as she opened the bottle and took a drink then looked at him out of the corner of her eye, "Stop looking at me like that. I'm not going to pop him out here on this couch"

Bucky sighed, "I know"

"Relax… this is not…hmmm" Ellie said as she squeezed the bottle and water splashed out.

Bucky jumped up and knelt in front of her, "That was another one wasn't it?"

"Yeah but it's already gone. I think they are gas pains" Ellie told him.

"That was six minutes apart" Natasha told her showing her the timer on her phone.

"See too quick apart for beginning labor. It's just gas. Here help me up. Nalia said that Braxton Hicks go away by walking around too" Ellie told him.

Bucky helped her up.

"Thanks, I think I am going to go walk down to the store. I want some ice cream. Want to come with me?" Ellie asked.

"Ice cream sounds amazing. Can I come with?" Natasha asked as she got up.

"Sure" Ellie said as she grabbed her belly, "See another one. Let's walk"

"That was only 3 minutes but seemed to last for a really short time" Natasha told her.

"You are worry about nothing" Ellie said as she burped, "See… phew… that was awful"

"Pretty bad when you nearly gas yourself out" Bucky teased.

Ellie looked at him, "You are one to talk"

"Now you two, we don't need to start a fight" Natasha said with a smile, "Let's go get that ice cream. Now that you mentioned it I'm hungry for it"

* * *

Ellie was lying in bed, finally had fallen asleep, with Bucky fast asleep beside her, when her phone went off.

Reaching over, she swatted at it to silence it, and then tried to fall back asleep as it went off again.

"What in the hell do you want?" Ellie asked grabbing it.

"You okay?" Steve asked.

Ellie sighed, "Yes, Steve… I'm tired and all I want to do is sleep"

"Nat said you were having contractions" Steve replied.

"Fuck, Steve they stopped. Now leave me alone and let me sleep. You will be the first to know if he starts coming. Hopefully you'll be home first" Ellie told him as she hung up and threw her phone on the bedside table.

Bucky pulled her closer in his sleep and Ellie tried to close her eyes.

Sighing she grabbed her phone and called Steve.

"Yeah?"

"I love you, you annoying little shit" Ellie told him.

Steve chuckled on the other line, "I love you too and I'm not the little one"

"Whatever, when are you coming home?" Ellie asked as Bucky let out a loud snore.

Steve sighed, "Hopefully sooner than later. Not really getting the results of this mission that we wanted"

"Just be careful okay?" Ellie told him.

"You know me-"

"Really, you can't pull that one on me" Ellie told him with a grin as Bucky snored and coughed waking himself up.

"You got all the jokes. Go to sleep. I love you" Steve told her.

"I love you too" Ellie said as she hung up and set her phone on the table.

Bucky sighed and pulled her back to him again, "Steve?"

"Yep" Ellie said, "Nat must have texted him when I was having contractions and he wanted to know if they stopped. I hope he is home when Grant comes. I want him there even if he isn't in the room with us"

Bucky kissed her shoulder, "He will do everything in his power to be there knowing Steve"

* * *

a/n3: We are coming up on the one year anniversary of me starting this story. Never when I started jotting down ideas in a Niagara Falls hotel room, did I think it would go this far. Thank you to everyone who reads this story and especially to those who review!

 **Tuckerjnp1: Captain Marvel won't really affect the grand scheme of things, it just helped to bridge one of the ideas I had for her powers.**

 **Gingin1975: Thank you! I love Bucky and Ellie together and Grant will be here soon!**

 **Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967: Thank you!**

* * *

 ** _Sneak peek of Chapter 53: Pistol Packing Momma_**

Out of the corner of her vision, the wall caught her eye as it started to glow then a circle appeared. When a head started to appear next, Ellie reached into the table next to her and quickly grabbed the Glock pistol that Natasha kept stored around the common areas.

Before the being could emerge past their shoulders, she had the Glock aimed and was struggling to stand.

The being fully emerged from the wall with their hands up as they floated multiple inches above the floor, "I mean no harm"

"Who the hell are you?!" She yelled.


	53. Chapter 53 - Pistol Packing Mama

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 _ **A/n2: Thank you to the new followers: PrettyRecklessLaura, miss-beauty-world, , .girl-96, AstaStyx, Ange1ofD3m0ns and Grace 2296!**_

* * *

 **Oh, lay that pistol down, babe  
Lay that pistol down  
Pistol packing mama  
Lay that thing down  
Before it goes off  
And hurts somebody**

 **~Pistol Packing Mama by Bing Crosby**

* * *

 ***~*~* November 3, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Bucky woke up early in the morning and reached over to find the bed empty. Stretching, he pulled himself out of bed and put his feel down onto the plush carpet. Looking down as the carpet fibers surrounded his feet and toes; he remembered the conversation Ellie had with him as she brought in the said carpet.

 _Bucky looked up as Ellie carried a long rolled up object into their apartment. He jumped up off the couch and grabbed it from her, "What is this?"_

" _Wanda and I went shopping and this store had this carpet… it was so soft. It was like touching a cloud. So I thought it could go in the bedroom and we could put it under the bed so when we get out of bed, that it will be like stepping onto a cloud" Ellie told him as she led him into the room then started to take the plastic off, "The measurement should cover a foot in each direction of the bed"_

 _Bucky watched as Ellie lifted the bed up as if it were nothing, "You shouldn't be lifting that" He said as he tried to quickly put the carpet out._

" _I'm fine. This isn't that heavy" Ellie said as she sat it down after Bucky had finished then kicked off her shoes._

 _She sat on the bed and sunk her feet in the carpet, "Oh it's like heaven"_

 _Bucky kicked his own shoes off, and then sat on his side of the bed, "Okay… you are right"_

 _Ellie laid back on one side of the bed and Bucky laid back on the other side so their heads met each other in the middle, "Can we do this?"_

" _What?" Bucky asked._

" _Raise a kid… in this environment" Ellie asked looking at the ceiling._

" _Angel, our parents raised us in way shittier conditions than this" Bucky told her as he kissed her temple, "Sickness won't be a problem; if it comes… there is medicine. Money… not a problem. Your father died and left your mother alone… I will never do that"_

 _Ellie sighed as she rolled over and looked at him, "I know… I just… I worry"_

" _Understandable" Bucky said as he kissed her._

" _Kissing upside down isn't comfortable" Ellie said as she swung her body to straddle him._

 _Bucky stared up at her and ran his hand through her hair, "You are so beautiful you know that?"_

" _Yeah but I can always use some reminding" She told him with a grin._

Bucky stood up and walked out of the bedroom, "Angel?"

Frowning when she did not reply, he looked into Grant's room to see she was not there. He walked out of their apartment and down the hall to the communal area and found her on the recliner, sound asleep with the windows wide open.

Grabbing a blanket that was on the back of the couch he put it over top of her.

"No don't" Ellie mumbled pushing him away, "I came out here because I got too hot. I didn't want to freeze you out"

"Was I on top of you too much?" Bucky asked.

"Between the sheets, our shared body heat and the fact our room felt like an oven… it was too hot. No one was out here so I just opened the windows and got comfortable" Ellie told him as she looked around, "What time is it?"

"A little after 6" Bucky told her sitting on the couch.

"Do you think the bakery is open?" Ellie asked shifting in her seat.

"Why?" Bucky asked as he turned the TV on.

"I'm craving a doughnut" Ellie told him.

Bucky looked over at her, "Is this your way of asking me to go out and get you a doughnut?"

"Pleasseee" Ellie begged, "With lots of chocolate icing if possible"

Bucky shook his head, "Fine"

Ellie watched him get up and put his shoes on, "Bucky?"

"Yeah" Bucky said as he walked over to her.

"Thank you, I love you" Ellie told him as she smiled at him.

"I love you too" Bucky said as he kissed her, "I'll be right back"

Ellie watched as he slid his feet into his shoes without tying them and shook his head as he left with his shoelaces dragging the floor behind him, "Your Daddy is special little one"

She smiled as Grant's little hand imprinted against her stomach as if reaching for her hand, "I know baby boy… I don't want him to leave either but momma is craving some sugar. Your daddy didn't give me enough last night"

Out of the corner of her vision, the wall caught her eye as it started to glow then a circle appeared. When a head started to appear next, Ellie reached into the table next to her and quickly grabbed the Glock pistol that Natasha kept stored around the common areas.

Before the being could emerge past their shoulders, she had the Glock aimed and was struggling to stand.

The being fully emerged from the wall with their hands up as they floated multiple inches above the floor, "I mean no harm"

"Who the hell are you?!" She yelled.

The being, set foot on the floor and their appearance changed to that of a human man, "I am Vision…and I do not know who you are"

"Vision? Wanda's Vision?" Ellie asked confused as Wanda ran into the room to see Ellie still pointing the Glock at Vision.

"Ellie, this is Vision… Vis this is Ellie Rogers-Barnes" Wanda said as she got between them.

Vision looked at her curious, "I don't recall any information on you"

"Because she was hidden in the records. Only thing you'd find is her being Damed" Wanda told him as Ellie lowered the Glock.

The front door opened and Steve walked in, "Vision, when I said to go ahead and head up while I finished talking to T'Challa I meant through the door"

"I'm sorry Captain" Vision told him as he looked at Ellie, "I have met your sister"

"Scared the shit out of me, more like it. God now I have to pee" Ellie said as she moved around the recliner.

"Where is Buck?" Steve asked.

"Getting me a doughnut. The baby is hungry" Ellie told him as she walked off to the bathroom and saw Natasha coming out of their apartment then handed her the Glock, "Steve is back"

Natasha walked past her into the common area and walked over to Steve. He held out his arms and she let him pull her into a hug and gave him a kiss, "You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah just tired but glad to have you home" Natasha said as she kissed him again.

Steve placed his hand on her belly and smiled as the baby kicked his hand, "Hey baby girl, Daddy is home"

"Congratulations Captain Rogers, Miss Romanoff" Vision said as Ellie came back into the seating area and he looked over at her as she walked over to the recliner.

Ellie watched Vision as he used his two feet and walked closer to her. He looked at her and Ellie glanced at Steve as Vision stared at her.

"Vis, what is it?" Wanda asked looking at him and Ellie.

Vision stared at Ellie closely as he moved to stand right in front of her, "I sense… something… unusual in you… within you…. And your presence. It is something… strong"

Wanda glanced at Ellie, then at Steve, "Vis… what exactly do you sense?"

"Strength and… power…. Power similar to this" Vision said as he pointed to his forehead and the jewel appeared on his forehead, "But different at the same time"

Ellie held out her hand and sparks danced across the finger tips, "On a good day… it's a little more powerful"

Vision cocked his head, "You have powers" He stated looking at Steve.

"Thanks to the Tesseract" Ellie told him.

"I sense its power. This is the first time that I have sensed another Infinity Stone" Vision told them, "It calls to me"

"The stone isn't here" Ellie told him, "I just… was powered by it"

"But…energy flows through your veins" Vision told her, "It's a curious thing but… something is dampening it"

"My son… he… has shielding powers" Ellie told him, "Somehow… and because of him my powers aren't working the way they should" She told him with a shrug, "I have no clue how this all started so I don't understand my powers"

The front door opened, "Angel, they didn't have… whoa everyone is up…" Bucky said as he looked at Vision, "Who is that?"

"Sergeant Barnes" Vision said as he walked over to him.

"Who are you?" Bucky asked.

"Buck, this is Vision" Steve told him.

Bucky looked at Steve, "Wait… the computer guy that Stark made?"

"Artificial intelligence" Steve told him.

"The technical name for me is an Android" Vision told him, "I was created by Mr. Stark and Doctor Banner with the Mind Stone and their processes as well as by Ultron"

Ellie marched over to him, "Give me the doughnuts… I need it"

Bucky handed the box to her and just stared at Vision, "He's a machine? He looks different than he did in Berlin"

"We're not in the 40s anymore babe" Ellie said as she opened the box, "Oh god… cream sticks" She said as she bit into one, "Mmmmm"

Sam's nose scrunched up as he walked in the room, "Eww… I've heard that noise way too much"

Ellie and Bucky turned and glared at him.

* * *

Sighing, Ellie sat down in her new favorite spot in the world. Outside on the balcony of their bedroom, the breeze was pleasant and took away the harshness from the heat of the day. The canopy over the balcony provided the right amount of cover from the sun as well. She scooted her chair up and tried to put her feet up on the rail of the balcony and fell short.

Groaning in frustration, she moved the chair closer and attempted to put her feet up again only to have the tips of her toes slide down the cool metal.

"Fuck this" Ellie said as she pushed stuff off the small table next to her chair then moved it in front of her seat so she could put her feet up.

"I could have brought out the ottoman" Bucky said.

Ellie glanced back at him to see him leaning against the sliding door, "Asshole did you really stand there watching me struggle with that?"

"What can I say I am a bit of a jerk and I thought it was cute" Bucky told her as he sat down in the other chair.

"Jackass" Ellie said as she laid her head back and closed her eyes, "Listen to those birds"

Bucky smiled as he looked over at her, "Reminds me of our first date"

"Shit… I forgot about that. When we went to the Statue of Liberty" Ellie said as she looked over at him, "When you get cleared, we need to go back"

Bucky reached over and took her hand, "We need to sit down and make a list of all the places we want to go"

"Paris" Ellie told him.

Bucky smiled at her sadly, "We never did get there"

Ellie squeezed his hand, "Valentine's Day… let's go"

"I don't remember much about Valentine's Day but... I would think Valentine's Day would be crazy for Paris" Bucky told her.

"Plus… Nat's due date is around then" Ellie told him, "End of January then"

"Sounds good, plus Grant will be a couple months old by then" Bucky told her, "Go ahead and start planning it"

"God Buck… its really hitting… we are going to be parents literally any day now" Ellie told him.

"Do you think he'll come any day now or longer?" Bucky asked.

"Well between the hot flashes, the back and hip pain and the fact that I can't put shoes on anymore… I'd hope so" Ellie told him as she closed her eyes.

She must have drifted off when she heard familiar harp chords from the past. Ellie smiled as Frank Sinatra's first song with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra started playing.

Bucky walked back over to her, "May I have this dance?"

Ellie took his hand and let him pull her up as he pulled her close to him and they started swaying back and forth to the music, "You always know how to put me in a good mood you know that?"

Bucky smiled, "It's not hard. A little Frank Sinatra and you are good"

Ellie laid her head on his chest and swayed with him to the music, "I wish we could have seen him back in the day"

"It wouldn't have meant the same. Now it's the three of us dancing to his music" Bucky told her as he kissed the top of her head, "But I do miss being able to dip you"

"Yeah… don't" Ellie told him as she grinned up at him, "We'd both be on the floor or I'd pull a muscle"

Bucky pulled her under his chin and held her closer as the song changed. Ellie sighed as she felt truly relaxed for the first time in weeks. The tension was gone from her body as she inhaled the scent of Bucky as she was enveloped in his presence.

She stumbled as the song changed to a faster paced Frank Sinatra song called All or Nothing at All and Bucky stared moving faster.

"Either I fell asleep or Shuri's playlist has issues. Didn't expect that switch" Ellie said.

"Who is Shuri?"

Ellie opened her eyes and looked at him as he tried to spin her and she tripped.

"Holy cow, I'm sorry babe" Bucky said as he offered his hand to her, his flesh left hand.

"Shit I did it again… how…I'm so confused" Ellie said as she let him pull her up.

"Did what again?" Bucky asked as he pushed a stray piece of hair out of her eye.

"Nothing" Ellie said as she took him in and put her hand to his perfect unshaven face that had no worry lines, no sign of trauma, "I love you so much Buck"

"Not as much as I love you doll" Bucky said as he kissed her.

Ellie sucked in air as she opened her eyes and looked up at Bucky's concerned face, "Shit…"

"Okay did you pass out or time… jump?" Bucky asked.

"Time jump… shit how do I keep doing that?" Ellie asked as she looked around, "Did I fall to the ground?"

"It was like your legs gave out and you just went ragdoll on me" Bucky told her as he helped her up, "If you didn't wake up in the next couple minutes I was going to get Shuri"

"I just wish I could figure out how to control it" Ellie said frustrated.

"Come on, let's go lie down in bed and relax" Bucky told her.

Ellie grinned, "And soften my cervix a little"

"You make it sound so romantic" Bucky said rolling his eyes.

* * *

 ***~*~* November 6, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Bucky looked around Nalia's office as Ellie settled onto the chair, "I prefer the hospital… is that weird?"

Ellie looked at him, "Why?"

"This place just seems so… sterile. The hospital… it has a homey touch" Bucky told her as he looked at the machines.

"Do the machines bring back bad memories?" Ellie asked.

Bucky sighed as he sat down in the chair next to the window, "No… it's that chair you are in. I know it's not THE chair but it's too close for me and for you to be in it" He said as he put his head in his hands, "I know it sounds crazy"

"No babe, it doesn't. I can't even think or understand what they did to you. I mean… the sheer fact that my powers were engineered to do just that" Ellie said sadly, "It hurts just to think about it"

Bucky looked up at her, "It wasn't your fault El"

"I know… but it wasn't your fault either" Ellie told him, "We were victims of circumstance"

Bucky looked at her with a smile, "Even when people try to break us down, we are too strong to let them. We are strong together"

"We lead a charmed life" Ellie said.

Bucky looked at her, "Charmed? More like Semi-Charmed"

"Everyone thinks we are perfect but we are just a little messed up by nature" Ellie told him.

"No one is perfect Angel" Bucky told her, "If they tell you that they are, they are just lying"

"Knock knock" Nalia said as she walked in the room.

"Hey Nalia" Ellie said with a smile.

"How are you feeling?" Nalia asked as she started to wash her hands.

"Tired, cranky. Ready for him to come" Ellie told her.

"Well let's see if you are dilated then" Nalia said as she moved the chair back and put the foot rests up so Ellie could put her feet in them.

Bucky walked over to her head and kissed her forehead as Nalia put her gloves on.

"Well… no dilation so I don't think he will come this week" Nalia told her.

"Are you serious?!" Ellie said looking down at her.

"Yes, sorry but nothing. We will check again next week but I want to do a quick ultrasound" Nalia told her as she went to wash her hands.

Ellie ran her hand over her face, "So you really think that he won't be coming this week?"

"My professional opinion, no" Nalia said drying her hands, "Typically you'd be dilating a little by now. Typically you dilate an inch or so a week up until 3cm then that is when the real labor starts but… everyone is different. We still don't know how your muscles will act"

Ellie looked at her concerned, "What if I don't dilate?"

"We will cross that bridge when we come to it but you will dilate" Nalia told her, "It's a natural body process. Now let's see how Grant is doing"

Ellie looked at the monitor as Nalia turned it on and ran the wand over her belly.

"Well he hasn't grown much this week, so this is good. He hasn't dropped yet, another sign that he won't be coming this week. See this area here?" Nalia asked pointing to the screen.

Ellie squinted, "What is it?"

"His hair" Nalia told them, "He's going to be born with a full head of hair"

"Guess he will get his hair from me" Bucky said running his hand through his hair that was already chin length.

"He is big enough now that look, we can see him breathing" Nalia pointed out to them as a loud noise was heard, "Well that is a first"

"What was that noise?" Ellie asked.

"He punched the transducer" Nalia told them shaking her head, "He's going to be strong"

* * *

 ***~*~* November 10, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Steve walked into his apartment and kicked off his shoes after his morning run. He went to jump onto the couch to watch some news and nearly sat on Bucky, "Buck…Buck wake up. Why the hell are you on my couch?"

"Because your sister won't leave me alone" Bucky whined covering his eyes with his arm, "All I want to do is sleep"

"Why is she keeping you up?" Steve asked confused.

Bucky uncovered his eyes, "Sex is supposed to bring on labor"

"God Buck… I didn't want to know that" Steve said as he groaned.

"What the fuck! Put the gun down!"

Bucky jumped up as Steve did and they ran out the door to the common area to find Sam in the kitchen, with what looked like a reheated hamburger from the night before.

"Get your crazy sister to put her gun down" Sam told Steve.

"What the hell are you doing?" Steve asked Ellie as he saw Ellie pointing a gun at Sam.

"Telling him to put the burger down or I'll shoot him in the knee. I'm hungry" Ellie told him.

Bucky walked over and took the gun from her, "We need to have a talk to Natasha about her hiding her toys better. You have been gun happy too much lately. First Vision, then threatening to shoot the TV if we changed it, now this… yeah no more guns for you until he comes"

Ellie started crying, "But I'm so hungry!"

"Then how about we go take a nice walk and go to your favorite restaurant?" Bucky asked.

Ellie looked at him suddenly giddy, "Waffles?"

"Yes honey, let's go get you some waffles" Bucky said as he took her hand.

Ellie went to slip her shoes on and started crying.

"What's wrong?" Bucky asked.

"They are too tight" Ellie cried, "My feet are swollen"

"Here, wear these" Bucky said as he took Wanda's sandals and handed them to her.

Ellie slid them on her feet, "We'll have to get some sandals if he isn't going to come soon"

"And when is that?" Sam asked.

Ellie glared at him as Bucky pulled her out of the door.

* * *

Ellie groaned as she pushed herself up out of the recliner.

"What do you need?" Wanda asked as she looked up from her book.

"I'm hungry and I found some Reece cups at the store so I bought out their whole stock and froze them. I…" Ellie said as she opened the freezer, "Wait…" She said as she moved some food around, "Where are my Reece cups!?"

"Were Reece cups even around back in the 40s?" Sam asked Wanda.

Ellie threw a bag of peas at him, "Yes asshole, they weren't as available as they are now especially during the war. Which one of you jackasses took my chocolate?"

"What are you screaming about now?" Steve asked.

"Cap I wouldn't go there" Sam told him as Steve grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.

"Did you eat my Reece Cups?" Ellie asked.

Steve looked at her if she had two heads, "I ate one of them, and I think Bucky ate one last night too"

Ellie slammed the freezer door so hard that Steve had to catch the cookie jar that was on top of the refrigerator as it fell.

"Fuck him, and where the hell is he?" Ellie asked Steve.

"I don't know, am I supposed to know?" Steve asked putting the cookie jar back.

"He was supposed to be back from wherever the hell he went 20 minutes ago" Ellie told him as he saw her bottom lip quiver.

"Maybe the train was running behind" Steve said.

Ellie angrily wiped her tears, "I guess I'll just have to go to this appointment alone"

"I can take you" Steve told her as he glanced at Natasha.

The front door opened up and Bucky walked in, "Is Ellie still here?"

Ellie looked at him as he walked into the kitchen, shaking her head.

Bucky looked at her, "Look at you looking all cute, ready? Our appointment is in 30 minutes"

Ellie looked at him, "So you think I'm cute when I'm angry? Prepare then because I'm about to be fucking gorgeous. Where the hell were you?"

"T'Challa needed help with something… I got back as soon as I could" Bucky said as he noticed her hair was standing on end.

She sighed and shook her head as she wiped away her tears, "I can't depend on you"

Bucky frowned, "El-"

"No… I can't. This isn't the first appointment that you have been late to. What if I can't find you when I go into labor? You weren't there…. I had to do this alone before… I can do it alone now. Steve is going to take me to this appointment and he is going to be there for me for the birth because… he has never let me down" Ellie cried as she left the kitchen.

Bucky stared sadly at her retreating back.

Steve looked at Bucky torn.

"Go" Bucky told him shaking his head, "Go"

"Buck-"

Bucky shook his head as he turned before Steve could see the tear roll down his cheek, "No… go"

Steve glanced at Natasha.

"Go I got this" Natasha told him.

Steve hurried after Ellie.

Natasha watched Bucky walked off to their apartment.

"That was a bit harsh" Sam said shaking his head.

"Trust me; you men have no idea what it feels like to have all these hormones coursing through your body. Until then shut up" Natasha said as she walked down the hallway to Ellie and Bucky's apartment and let herself in.

She saw Bucky at their kitchen pouring himself a glass of Whiskey, "You know a glass that big will probably kill you"

"I just want a buzz. Forewarning, alcohol doesn't work with super serum" Bucky said as he took a drink.

"You know she didn't mean any of that" Natasha told him.

"No, she made it quite clear she did and I know exactly what she meant. She didn't want me to go on that train and I did… and I left her…alone. Then it's my fault that she lost our baby" Bucky said as he took a big drink.

"Bucky… do you really think that?" Natasha asked.

Bucky turned his back as he took another gulp of his whiskey.

Natasha walked over and placed her hand on his arm, "Bucky"

Bucky took a shaky breath and looked at her, "It is my fault"

"No Bucky… it's not. It's Hydra's fault" Natasha told him, "And she knows that. When she calms down, she is going to feel so bad. I tried to stab Steve the other day over taking a drink out of my water bottle… we… there is so many hormones coursing through our bodies that our brains can't handle it. Even a super brain"

Bucky downed the rest of the glass, "I thought I worked through all this"

"It's not something you can just get over. They messed with our bodies and our brains. Used us as play things for their own gains" Natasha told him.

Bucky sighed, "This is supposed to be the happiest time of my life though"

"Then don't let the past affect it. Realize that she doesn't really mean it… she was upset and her rational brain went out the window. It all started over Reece cups. It wasn't really about you being late" Natasha told him.

"Fuck really? Goddamnit, I ate the last one last night but I went out and found somewhere else that had them this morning" Bucky said opening the freezer.

Natasha shook her head as she saw the dozens of Reece cups inside.

* * *

"Ellie! Damnit Ellie" Steve said as he jumped down the last remaining stairs and ran after her out the front door.

He slid to a stop next to her car as she got in.

Ellie wiped her tears, "I'm horrible"

Steve shut the door and the car started moving, "What was that up there El?"

"I don't know" Ellie sobbed, "These words were just coming out of my mouth and it was like I was out of my body. I just blew up. God…I blamed him for losing the baby… I'm horrible. Bucky… he blames himself"

"Buck blames himself for the baby?" Steve asked.

"No… for the circumstances leading up to it" Ellie told him sadly, "Pushing you to let him go on the train, then grabbing that shield when he knew that he didn't really know how to handle it. Then not being strong enough to hold on. And I threw it in his face" Ellie sobbed, "I'm horrible"

* * *

"Your blood pressure is higher than I would like" Nalia told her.

"It's my own fault" Ellie told her sadly, "Bucky and I had a really big fight"

"Big enough that your blood pressure is up to 120/90? Your pressure is usually 90/60" Nalia told her.

"30 points?" Steve asked concerned.

"Yes, and we need it to come down. Most people are 120/80 and so her blood pressure is basically 150/110… I don't like that one bit" Nalia told them, "Let's check if you are dilating"

Ellie wiped her tears as she laid back on the table.

"Well you are dilated" Nalia told her.

"What?!" Ellie said as she looked at Steve scared, "But Bucky isn't here I can't-"

"You are only two centimeters dilated now. Sit up and we are going to check him out by ultrasound, have you felt him moving more downward?" Nalia asked.

"I can breathe easier. I literally ran down the steps earlier" Ellie told her.

"Wait, you were running down the stairs? At the palace?" Nalia asked, "Ellie what if you would have fallen?"

"I know" Ellie sobbed.

Nalia looked at Steve as she got up to wash her hands, "Go get Bucky"

Steve nodded as he left the room.

"Ellie, look at me" Nalia said as Ellie put her head in her hands, "You have to calm down"

"I can't control my brain" Ellie sobbed, "I keep saying these things that I don't want to say but they just come out. Without Grant I'd probably be killing people with my powers"

"Ellie… look at me" Nalia said as she took her hands, "You have to calm down; you are going to make yourself pass out"

Ellie let out a shaky breath, "My brain is just…something feels wrong. It feels like it is on fire"

Nalia glanced over at the heart rate monitor as her pulse skyrocketed up to 115 and climbing, "Ellie you have to-" Nalia said as Ellie's eyes closed then her heart rate bottomed out, "Shit"

Nalia jumped up then looked at the monitor as it slowly climbed again and Ellie's eyes opened.

"Nalia? Oh Nalia! Oh wait… where am I?" Ellie asked looking around as the door opened.

Bucky and Steve hurried in.

"Angel…what happened?" Bucky asked as he took in the confused look on her face.

"Her heart rate just skyrocketed then she passed out. I thought she was coding for a minute but she just woke up… she is confused" Nalia told him.

"Can you go get her some water?" Bucky asked Nalia staring at Ellie.

She nodded as she left the room.

Bucky looked at Ellie, "You can't keep doing this to yourself"

A tear rolled down her face, "I know"

"No, you don't. Your body… this body can't handle it. Wait until he is born. Don't come back until he is born okay?" Bucky asked, "Please, for your sake, for Grant's sake and mine. I know it's hard but… please"

"Okay" Ellie said as he walked over and kissed her. She sighed and saw Steve behind him, "Shit I messed up"

"Yeah you did. Tell Grant I love him" Bucky told her.

Ellie looked at him, "I love you"

"I love you so much" Bucky told her.

She laid her head back down and closed her eyes then blinked, "Ugh I passed out didn't I?"

"Yeah you did but… I think rest is what you needed" Bucky said as her monitors quit beeping and the levels went down.

Nalia walked in the room, "Here is a bottle of water… wait… your blood pressure is down, your pulse is slowing to your normal range. I guess all you needed was Bucky. Did you talk things out?"

"Not yet… I'm sorry Buck. I don't know where my head was" Ellie told him sadly.

"It's okay… I know you didn't mean any of it" Bucky told her.

"Let's do this ultrasound really quickly and then I am going to send you home, with strict orders to rest" Nalia told her.

"Will do" Ellie told her.

* * *

Bucky shut the door to their bedroom after Ellie had fell asleep and without seeing him, he knew Steve was there.

"I want answers"

Bucky sighed, "Let's go somewhere else. Like Nat's old apartment or something" He said as he held up a baby monitor, "I am putting to use the monitors, if she needs us we'll hear something but… she will be fine now"

Steve led the way to Natasha's old apartment and Bucky shut the door behind them, "Okay what happened back there?"

"That wasn't our Ellie" Bucky said with a sigh as he leaned against the back of the couch.

"Wait what?" Steve asked confused.

"Her mental time travel thing" Bucky told him, "She's been waking me up in her sleep lately…and like every night, sometimes multiple times a night. Finally I asked her about it during the day, not that I mind but… I thought it was a bit much even for us"

Bucky looked down at the ground, "She didn't remember any of it"

Steve frowned then it dawned on him, "Because it's not Ellie now is it?"

"Nope" Bucky told him as he looked at him, "I haven't gotten a straight answer out of her… in fact one time she literally… left in the middle of making love when I pressed her about it… I think something happens Steve. I get that she is coming back because she has figured out how to do it and control it but… I think something happens to me and that is why she keeps coming back to visit"

"How many times has she done this?" Steve asked.

"About 30" Bucky told him.

"And she hasn't said why?" Steve asked confused.

"No" Bucky said shaking his head, "She just said not to tell you"

"But now it's affecting her… current her" Steve said.

Bucky nodded, "Ellie has to be asleep for it to work. I think… future Ellie is trying to force Ellie to sleep so she can come"

"Fuck… what happens that she'd risk her own health… Grant's health to do that?" Steve asked worried.

"I don't know… but I don't like it" Bucky told him, "I hope she listens and waits until Grant is born"

* * *

a/n3: Thank you for reading Pistol Packing Mama, please let me know what you thought about this chapter!

 **Gingin1975: Thank you so much for your review!**

* * *

 **Sneak Peek of Chapter 54- Not My Time:**

"I am three days late Nalia… please give me some good news" Ellie said as she looked down at Nalia, what she could see of her past her belly.

Nalia looked up at her and sighed, "Good news… you are nearly 4cm dilated"

"Really?!" Ellie asked as she sat up.

"Shit for real?" Bucky asked shocked.


	54. Chapter 54 - Not My Time

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 _ **A/n2:**_ **So I went to see the re-release of Endgame last night… we will not talk about how many times I have seen Endgame now ;) but it gave me a few new ideas. Cannot wait for you guys to find out what they are. Thank you to the new followers: Mysterious Raven, kayleeh, and Zexional! Please remember to comment or review what you think, even if it's a "more soon". What you all have been waiting for is coming!**

* * *

I look ahead to all the plans that we made  
And the dreams that we had  
I'm in a world that tries to take 'em away  
Oh, but I'm taking 'em back  
All this time I've just been to blind to understand  
What should matter to me  
My friend, this life we live  
Is not what we have, it's what we believe

~ Not My Time by Three Doors Down

* * *

 ***~*~* November 17, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

On the day of Grant's due date, Ellie rolled over and looked at the clock next to their bed. Rubbing her eyes she tried to lie on her back and immediately felt Grant knocking on her bladder.

Groaning, she tried to forced herself up and nearly peed herself before she finally was able to get up.

Waddling to the bathroom, she did her business then left her apartment. Walking into the common area, no one else was there so she sat on the couch since it was easier for her to get up and down from. After five minutes sitting, she was asleep.

* * *

Bucky walked into sitting area and saw her asleep on the couch. Steve walked up behind him, "Isn't today her due date?" Steve asked.

Bucky sighed, "Yes… we go in today to see if he is any closer to coming. For Ellie's sake, I hope so"

Ellie's head moved and looked over at Bucky, "Hey babe"

Bucky leaned on the back of the couch.

"Get any sleep last night? Whenever I woke up you were in a different position" Bucky said as he leaned down and kissed her.

"Not restful but I am sleeping better than I was last week. My blood pressure must be lower" Ellie told him trying to adjust her position.

Bucky glanced back at Steve then back at Ellie, "Ready to go to our appointment?"

"Yes! I hope she sees signs that he is ready" Ellie said as she tried to push herself up and couldn't, "My stomach muscles have turned to jelly. Super muscles or not"

Bucky walked around and helped her stand.

Ellie rested her forehead on his shoulder, "He better be ready… because I am"

* * *

"Only 3cm dilated… not effaced. He's not ready." Nalia told them.

"Fuck" Ellie groaned.

"He hasn't grown much since last week either, so I'm not super concerned. This is what we will do. I want you back here on the 20th. We will check you again; see if there is any more progress. If you aren't 3.5 cm… then we will have to talk options" Nalia told them.

"Is there anything we can do?" Bucky asked looking at Ellie's miserable face.

"Well… sex is the usual" Nalia told him.

"Poor Bucky has been so used" Ellie told Nalia, "We are doing it… every night, when I feel like it during the day. Sex is not the answer this time"

"Not that I'm not enjoying it" Bucky said with a smile.

Ellie rolled her eyes, "What else Nalia?"

"Well are you stimulating the nipples during sex?" Nalia asked.

"No because they hurt" Ellie told her.

"Try it; it kicks in a chemical in the brain that starts everything up. Wouldn't hurt to try the classics too. Spicy food, walking too. Also there has been some research into pineapples and raspberry tea" Nalia told them.

"Pineapples? God I can't remember the last time we ate pineapples" Ellie told Bucky.

"I'm sure we can get some" Bucky told her.

"Uganda has a lot of Pineapple crops. The market should have some fresh. The raspberry tea will probably be harder to find" Nalia told them, "As for the spicy food, it's not a popular thing here. Tell the cook to make some Kedjenou, Merguez or Yass… I'd stick with the Merguez though. It's similar to sausage… just spicy"

"Can you write that down?" Ellie asked her.

* * *

Bucky stood outside of the bathroom, "You okay?"

"I'm al-" Ellie said as she threw up again.

Steve came into the hallway, "The sausage stuff not agreeing with her?"

"Nope" Bucky said with a sigh.

"How about we try some normal American spicy foods?" Steve suggested.

"Like what?" Bucky asked flinching as Ellie threw up again.

"Chili?" Steve suggested.

"Tomorrow… we should try that" Bucky said as the door to the bathroom opened and Ellie leaned against the doorway, "You okay?"

"Never again… I'll never look at a piece of sausage again" Ellie told them.

"No more sex for Bucky then" Sam cackled somewhere in the living area.

"Fuck you Sam!" Ellie yelled as she put her hand back to her mouth, "Oh god"

Bucky sighed as she went back into the bathroom, "Don't think he is coming tonight"

* * *

 ***~*~* November 18, 2017- Wakanda*~*~* (1 Day overdue)  
**

Ellie stared at the bowl of Chili that Bucky set in front of her, "What is this?"

"My Mom's famous Chili" Bucky said as he sat at the table.

Ellie looked at him, "And you want me to eat it?"

Bucky took a bite, "It's spicy"

"I hate beans" Ellie told him.

"I know, I left yours out. I made two… bean-less and bean chili" Bucky told her.

"I even made cornbread… cornbread and chili, hmm so good" Sam said as he sat at the table.

"If I throw up all night tonight, I'm going to be so pissed" Ellie said as she picked up her spoon.

"I know, but let's hope it doesn't come down to that" Bucky told her.

Ellie tried a spoonful.

"How is it?" Bucky asked.

Ellie blew out and fanned her mouth, "Spicy" She said as she coughed, "Phew… I need some milk"

Bucky jumped up to get her a glass.

Sam looked up at him from where he was buttering his cornbread, "We should have bought some air freshener" Sam said to Bucky, "Two super soldiers, two pregnant women and me eating Chili?"

"Shit, I didn't even think about that" Bucky frowned as Steve and Natasha came into the kitchen.

* * *

"I feel like I am dying" Ellie complained as she burped, "God that hurt" She said as she held her chest.

"Well I'm checking spicy foods off the labor checklist" Bucky said as he watched her rub her chest, "Want me to get another glass of milk for you?"

"Yes please, and the Tums" Ellie told him as she burped again, "God that was disgusting"

Steve was sitting at the kitchen island when Bucky came into the kitchen, "She okay?" He asked sipping on a bottle of water.

"Just look what you have to look forward to" Bucky said as he filled up Ellie's glass with more milk, "Nat's going to be this way in what is it? Like 20 weeks?"

"No, 16 weeks I think" Steve said confused, "She is… 26 weeks… so, no 14 weeks. God… 14 weeks. That's less than 4 months from now"

Bucky laughed at the look on his face then patted him on the back as Ellie called for him, "Here you go Angel" He said as he handed her the glass.

"I swear your son is rolling. Literally rolling around right now" Ellie told Bucky as she took a drink.

Bucky put his hand on her belly and felt Grant moving, "Why is he my son when he is doing something annoying?"

Ellie glared at him over the top of her glass of milk.

* * *

 ***~*~* November 19, 2017- Wakanda*~*~* (2 Days overdue)**

"I'm so fucking done right now" Ellie said fanning herself with a book.

"With what?" Wanda asked looking up from her book.

"What do you think?" Ellie snapped.

"How about we watch a movie?" Bucky asked as he reached for the remote, "I found something scrolling through the channels last night-"

"Why were you up last night?" Ellie snapped.

Bucky looked at her wide-eyed, "I couldn't sleep"

"Are you saying I was keeping you up?" Ellie asked.

"No, no… never I just mean that I couldn't sleep" Bucky told her, "So…remember Titanic?"

Ellie looked at him in disbelief, "Now you are calling me fat as a boat?" Ellie asked.

"Shit Ellie, give the man a break" Sam told her, "He is talking about the damn movie Titanic"

"They made a movie out of thousands of people dying a cold wet death?" Ellie asked.

Bucky sighed, "We don't have to watch it"

"They made it into a romance movie" Sam told her.

Ellie laid back against the couch as Bucky started Titanic.

"You feeling okay?" Bucky asked taking her hand.

"Just ready for him to come. I am sorry I am so… temperamental" Ellie said as she laid her head on his shoulder and frowned as they started showing footage of a sunken boat, "I thought this was a romance movie? Seems more documentary"

"It starts that way until they recover something… just watch. This is real footage of the Titanic too" Sam told her.

"When did the Titanic sink?" Ellie asked looking at Steve.

"April 14, 1912" Steve told her.

"And you just knew that?" Sam asked surprised.

"Back when we were in school it was a recent big event. Just like kids talked about September 11th a lot when I first got out of the ice" Steve told him.

"Look at that Buck" Ellie said surprised, "The piano is still there"

"You guys were born after the Titanic right?" Wanda asked.

"Bucky was born in 1917" Ellie told her, "Steve in 18 and me in 19"

"Shit, so you were born only 6 years after the Titanic sunk?" Sam asked Steve, "I mean I knew you were old but… damn"

Ellie moved into Bucky's side watching as the old lady looked through her things, "I wonder what ever happened to all of our old things"

"From where?" Bucky asked putting his arm around her.

"Our old apartment, I…after I lost both of you… I never could go back. I wonder if Becca did anything with our stuff or she just… got rid of a lot of it" Ellie wondered, "All Momma's old stuff… I just let it go"

"You didn't know El" Steve told her.

Ellie looked at him, "What? That you both would be back? That doesn't make it any better Steve. Mom was so proud of her jewelry and … I basically threw it away. The family blanket… they probably threw it away when I stopped paying for rent" Ellie told him sadly.

"I never went back to the apartment after I came out of the ice, the memories were too painful" Steve told her, "I'm sure the apartment isn't even there anymore"

"Oh I can guarantee that. It seemed old back then" Ellie said with a yawn as the man stood on the front of the ship and yelled "I'm the king of the world!".

She looked at Sam, "Let me guess, the fancy lady and that poor guy fall for each other"

"Fuck Ellie, don't spoil it" Bucky told her.

"I like that dress" Ellie told him as Rose ran across the top of the ship, "Reminds me of the dresses that one lady wore… God what was her name?"

"The hat lady?" Steve asked, "That lived down the street?"

"That's right; she wore those huge hats that matched her dresses" Bucky said nodding, "Mrs. Jenkins?"

"Mrs. Peter Jenkins, that was what her name was" Ellie said, "Her husband was an oil man"

"Shit… she had to have died years ago" Bucky said shaking his head.

"She was old then" Steve told him.

"Is that really how people dressed back then?" Wanda wondered.

"Only people with money" Ellie told her, "Corsets were leaving popularity. Mom cinched my waist once… I couldn't breathe and I hated it"

"Now Jack's clothes… I wore that on a daily occurrence" Bucky told her, "That was what the poor people wore"

"You were poor?" Wanda asked them.

Bucky laughed, "We didn't have two cents to our names sometimes. My family was a little better off than the Rogers"

"Our father died when we were young, Mom raised us on Nurses wages. She did her best to buy us what we needed" Ellie told her.

"But I was sick, really sick back then, so most of our money went to my medicines" Steve told her.

Ellie smiled as Jack got cleaned up for the first time, "Gosh… he reminds me of you Buck. When you'd dress up… wear your hair slicked back like that looking so dashing. Fuck he has blue eyes like you too. I just noticed that"

 _Jack kissed Rose's hand, "I saw that in a Nickelodeon once and I just had to try it"_

"Gosh Nickelodeons" Ellie said as she looked at Bucky, "When we get back to the United States we need to go to a picture show"

"Wait what?" Sam asked confused.

Steve sighed, "Nickelodeons were nickel movie theaters that showed moving picture shows. Of course tickets were a bit more expensive when we were able to go… a quarter not a nickel"

"Shit… seriously?! A quarter?" Sam asked shocked, "Movies are like ten dollars to get into sometimes now"

Ellie nodded, "First movie I ever saw was a quarter to get in"

"What movie was that?" Wanda asked her.

"Let me think. You might not have heard of it. It was big back then but… Gone with the Wind?" Ellie asked.

"Shit… you were really… I don't think of how old you guys really are until these conversations" Sam said shaking his head.

"Gone with the Wind doesn't beat Wizard of Oz" Steve told her.

"Because it was the first color movie that we saw, that's the only reason you liked it" Ellie argued.

"You are both wrong, Snow White was" Bucky told them, "One day, we will watch all the Disney movies in order. Wouldn't that be cool?"

"You know there is a Disney World now" Steve told him.

"Wait, what?" Bucky asked surprised, "Seriously? What is it, just watching tons of movies all day?"

"No, it's like Disney movies meet Coney Island" Steve told him.

"Holy shit… we need to go" Bucky said amazed, "Where is it?"

"Disney has parks all over the world" Wanda told him.

* * *

 ***~*~* November 20, 2017- Wakanda*~*~* * (3 Days overdue)**

"I am three days late Nalia… please give me some good news" Ellie said as she looked down at Nalia, what she could see of her past her belly.

Nalia looked up at her and sighed, "Good news… you are nearly 4cm dilated"

"Really?!" Ellie asked as she sat up.

"Shit for real?" Bucky asked shocked.

"Yes but, not effaced enough. It's still holding strong" Nalia told them.

"Shit" Ellie said aggravated as she laid back down.

"He isn't showing signs of distress, your vitals are good. Have you lost your mucus plug?" Nalia asked.

"I haven't had any bleeding if that is what you mean" Ellie told her.

"I will give him until Friday, that will be one week overdue. After Friday… if you haven't had any symptoms… we will help him along. Just keep… doing what you can to help the process" Nalia told them, "What I need you to do though is relax and rest until he decides he is ready"

"I'm already sitting on my ass nearly every hour of the day, how the hell am I supposed to relax any more than I am?" Ellie asked trying not to cry, "Why won't he come out?!"

"Babies are funny that way. It's on their schedule not ours" Nalia told her, "Here, I have a prescribed method for you"

"What?" Ellie asked.

"Go back to the palace… take a nap together. Enjoy your last couple days as just you two because when he comes… everything changes" Nalia told them.

Ellie looked at Bucky, "You and me are going to go back to the apartment; you are going to screw my brains out until I pass out"

"How romantic" Bucky said rolling his eyes.

* * *

Bucky rubbed his stomach as he walked through the hallway late at night and found Ellie in the kitchen, "Are you seriously eating another can of pineapples?"

"Bite me" Ellie said as she started crying, "Why won't he come out"

Bucky smiled as he pulled her close and let her cry on his shoulder, "He just knows how crazy this world is, and how warm and comfortable you are. He's not ready to leave his nice little home you made for him"

Ellie wiped her eyes, "Well he's over stayed his welcome and it's nearly time to be kicked out"

Bucky smiled as he pushed a piece of hair behind her ear, "Just imagine what it will be like when he is all grown up. He will be wanting to get out of the house and you won't want him to leave"

"Why would he ever want to leave?" Ellie asked sadly.

Bucky laughed, "Honey remember when you were so giddy to get out of that apartment for college?"

"That was different" Ellie told him with a tearful smile.

"Why? Because it was you?" Bucky teased as he pulled on a piece of her hair, "You know… I hope Grant gets your curls. I miss your curls"

"I miss them too. As long as he gets your eyes" Ellie told him.

"My eyes? Hell darling' my eyes are shit compared to yours" Bucky told her with a smile as he ran his thumb over her cheek, "Your blue eyes that have the little almost golden specks in them"

"My mother's eyes had the little specks around the iris of her eyes. I always thought her eyes were amazing. Steve has the specks around his as well as green. I think I remember Dad having green eyes"

Ellie yawned and held her stomach, "Pretty sad when even yawning hurts now"

"Come on, let's get you to bed" Bucky said as he reached down and picked her up.

"Bucky! Put me down, you are going to hurt yourself" Ellie said grabbing onto his neck.

"Babe, you weigh nothing to me" Bucky said as he kissed her.

"Hmmm… bedroom… now" Ellie said against his lips.

* * *

 ***~*~* November 21, 2017- Wakanda*~*~* (4 Days overdue)**

"Why won't he come out!" Ellie screamed in frustration as she looked at her belly as she sat on the recliner fanning herself.

Grant kicked in response.

"Yes! I am talking to you!" Ellie said to her belly.

Bucky glanced at Steve, who was in the kitchen, "maybe he isn't ready yet"

"Of course he isn't because he is as stubborn as his Uncle Steve is" Ellie grumbled.

"Hey!" Steve said from the kitchen.

"Shut up peanut gallery" Ellie said as she groaned, "I know we joked about it but I swear if he gets any bigger that he will be able to punch his way out"

Bucky pulled her to his side and kissed the side of her head, "I wish I could do this for you"

"But you can't… biologically you were born a man. Fuck biology" Ellie said as she screamed and the TV went out.

"Thanks a lot Ellie" Sam groaned as he got up and tried to get it to come back on.

"Sorry… I guess my powers won out for a second" Ellie said as she held out her hand and sparks danced across them, "Well look at that"

"Your powers are back?" Bucky asked surprised.

Ellie put her hand on her belly, "I think he's finally dropped"

"So he has a range?" Bucky asked confused.

"No clue" Ellie said shaking her head, "I wish Howard were still around… yeah he used me as a pawn in his scheme… but he knew part of what I needed answered or someone who knew how to test these powers"

Bucky leaned over, "Maybe after some… time and control… you can get some… answers"

Ellie looked at him, "Seriously?"

Bucky shrugged, "it's just an idea"

Ellie bit her lip, "I never thought of that"

"I mean we know… eventually you figure it out" Bucky told her.

Ellie nodded as Grant head butted her bladder, "Ugh he is right on my bladder now. Help me up"

* * *

 ***~*~* November 22, 2017- Wakanda*~*~* (5 Days overdue)**

Bucky walked into their bedroom late in the evening after assisting T'Challa most of the day, expecting to find Ellie in bed since she was not in the common areas. He frowned when she wasn't there, "El?"

"In the bathroom" Ellie told him.

Bucky walked into the bathroom and saw her sitting on the toilet, "That bad?"

"Shuri found me raspberry tea" Ellie said as she held up the cup she was drinking out of, "So literally I have sat here for the last two hours drinking tea and just peeing whenever I had to. I know it is gross but I don't care at this point"

Bucky shook his head as he smiled and knelt in front of her.

"I know so sexy" Ellie told him with a smile.

"You need to relax" Bucky told her.

"I walked three miles today… drank all this tea. He's going to have to be forced out" Ellie told him.

"Look babe, he will come when he is ready… how about this, I'm all gross and you need to relax. Let's take a bath together and just relax" Bucky told her.

"Sounds good" Ellie told him as she rolled her head back and forth.

Bucky got up and turned the tub on, "So where did you go during your three mile trek?"

"I walked to the temple and lit a candle… said a little prayer for a safe delivery and for him to come sooner than later. Figured it couldn't hurt" Ellie told him as Bucky tested the water.

Bucky held up a purple ball, "Shuri gave this to you, what is it?"

"She called it a bath bomb… I honestly try to avoid anything that has bomb in it" Ellie told him.

Bucky opened the protective case then put it up to his nose, "Smells good"

"Hmmm it does" Ellie said as Bucky shut the water off.

Bucky dropped it in the water then looked at her, "Ready to get in"

Ellie wiped herself and stood up pulling her panties up. Bucky watched her flush then wash her hands, "You know you are just about to get into the bath right?"

"Habit" Ellie said as he stood in front of her then grasped her hips and pulled her to him. Ellie looked up at him through her long eyelashes. His brilliant blue eyes felt as if they were looking right into her soul as he stared down at her. Suddenly she felt so small and vulnerable as she stood in front of him swollen with their child.

Running her hands up his chest, his muscles rippled and swelled under her fingers as she pulled his shirt up over his head. She traced the scars and marks that scattered across his chest.

Bucky grabbed her hand, "What's going through your head right now?"

"You amaze me you know that?" Ellie asked him.

"Me? Why?" Bucky asked.

"Your strength and courage… your heart" Ellie said as she placed their joined hands over his heart, "Sometimes… I wonder how I could ever love another person as much as I love you. Can I share how much I love you with Grant?"

"Because we share our hearts and… your half is just so big that it can grow so much" Bucky told her as he kissed her.

Ellie let him pull her dress up over her head and let him throw it to the ground. She grinned as he stared at her breasts that sat in her bra that barely contained them now, "I know they are huge today"

"They are beautiful" Bucky said as he palmed her breast in his natural hand and ran his thumb over the nipple.

Ellie sucked a breath in and her eyes fluttered shut as the sensations rushed over her. Her breasts were so sensitive now that the motions of his fingers felt like electricity coursing through her body. It hurt and felt so good at the same time. He pinched the nipple between his fingers and she winced.

"Sorry, too much?" Bucky asked.

"Just really sensitive" Ellie said as she tried to reach behind her to unfasten the sports bra she was wearing.

Bucky unhooked the hooks and Ellie noticed how his pupils had blown to make his eyes so dark.

"Like what you see?" Ellie said.

Bucky kissed her hard, "Let's get in"

Ellie took his hand and dropped her panties to the ground, stepping out of them. Bucky shed his pants and boxers then stepped in the tub. He helped her inside with him then eased them both into the water.

"Ohhh… this feels good" Ellie said as she laid her head back on his shoulder.

Bucky kissed her shoulder, "Just relax… you deserve it"

Her eyes fluttered shut and she drifted off with the scent of lavender and Bucky relaxing her body. After a half an hour, she opened her eyes as Bucky turned the faucet off with his foot.

"Sorry the water was getting a little cool" Bucky told her.

"I know that was only 30 minutes or so but… God I feel so rested" Ellie said as he kissed her neck.

"I'm glad" He said running his hand up over her belly.

"Here help me turn" Ellie said as she tried to sit up.

Bucky helped her move so that they were facing each other, "What are you doing?"

"You said you were dirty" Ellie said as she reached for his shampoo and he teased her nipple with his mouth as her chest rubbed against him, "Stop, not yet"

She put shampoo in her hand then ran her fingers through his hair. She used her nails to scratch his scalp and his eyes fluttered shut.

His hands came up to rest on her hips, "I thought this was about relaxing you"

"I am relaxed when you are happy" Ellie told him as she worked the shampoo into a lather.

Bucky held onto her then moved them down to the end of the tub so he could dunk his head under the water. She tousled his hair under the water watching as spirals of soap swirled in the water as he emerged. Water rolled down his face then chest and Ellie wanted to trace their path with her mouth as they joined the rest of the water at his waist.

Grabbing the bar of soap, she glided it over his skin. His eyes fluttered shut as she covered the dips and lines of his body. She grinned as she ran the soap down under the water, avoiding his lap and running it down his legs.

His eyes opened, "You minx"

"Ah ah, your minx" Ellie said as she ghosted a kiss across his lips.

Bucky pulled her down onto him hard causing her to gasp.

"Bedroom… now" Ellie told him.

Bucky maneuvered them up and out of the tub, then grabbed their towels to dry them off. He dried one leg then coaxed her legs to spread. His fingers tested between her legs causing her to moan. Then went to dry the other leg.

Ellie lightly pulled on his hair and pulled his mouth back to hers, "Bed now"

Taking her by the hand, he led her back into the bedroom. She sat on the bed and moved back against the headboard. He crawled over to her on the bed and worshiped her body with his hands as his mouth moved over hers. His hands trailed over his shoulders to the curves of her breasts. Then moved down over her belly and cradled her belly, their son. His lips followed the path of his hands and as his lips ran across her breasts, her fingers grabbed subconsciously onto the sheets.

Bucky hummed against her belly and Grant moved as if searching for Bucky's voice. After minutes of pleasurable torture, she squirmed and grasped his chair unable to take anymore and pulled him up to her for a kiss.

He pulled away and held her head in his hands, "What is it with you and the hair pulling tonight?"

"Just getting you ready for when Grant comes" Ellie said with a grin, "And I love that your hair is growing back"

"Remind me to keep it long" Bucky said as he sat back against the headboard next to her, "Want to be on top?"

"Thought you would never ask" Ellie said as she climbed up on her knees onto his lap and sunk down on him with his help.

She moaned as she kissed him. He placed his hands on her belly and helped her roll her hips and find a rhythm as best as she should with her belly in between them. She hadn't felt this satisfied in weeks. He took her breast in his mouth and rolled the nipple between his lips.

"Oh god…Bucky" Ellie moaned as her muscles started protesting the movements she was making.

Bucky grabbed her hip with one hand to aide her then moved his hand between them and stroked her in time with his shallow thrusts.

"Fuck Bucky I… oh god" Ellie said as she lost it and he went right after her.

Ellie blinked as Bucky moved her onto back and got out of bed. She winced as she rolled onto her side as it was hard to breathe as she laid on her back. She closed her eyes and inventoried her body. She felt marvelous and inside parts of her ached and twanged, but nothing like contractions. Her leg muscles from exertion and her stomach from Grant's weight and her back that had been hurting more often than not in the last few weeks.

Bucky came back with a washcloth and sat beside her, wiping the sweat from her brow then running if over his body.

Suddenly her body felt more sensitive as she felt the cloth move across her body, "So did it work this time?"

"Of course not" Ellie said as she grinned, "But I feel pretty damn good"

"It's just going to take time… for things to get you know… stimulated" Bucky said throwing the washcloth to the floor.

"I think you succeeding in that honey" Ellie told him with a sigh.

Bucky got up and pulled a pair of boxers for himself out of the drawer and found her a new nightdress. He slipped his boxers on then helped her pull the dress over her head. After making sure she was all settled in, he turned the light off.

Bucky climbed into bed and pulled her close to him. She held onto his arms and closed her eyes

"Shit" Ellie said opening her eyes.

"Fuck did it work?" Bucky asked surprised as he sat up.

"No… I gotta pee" Ellie groaned as she tried to get up.

Bucky just laughed.

* * *

a/n3: He is not here yet but… he is coming! Thank you for reading. Please remember to leave a quick comment so I k now if people are actually reading this! Thank you everyone!

* * *

 **Sneak Peek of Chapter 55- A New Day Has Come:**

Bucky looked at her as he helped her lay back against the pillows.

"No… but we have so many unknowns for this pregnancy" Nalia told her as the door opened to the bedroom and Sam came in.

"Thank god" Bucky said as he pulled Sam in a hug.

"Okay what is the situation here" Sam said as he pulled away from Bucky.

"Good, Sam… you have training right?" Nalia asked, "Do you think you can deliver a baby?"


	55. Chapter 55 - A New Day Has Come

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 _ **A/n2: If you have yet to see Far from Home, go see it. It's really good. Also thank you to the new followers: Stardustinhaze, AfricanAngel94 and Gray Winter1. Now without further ado…**_

* * *

 **I was waiting for so long  
For a miracle to come  
Everyone told me to be strong  
Hold on and don't shed a tear**

 **Through the darkness and good times  
I knew I'd make it through  
And the world thought I had it all  
But I was waiting for you**

 **~ A New Day Has Come by Celine Dion**

* * *

 ***~*~* November 23, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Ellie padded her way into the common area around 10am in the morning to see Sam in the kitchen, "Where is everyone?" She asked looking around

"I sent Wanda out shopping with Nat. Bucky and Steve are out running and I'm on kitchen duty. I told the cooks I'd handle it today" Sam told her as he mixed something in a bowl then looked at her, "You slept through breakfast. Long night?"

"I just couldn't get comfortable. I pulled a muscle last night in my leg" Ellie told him, "And Braxton Hicks contractions are so uncomfortable"

She tried to climb up on the bar stool and felt a twinge in her back, "Damnit… I am a fucking super soldier. I shouldn't be pulling muscles during sex and trying to get on a fucking bar stool!"

"My sister was the same way before my niece. She actually threw her back out sneezing" Sam told her as he held out his arm and helped her over to the recliner.

"You have a sister?" Ellie asked trying to get comfortable.

"Two of them. One older and one younger" Sam told her, "Usually my oldest sister hosts Thanksgiving but I'm using her recipes"

"Thanksgiving? Oh shit… it's Thanksgiving" Ellie said as it dawned on her.

"Yeah girl, prepare for some Turkey with all the fixings, stuffing, my momma's pumpkin pie… you are going to be so stuffed he will have to come out because you'll need to make room for food" Sam said with a wink.

"Here's to hoping" Ellie told him as he handed her the remote, "Thanks"

Bucky and Steve walked into common area, "Smells good in here" Steve said.

"Better" Sam said, "Pies are done. Turkey is in the oven. I need to run out really quick and get some beans. I'll be back"

* * *

Bucky walked over to Ellie, who was watching an animal show, "hey Angel. How you feeling?"

"Tired… sore but you know… the usual" Ellie told him with a shrug.

"I'm going to go take a shower" Bucky told her as he kissed the top of her head.

"I'll keep her company… I didn't fall into the stream" Steve grinned as he sat down on the couch.

"You fell into the stream?" Ellie asked Bucky trying not to laugh.

"Ask your asshole brother how I fell in" Bucky said flicking Steve off.

Ellie looked at Steve as Bucky left the room, "You pushed him in?"

"Yep" Steve said nodding, "Whatcha watchin?"

"Some animal show… it's in Wakandan so I understand some of it" Ellie said as her back cramped up again but more painful this time and caused her to hiss.

"You feeling okay?" Steve asked.

"Spasm in my back. I pulled something last night. It bothered me all night" Ellie told him, "Just fitting as my poor stomach muscles are basically screaming at me all the time. I thought when I got the super soldier muscles I wouldn't pull anything anymore… nope"

They settled into the show about giraffes and she had just got up when her back twanged again, this time wrapping around her pelvis and moving its way up her abdomen. She had to grab the back of the recliner for support as she tried to breathe.

"Are you sure you are okay?" Steve asked as he stood up.

"That really hurt" Ellie said breathing through the pain.

"Are you sure it's just a pulled muscle?" Steve asked glancing towards the apartments.

"Yes Steve. It doesn't feel anything like Braxton Hicks contractions. It's just pain" Ellie said as she went into the kitchen.

"Okay then" Steve said as he sat back down.

She poured herself a glass of water and looked for something to steal from what Sam was making when she had another cramp.

"Go away, you are being annoying" Ellie mumbled rubbing her back.

Grabbing a cookie, she walked back into the sitting area and sat down, which set off another cramp.

"Are you sure you are feeling okay?" Steve asked worried when he noticed the pain in her face, "I can call Nalia"

"They can't give me anything for a pulled muscle with the baby Steve. I'm fine" Ellie said as she settled into the recliner, "Plus my system would burn it off before it really helped. We basically said epidurals are a no-go… this is going to have to be all natural"

"So they aren't in any sort of pattern?" Steve asked.

"Nope, just back pains" Ellie told him, "Stop being annoying and let me watch this"

Glancing at the clock on the wall, she took two minutes away and within three minutes another cramp hit her. Her stomach also felt like a rock beneath her hand as it rested on her belly.

She blew out a breath without realizing it and suddenly the TV was off, "What did you do that for?"

"You are in labor aren't you?" Steve asked turning towards her.

"No, turn the TV back on I was into that" Ellie said adjusting to see if they went away.

Steve turned the TV back on and watched her out of the corner of his eye.

Within five minutes, another cramp hit, this time worse.

'Shit' Ellie thought as she made a fist and squeezed the chair.

After it went away, she tried to get up.

Steve jumped up, "It's time?"

"I gotta pee" Ellie snapped, "Help me up!"

Steve took her hand and pulled her up then helped her to the bathroom.

"I'm not a fucking invalid. I can walk into the bathroom on my own. Go!" Ellie snapped as she pulled away from him then slammed the door.

She walked in and shut the door behind her and felt something trickling down her thighs, something she knew was not pee.

Pulling her pants down, she looked and saw it was not bloody. So she peed for real, pulled her pants up and held onto the countertop as another one hit, "Fuck" This one was a full body, not able to catch her breath, honest to God contraction.

"Oh god" Ellie said as it was over.

She exited the bathroom and snuck down to their apartment. She hoped that she could grab a new pair of panties and slip them on before Bucky came out of the bathroom. She was pulling her new panties up as Bucky walked out of the bathroom.

"What are you doing?" Bucky asked.

"I'm not having contractions" Ellie said as another one hit and caused her to double over on the bed and he rushed over to her, "Okay… I'm having contractions"

"Shit, STEVE!" Bucky yelled as he walked over and rubbed her back, "Breathe baby"

"Bucky you don't need to yell" Ellie scolded.

Steve ran into the room, "She's been having contractions every five minutes"

"You were timing them!?" Ellie asked looking over at him.

"Yes because I figured that it might be that" Steve told her.

"We need to call Nalia" Bucky told Steve.

"On it" Steve said as he pulled out his cell phone.

Ellie looked at Bucky, "They are coming faster. I think that one was… oh god" She said grabbing his arm.

"Shit, that was only three minutes" Bucky said worried as he glanced at Steve, who looked concerned.

"Are you sure? Shit, are you kidding me? You can't leave and we can't go there?" Steve asked wide-eyed.

"What?!" Ellie said panicking.

"Calm down, maybe it's nothing" Bucky said worried.

"Hold on, you are on speaker" Steve said as he glanced at Bucky.

"Ellie honey, its Nalia. There was a disease that came into the hospital; they had to quarantine everyone until they know what it is. It's highly infectious we think. I can't leave and you can't come here. How far apart are you contractions?" Nalia asked.

"Three minutes and Nalia… my water broke" Ellie told her.

"Okay we can do this. You have Steve and Bucky there, they can help you through this" Nalia told her.

"Wait what?" Steve asked.

"One of you will have to deliver the baby" Nalia told them, "I can't get there and I don't even know where my husband is. He's in the village doing visits today"

"Sam! He was a pararescue. I'm sure he's had training" Steve said as he handed Bucky the phone, "I'll go find him"

"I'm not ready, I'm not…. Aahhhh!" Ellie screamed as another contraction hit her.

"Nalia that was only two minutes" Bucky said as he grabbed a shirt and pulled it over his head.

"Bucky, is she lying down?" Nalia asked.

"No" Bucky replied as he walked back over to Ellie.

"Get her to lie down and I need you to check to make sure the baby isn't crowning yet" Nalia told him.

"No! No! I don't want you looki….ahh!" Ellie said as another contraction slammed her and she rested her forehead on the bed.

"Ellie, we have to know. Do you feel pressure like you have to push?" Nalia asked.

"NO!" Ellie screamed as she tried to catch her breath as Bucky helped her lay back on the bed, "God is this normal it coming this fast?"

Bucky looked at her as he helped her lay back against the pillows.

"No… but we have so many unknowns for this pregnancy" Nalia told her as the door opened to the bedroom and Sam came in.

"Thank god" Bucky said as he pulled Sam in a hug.

"Okay what is the situation here" Sam said as he pulled away from Bucky.

"Good, Sam… you have training right?" Nalia asked.

"I was a para-rescue. I never delivered a baby but I know basic medical care" Sam told her.

"Her contractions are coming fast; I need you to see if he is crowning" Nalia told him.

Sam looked at Bucky.

"Go for it" Bucky said as he sat on the bed next to her and took her hand.

Sam got on the bed by her feet, "This sounds so wrong but I'm going to take off your panties Ellie"

Ellie squeezed Bucky's hand as another contraction hit, "Do it" She said as she gritted her teeth.

Sam looked, "Nalia… I see hair… I see his head"

"Shit… okay" Nalia told him, "Ellie do you feel any pressure at all?"

"I don't know… it just hurts" Ellie told her as she gasped.

"Bucky get behind Ellie and support her" Nalia told him as Sam left to go into the bathroom.

Bucky moved behind Ellie so he could prop her body up.

"I wish I had visual" Nalia said concerned, "Anybody know where Shuri is?"

Wanda, Natasha and Steve came through the door and Steve shut it behind them.

"Up here, up here Steve! Damnit. I don't want you looking down there" Ellie yelled.

Natasha came over to her, "Okay Ellie, you aren't giving me a ton of hope for baby girl to come easy"

"Sorry" Ellie said as she gasped, "He… he is coming his own way. Shit, Nat use the Kimoyo beads and…oh God"

"Call Nalia on them so she can see" Bucky finished.

Natasha looked at his concerned face and immediately projected Nalia in her hand.

"Okay, not what I'd love to work with but better than nothing. You will probably start feeling pressure really soon from how he is positioned" Nalia told her.

Natasha looked up at Ellie, "From what I see, he has curly brown hair"

"Better have Bucky's…. eyes!" Ellie screamed, "Oh god I need to push, I need to push!"

"What do you think Nalia?" Sam asked taking position.

"If she feels like it let her" Nalia told him.

Ellie grabbed Bucky's hand and bore down.

"Bucky grab her leg and Steve grab her other leg" Nalia instructed.

Bucky reached down and grabbed her left leg as Steve grabbed her right.

"Okay push until I count to 10" Nalia told her, "1…2…3…4…5"

"I see more of his head!" Natasha told her excited, "Keep pushing!"

"6…7…8…9…10" Nalia said, "Take a break"

"God the pressure is so bad" Ellie hissed.

"Here I can help with that" Wanda said as she stood behind Steve and placed her hand on Ellie's shoulder.

Bucky kissed her the side of her head, "You are doing amazing"

"I gotta push again!" Ellie yelled as she felt the pressure build again.

"1…2…3…4…"

"You are doing it Ellie" Sam said, "His head is out!"

"It hurts!" Ellie yelled.

Wanda enveloped her in red energy.

"8…9…10" Nalia said as Ellie stopped to take a breath.

"No more, no more kids" Ellie said shaking her head as she fought to catch her breath, "Wanda thanks for taking the pain away though"

"I'm glad it's working" Wanda said.

"Whatever you want baby, you are doing amazing" Bucky said running his natural hand over her hair to pull her hair back.

"Another contraction!" Ellie yelled as she felt the spasm but thankfully not the pain.

"The hardest part will be the shoulders. He should pop right out after the shoulders" Nalia told her, "Sam just cradle the head until the shoulders are out… 6…7…8…9…10"

"Nalia is that fluid normal" Sam asked as Ellie pushed and one shoulder then an arm came out.

"Completely normal" Nalia said as Ellie screamed, "One more big push Ellie!"

Ellie grabbed Steve and Bucky's hands and screamed as she pushed.

All around them the electricity flickered and briefly went out.

"He's here!" Sam yelled as he caught Grant.

Ellie sobbed in relief.

Bucky looked over at the wet, goo and blood covered baby in Sam's hands, "Why isn't he crying? Nalia, shouldn't he be crying? Should he be that white?"

"Sam put him on Ellie's chest and someone go get a towel. Did you get a nasal aspirator?" Nalia asked.

Ellie took Grant into her arms, "Oh my god Buck"

Grant's little eyes scrunched up tight as he flailed his arms around

Natasha walked over with the nasal aspirator and stuck it in Grant's nose, "Come on buddy"

Grant pushed her away and started fussing as he let out a wail.

Bucky rested his head against Ellie as he let out a sob then kissed her hair.

"Someone needs to go get scissors to cut the cord, something to clamp it and a towel to clean him up" Nalia said.

"On it!" Steve yelled as he kissed Ellie's forehead and ran out of the room.

"Oh god Buck, we did it" Ellie cried as she held him.

"No this was all you El. God he's amazing" Bucky said running his hand over Grant's head, who turned his face into Bucky's hand.

Steve ran back in with some of the fluffiest towels that he could find, one of Natasha's hairclips and a pair of scissors, "What do I do?"

"There is going to be blood but cut the cord about five inches away from his belly" Nalia told them.

Steve looked up at Bucky, "Want to do it daddy? I'll hold the cord" Steve asked as he clamped it with the hairclip.

Bucky took the scissors and cut in between Steve's fingers.

"Steve take the baby and just wipe him down with the towels to get him cleaned up the best you can" Nalia told him.

"Take him Uncle Steve" Ellie said a few tears slipping from her eyes.

Steve took Grant into his arms, supporting his neck as he laid him on the towel then dried him off.

Bucky slid out from behind Ellie, supporting her as he took his pillow to put behind her back along with her own, so that he could walk up next to Steve.

"God Steve" Bucky said staring down at Grant as his true color started to appear.

Ellie closed her eyes and put her hand up, "I'm not pregnant anymore!"

Natasha laughed, "Was it so bad?"

"Painful as all get out but… God look at him" Ellie said grinning.

"Well he isn't slimy and gross anymore" Steve said as he finished cleaning Grant up then looked at Bucky, "Go ahead Buck"

Bucky glanced at Ellie who smiled at him and gently picked his son up in his arms, "Oh my god" Bucky said as he gazed down at him.

Ellie smiled at him as a tear slid down his cheek, "We made it Buck"

Bucky leaned down and kissed Grant's head, "Hello Grant, I'm your Daddy"

Grant's crying slowed down and stopped into an adorable hiccup as Bucky stood next to Ellie. Grant nuzzled his face into Bucky's chest then opened his eyes.

Bucky felt as if the wind was knocked out of him as his own eyes stared back at him, "Hey Grant… wow look at your eyes"

"Let me see" Ellie said as she put her hand up.

Bucky placed Grant back into her arms carefully.

"God Bucky… he's your twin" Ellie said running her finger over Grant's face.

Grant fussed and Bucky leaned down and kissed his forehead again.

"As soon as I get the all clear here I will be right there. If I can get a hold of my husband, I will send him your way as well. Let me know if there are any changes" Nalia told them, "Congratulations"

"Thank you Nalia" Ellie told her as she just stared at Grant as his little eyes fluttered shut again.

Bucky looked at Sam, who was attempting to clean up what he could, "Sam"

"Yeah man?" Sam asked.

"Thank you" Bucky told him.

"Just glad I could be here" Sam said as he looked around the room at Natasha , who had ended the call and was just staring at the new little family on the bed, to Wanda who was crying as she stood back, to Steve who was grinning as he watched them.

Ellie wiped her eyes and looked around at her new extended family, "Thank you guys… I don't know what I would have done without you all"

Shuri burst in the room, the door smacking the wall making Grant cry again, "Shit I missed it! Why didn't you guys call me?"

"I tried I couldn't get any signal. The Kimoyo beads worked to get Nalia but-"

"Because they work on a different frequency. Everything within a kilometer lost electricity and did not have a signal for the last 30 minutes" Shuri told them, "I figured something was up that is why I came running"

Ellie sighed as she laid her head back, "I'm hungry"

"Shit! Dinner!" Sam yelled as he ran out.

Wanda smiled as she walked over and gazed at Grant, "he's happy"

Ellie nuzzled him and kissed the top of his head.

Natasha looked at Wanda, "Come on Wanda… let's let them have a minute"

Wanda nodded as she walked over to Bucky and hugged him, "Congratulations Daddy"

"Thanks" Bucky said as they left, leaving Ellie, Bucky and Steve alone with Shuri.

"God… I can't believe today" Ellie said as she put her arm over her face, "Shit this bed is ruined"

"We can get a new one" Shuri told her, "I'll be back"

"You okay?" Bucky asked as he sat on the edge of the bed next to her.

"Exhausted but so happy" Ellie told him as he kissed her, "I love you so much"

"I love you both" Bucky said as he placed his hand on Grant's back, "I think he is asleep"

"I think so too" Ellie told him as she rubbed Grant's back.

Grant's eyes opened again and looked at them. He tried to move closer to her chest.

"Do you think he's cold?" Ellie asked, "Buck take him, I want to try something. Steve can you get me that blanket?"

Steve grabbed the blanket as Bucky took Grant from her.

"Close your eyes Steve" Ellie told him.

Steve turned away and Ellie pulled off her nightgown that she was still wearing, "This thing is disgusting"

Bucky held Grant in one arm and helped her cover up in the blanket with the other, "Better?"

"Much, I want to hold him on my chest" Ellie said covering her breasts up.

Bucky set him on her chest and Grant immediately snuggled into her. He then covered them both with the blanket, "It's safe now Stevie"

Steve turned back around, "I'm going to go see if Sam needs any help" Steve said as he kissed the top of Ellie's head, "You did good sis"

"Thanks Steve" Ellie said as she wiped her eyes.

The door shut and Bucky sat on the bed next to her watching his little family, "I can't believe this is all real"

Ellie looked up at him, "Me either… whoa"

Grant used his little feet and was pushing against her stomach.

"I think he might be hungry" Bucky told her.

Ellie moved him so he was right under her breast and Grant moved his head and latched on, "Okay this feels so weird"

"Is he sucking?" Bucky asked.

"Yeah" Ellie said just staring at him in awe, "This… how'd we get so lucky?"

Bucky laughed a watery laugh, "I don't know but I'm damn glad we did"

* * *

"Anything you need help with?" Steve asked Sam as he entered the kitchen.

"Nope, turkey is done… all the food is done. Although you can help me carry it to the table" Sam told him.

Steve picked up the turkey pan and carried it to the dining table, "Sam… thank you for today. Not just dinner but… helping bring my nephew into the world"

"Hey I can say now that I am the first person to see a 30 year old kid born" Sam said with a smirk, "Honestly though, I'm glad I could help… but no offense, your kid better be born in a hospital"

"Hell yeah" Steve said shaking his head, "Between my past health issues and Nat… definitely"

"Go tell the troops, dinner is ready" Sam told him.

Steve knocked on the first apartment to tell Wanda dinner was ready, then knocked on the second and entered. He walked past the nursery to their bedroom and knocked softly, "Can I come in"

There was no answer, so he slowly pushed the door open and looked in to see the bloody bed but no Ellie, Bucky or Grant. He heard the water in the bathroom running and walked over to the door then knocked softly.

"Hey guys, dinner is done"

The door opened and Bucky walked out holding a sleeping Grant, "Thanks as soon as she is done in the shower we will be out there. She is still so weak so I just want to stay with her"

"Want me to take him for you?" Steve asked.

Bucky glanced at Grant then shook his head, "No… I've got him. Thanks though"

"It's a good look for you, Buck" Steve said.

Bucky went back into the bathroom after giving Steve a smile.

Steve left their apartment and went down to his own. Opening the door, he found Natasha sitting in the living room reading a book, "Dinner is ready"

Natasha put her bookmark in her book then stood up. She walked over to him and hugged him. Steve relaxed as he pulled her close.

"We're next and I'm scared shitless Steve" Natasha said as he laid his face on the top of her head.

Steve licked his lips, "You know when I woke up out of the ice. The first thoughts I had were of Ellie-"

"And Peggy" Natasha said.

"Yeah but… as soon as I found out it was 70 years later… I knew we never stood a chance" Steve told her, "But without Ellie and Bucky… I was lost. Then you waltzed into my life, acted like I was nothing special… I needed that. It was probably really unhealthy but… I don't think you even realized how important you were to me. You have always been… the strongest person I know Nat"

Natasha looked up at him, "Steve, Bucky is ten times stronger than me"

"No… strength doesn't come from just physical. I'm talking about strength of your character as well Nat" Steve told her as he kissed her.

"Look at you, trying to make me cry. Come on, let's get some food. Your daughter is starving" Natasha told him.

Steve put his arm around her, "Our daughter… that is so weird to hear… to know in just a few months, we will be holding her"

"We still need to come up with a name" Natasha told him.

"We will find it. No worries" Steve said as he held the door open for her.

They walked into the common area and saw Sam and Wanda already at the table.

"Does Bucky feel like coming out of their room?" Sam asked Steve.

"He said that they were coming" Steve told him as he pulled out Natasha's chair so she could sit down.

Natasha looked around, "We need to get a new bassinet for them. For out here, you know so they aren't stuck in their apartment all the time"

Steve looked at Sam, "I wonder if the hospital situation was ever solved"

"Doubt it, you know Nalia would be here in a moment if it was" Natasha told him as she grabbed a plate.

Bucky walked into the room carrying Ellie, who had Grant in her arms.

"I could have walked you know" Ellie told him as he gently set her down on the recliner.

"You just gave birth this morning without any pain medication. Humor me" Bucky told her as he kissed her then kissed Grant's forehead, "I'm going to go get the bassinet so you can eat and he can sleep"

Ellie yawned and groaned as her body reacted.

"You okay?" Natasha asked.

"Yeah it's just everything hurts still but it's not as bad as I thought it would be" Ellie told her as Bucky came back in with the bassinet and set it next to the chair, "Thank you honey"

Bucky took Grant, who grabbed onto his shirt and didn't want to let go. He bit his lip, "Maybe I'll just hold him and you can eat"

Ellie looked at him, "You said we both were going to let him sleep and we were going to eat. All the books said he'd sleep 16 hours the first couple weeks. Plenty of time to eat"

Bucky kissed Grant's forehead again and set him down in the bassinet, "What do you want?" He asked her.

"Turkey, mashed potatoes and… green beans" Ellie told him.

Bucky went over to the table and plated her food then brought it back to her.

"Thank you" Ellie said as she took it.

Bucky made his own plate then came in to sit on the couch.

"I don't need a babysitter Bucky" Ellie told him.

"I know I just…I don't want to miss anything" Bucky told her.

Ellie glanced at the main hallway as she heard the door open.

"Through here" Shuri's voice said as she saw everyone sitting at the table, "Oh sorry guys. I didn't realize you were eating dinner"

"You are free to join us Shuri" Sam told her.

"Thank you, but I got you both a new mattress" Shuri told Bucky and Ellie.

"You didn't have to do that" Ellie told her.

"I know but I wanted to, no don't move Bucky I got it. You sit and eat. I told Mother and T'Challa, they send their wishes. They are dealing with the hospital still" Shuri told her.

"Do they have any clue what it might be?" Ellie asked.

"Measles are what they are suspecting" Shuri told her, "Nalia doesn't want to risk giving them to Grant"

"God measles?" Sam asked, "I thought that was long gone"

"Not here. Many people can't afford the vaccine" Shuri told them as she led the mattress men back to Ellie and Bucky's apartment, "But don't worry Dr. Ksie didn't go to the hospital so he is safe!"

Ellie rolled her head over to look at Bucky, "Is it bad of me that I am glad she thought of that. I'm exhausted already and all I want to do is curl up in bed"

"We can head to bed early after we are done eating" Bucky told her.

* * *

Ellie laid back on their new mattress and sheets, watching Bucky attempting his first diaper change after she had finished feeding Grant.

"Okay kid… I've defused bombs and set them off too… I can do this" Bucky told Grant who was gazing at him.

Ellie smiled as she watched him unfasten Grant's diaper.

"Ewww, his poop is black is that normal?" Bucky asked Ellie.

"Yes, the books say the first couple days it will be" Ellie told him.

"Fuck, he just peed on me!" Bucky said.

Ellie laughed and grabbed her stomach, "Oh what was that about bombs? Because he just got you honey"

"Now listen here little man, we don't pee on Daddy" Bucky said as he fastened the diaper on his little body then refastened his onesie, "There, we did it!"

"One down, one million to go" Ellie said with a smile.

Bucky put Grant on his shoulder then rubbed his back. He walked over to his bassinet and set him inside, "Love you little man"

Bucky came over and climbed into bed with her then kissed her.

"Can you believe it?" Ellie asked glancing over at Grant, "We're parents Buck"

"This is easier than I thought it would be" Bucky told her.

"Same here but… its only day one" Ellie told him as she yawned.

"Go to sleep baby, you deserve it" Bucky told her, "I love you"

"Love you too"Ellie said as she closed her eyes.

Bucky flipped over onto his back and stared at the ceiling as he listened to not only Ellie breathing but Grant's breathing as well.

Ellie let out one of her cute snores then almost as if he was trying to copy it, Grant made a similar noise.

Bucky just smiled as he listened to the calming sounds of their snores.

Ellie rolled over and ran her fingers down his chest, "He is so adorable when he sleeps"

Bucky looked over at her, "Hello babe"

"I waited" Ellie told him with a sad smile.

"Thank you for that. El… what happens that you'd be willing to risk everything just for a little time?" Bucky asked her as he laced their fingers together.

A tear slid down her cheek, "You know I can't tell you"

"It's bad isn't it?" Bucky asked.

"Worse than you could ever imagine" Ellie told him shaking her head.

"Does one of us get… killed?" Bucky asked.

Ellie sighed, "Buck… we can't change it. No matter what I tell you, it won't change. It will just make you worry. Just know that… I'm fine, Grant is fine"

"But you miss me" Bucky finished.

"Just cherish every minute… every second" Ellie told him as she laid her head on his chest.

Bucky pulled her closer, "Are you sure we can't change whatever happens?"

"No, it's way bigger than either of us. I'm not even there when it happens. I was… I was with the kids" Ellie told him.

"Kids?" Bucky asked.

"Grant and Sarah… shit… don't tell them that they name her after Mom. Let them decide" Ellie told him.

"No matter what happens, you know I love you right?" Bucky asked.

Ellie looked up at him with tear filled eyes, "That's all I know most days… and that's enough to keep me going"

* * *

 ***~*~* November 24, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

After waking up multiple times during the night when Grant had gotten fussy, Ellie was exhausted.

Glancing at the bassinet, she saw that Grant was still asleep and the shower was running so Bucky must be in the shower.

There was a piece of paper next to the bed on the table folded and Ellie grabbed it.

'Ellie,

Something big is coming in the next 6 months. We can't change it no matter how much we try. Enjoy the time with everyone, because EVERYTHING is going to change. Bucky will be pardoned. Push him. Leave Wakanda and explore. Travel. Take Grant around the world and get family pictures. Just be in New York late April. Pepper will need us. Love, You'

Ellie stared at the paper, in her own handwriting, that sat in her hand. She heard the water shut off and opened the table on her side and shoved it inside.

Bucky walked out of the bathroom in just a towel and smiled at her, "Good morning Mama"

Ellie forced a smile on her face, "Good morning Daddy"

* * *

a/n3: He is here! Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, please read and review, let me know what you think! Thank you to all that reviewed last chapter!

 **MommaWolf18: Thank you for reading and reviewing, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **PrettyRecklessLaura: Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

 **Gingin1975: I know I'd be impatient at that point lol. Thank you for reading and reviewing, hope you enjoyed it!**

 **Crystal-wolf-guardain-967: Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

* * *

 _ **Sneak Peek of Chapter 56- In a World Like This**_

"Everything looks okay… he's gained weight when most babies lose weight… possibly has grown already. But… he failed his hearing test" Bucky told her as he opened his eyes, "He didn't react to the left ear test"

"That was Steve's ear wasn't it?" Natasha asked.

Bucky nodded, "Yeah"


	56. Chapter 56 - In a World Like This

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 _ **A/n2: Thank you to the new followers: MysterySoulHB, direwolf1829, and Gray Winter!**_

* * *

 **You found me heartbroken  
Heartbroken, on the floor  
Became my salvation  
Salvation through the war, yeah  
You got me wide open  
Wide open, now I'm sure**

 **In a world like this where some back down  
I, I, know we're gonna make it**

 **~ In a World Like This by the Backstreet Boys**

* * *

 ***~*~* November 25, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie felt as if she had just gotten back to sleep when Grant started to cry. Groaning, she forced open her eyes and looked over to see Bucky with his pillow over his head, "Thanks a lot Buck"

Rolling out of bed, she looked down into the bassinet, "Hey baby, what is wrong?"

Picking him up, she rocked him back and forth then brought him up to her face, "That would be why… let's go get you changed"

Leaving the bedroom, she walked into Grant's room then got all the diapers and wipes ready. Setting him on the table, she unfastened his little Captain America onesie that Sam had purchased for him and quickly changed his diaper. Setting him down in the crib, she went into the bathroom to wash her hands and nearly screamed when she saw her appearance in the mirror.

Dark bags were under her eyes and her hair was in a tangled mess. She washed her hands then splashed her face with water and ran her wet fingers through her hair to loosen the knots.

From his crib, Grant started fussing again, so she walked back into his room and grabbed him from the crib, "Are you hungry baby boy?"

She sat in the rocking chair then pulled her shirt down to see if he would take her breast, he sucked for only a few moments then closed his eyes, quickly going back to sleep.

"Guess not" Ellie mumbled quietly as she adjusted herself then stood up.

Walking back into her bedroom, she gently sat him in the bassinet then climbed back into bed. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was almost 4am. Bucky coughed as he snored then moved closer to her, pulling her against him.

"Did he wake up?" Bucky mumbled.

"Yeah, diaper change then back to sleep" Ellie told him.

"Didn't even hear him" Bucky said burying his face in her neck.

"You had the pillow over your head" Ellie told him.

"Sorry" Bucky breathed out then she quickly heard a snore again.

Ellie shook her head as she closed her eyes.

* * *

"Ellie…. El… Ellie, wake up"

Ellie forced her eyes open and immediately her ears were met with Grant's screams.

"I can't get him to stop crying" Bucky said rocking Grant.

Ellie glanced at the clock and groaned, "He only slept an hour"

"Help me" Bucky said helplessly.

Ellie pushed herself up to sitting and held her arms out. Bucky handed Grant to her and she pulled up her shirt so he could nurse.

Grant immediately latched on.

"Now why couldn't you have done this an hour ago when I tried?" Ellie asked him.

Bucky sighed as he sat on the bed, "I tried taking him out of the room when I heard him fussing and I was walking the halls. I woke Sam up and he told me was probably hungry"

Ellie looked at him, "God Buck… its only day two"

Bucky rubbed her knee, "We're going to get the hang of this. You told me… future you told me that it was a rough couple weeks. This is probably what you meant"

Ellie winced as pain shot through her abdomen as she shifted and Grant kicked her, "God I hope so. At home, natural birth by Avengers… him being fussy. Next one better be easier"

Bucky looked at her, "You are already thinking about a next one?" He asked in disbelief.

"Not for at least a year. We have to get him figured out before we throw another one into our three ring circus we call this group" Ellie said as she ran her finger over Grant's face, "The lack of sleep aside… it really isn't that bad"

"I just wish I knew what he needed when he cries" Bucky told her sadly.

"Books said eventually you can tell the difference between the cries. Hungry… sleepy… poopy… or just wants cuddled. I've noticed that it seems like he can sense when we are not really near him… that he gets upset by it. Books said he can't see too far away from his face yet though" Ellie told him as Grant pulled away smacking his lips, "All done little man?"

"Here, I'll burp him" Bucky told her as he took Grant back.

Ellie pulled her shirt back up, "You think I can get a couple more hours of sleep?"

"I got him. You sleep" Bucky told her as he leaned down and kissed her.

"Thank you. I love you" Ellie told him as she touched his face.

"Not as much as I love you" Bucky told her.

Ellie closed her eyes and was just about to drift off when she heard something at the very edge of her consciousness.

"I left my darling lying here, a lying here, a lying here, I left my darling lying here, to go and gather blaeberries. I've found the wee brown otter's track, the otter's track, the otter's track, I've found the wee brown otter's track, But ne'er a trace o' my baby, O! I found the track of the swan on the lake…sorry Grant… your old Dad can't remember the rest. My mom, your grandma used to sing that to me and your Aunt Becca. Oh how they would have loved to have met you" Bucky told him after singing to him.

Ellie kept her eyes closed but couldn't help but smile.

"Mom… your grandma… always wanted you…nearly 75 years before you were here she wanted you. She would be so happy to know that you were here and you are healthy" Bucky told him, "Your Aunt Becca would spoil you rotten. Just don't be like your Aunt… or your Uncle for the matter. Love Steve dearly but he was trouble when he was younger. Well look at that… I put you to sleep. I guess I am boring"

Ellie heard him move through the room then stand at the bassinet in front of her.

"Sleep tight Little Man" Bucky said.

She felt a kiss on her forehead then heard the door open and shut again as he walked out.

Suddenly she heard Steve's voice.

"Hey Buck"

"Hey Steve, what are you doing up this early?" Bucky asked.

Ellie opened her eyes to see their voices coming from the baby monitor.

"Couldn't sleep. You look tired. He not sleeping?" Steve asked.

"No… he is sleeping a lot, it's just he sleeps for like two or three hours at a time then wakes up fussing. Not really screaming but just fussing. Damn super hearing, I hear it but poor Ellie. We need to get a little bed in the nursery so that I can take Grant into the crib and I'll sleep in the nursery so it's harder for her to hear him. She's gotten up every time. She's so exhausted and I feel helpless…shit this is the wrong monitor" Bucky said.

Ellie closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep as she heard the door open again. He tiptoed into the bedroom, switched the monitors then left. Then she finally let herself fall asleep.

* * *

 ***~*~* November 26, 2017- Wakanda- Grant 3 days old*~*~***

Yawning, Ellie put her bra on and reached behind her to fasten it, "What the hell?"

Bucky looked at her from his spot on the bed with Grant, "What?"

"Did my bra shrink? It doesn't want to fasten right" Ellie told him as she finally got it to fasten, "Damn my breasts hurt"

"Take it off and just wear a black dress or something" Bucky told her.

Ellie took the bra off and sighed, "Damnit… what is up with my breasts"

Bucky looked at her and grinned, "They are huge today"

Ellie grabbed her book off the table and sat down next to Bucky in just her panties, "First week… thank god, the regular milk production is coming in so my breasts are swelling as the milk comes in"

Bucky stared at her, "So wait… your boobs are going to be that big the entire time you breast feed?"

Ellie looked at him, "That is seriously what you take away from that?"

Bucky grinned, "Yeah"

"Of course you would" Ellie said shaking her head as she held her breasts, "god I need to get a better bra"

"When we go for his checkup we can stop at one of the boutiques" Bucky told her as he grinned at her, "Want me to massage them?"

"If you weren't holding our son right now I'd push you over. Give him here; it's been two hours he's probably hungry" Ellie told him.

Bucky handed Grant over to her and Grant immediately latched on, "We need to get one of those pumping things going. You have to sleep sometime. You can't keep up this every 2 hours thing he has going on"

"The books say babies feed 8-12 times a day. Every two hours is 12 times a day" Ellie told him, "He has two types of super serum running through his blood. That can't help his appetite either"

* * *

"Say that again?" Nalia said.

"Is it normal for him to want to eat every two hours?" Bucky asked.

"How much does he want to eat every two hours?" Nalia asked Ellie.

"He stays latched for a good 5 to 10 minutes" Ellie told her.

Nalia frowned, "Well that is more than typical children but… we are dealing with a kid with super serum running through his veins. I hate to say it this way but… you are going to have to be eating nearly all the time to keep up with that. You don't want to deplete your body to keep up with his. Let's weigh him and see where he is at. He was 9 pounds, 11 ounces when he was born"

Nalia took him in her arms and set him on the scale, "How… he is nearly 10 pounds already" She held her hand on his body and reached for the measuring tape, "He's grown an inch. He's 22 inches long"

"That's not normal is it?" Ellie asked.

"No… but it's not bad because that means he is thriving. A newborn loses weight in the first few days and doesn't grow an inch in three days but… it could have been a wrong measurement as well. When the nurse measured him, it was right after the all clear and everyone was tired that day" Nalia told her, "Just keep eating when you can. Lots of small meals. Stay hydrated. How are you feeling Ellie?"

Ellie sighed as she picked up Grant, "Well being a Mom is easier than I thought it was going to be but at the same time it is harder. I am just so tired and the cramps. I forgot what it was like to have cramps"

"Well everything is trying to squeeze back to its former size so the cramping is normal" Nalia told her, "Just sleep whenever you can, did you guys get a breast pump?"

"I think so" Ellie said running her finger over his face.

"Pump so that Bucky can feed him too so that you can sleep. I can see you are lacking sleep and let Bucky have that time to take care of him too" Nalia told them.

"Any other tips?" Ellie asked rocking Grant.

"Just keep the umbilical cord dry until it falls off. Get as much rest as you can, eat, drink. Don't be surprised if the baby blues kick in. You had a pretty traumatic birth with him coming so fast. Have you tried tummy time yet?" Nalia asked.

"Tummy time?" Bucky asked.

"Laying him on his belly and sitting in front of him. It encourages the strengthening of the neck muscles" Nalia told them.

"Tummy time, got it" Ellie said smiling down at Grant when she noticed he was asleep.

"Well time for every baby's least favorite part of the checkup. The shots" Nalia told them.

"Shots already?" Ellie asked concerned looking at his sleeping face, "He just fell asleep"

"First, I want to do a hearing test. Steve said he had hearing loss as a child and I just want to check him for that" Nalia told them as she got up from her stool.

Bucky frowned, "How does one check for that?"

"While he is calm right now and sleeping, I have a little probe that I will put in his ears and it will admit small noises that he will hopefully respond to" Nalia told them as she brought over a machine, "Just hold him still"

Ellie glanced at Bucky concerned as Nalia stuck the probe in Grant's left ear.

They waited and Grant slept on.

Nalia adjusted the probe then took it out, "Let's try the other ear"

Ellie closed her eyes and prayed for a first time in a long while.

After Nalia inserted the probe in his right ear, Grant nearly immediately swatted it away fussing.

"Well… we will have to recheck in a couple weeks but either he was already in a deep sleep or he didn't hear the sounds as well with his left ear. But that is normal. I am going to do a second test, called the auditory brainstem response. For this one, I actually need him awake, how about you see if he is hungry" Nalia suggested.

Ellie adjusted her shirt and tapped Grant's nose, "hey buddy are you hungry?"

Grant latched on easily.

"Good hold" Nalia told her as she took four electrodes and placed them on Grant's scalp.

"What are those for?" Ellie asked concerned.

"With the ABR I will click this annoying clicker and the electrodes will register his brain stem's activity to the sound" Nalia told them, "After this, we will do the quick shots then you will be done"

* * *

After coming back to the palace, Ellie and Grant had laid down for a nap. As soon as they were asleep, Bucky got up and walked out to the common area.

"Well hello there"

Bucky jumped, "Damnit Natasha you scared the hell out of me"

"Long time no see. You guys have kind of holed yourselves up in that apartment" Natasha told him.

Bucky sighed as he sat down in the recliner, "We've been trying to sleep"

Natasha frowned, "Is it that bad?"

"Well… he wants to eat every 2 hours, then you change him because he is either wet or his diaper is gross. God Nat, that is not shit… at least normal shit" Bucky told her as he closed his eyes, "it's like black tar that my dad used to use to fix holes in the roof"

"What did Nalia say at the appointment?" Natasha asked.

"Everything looks okay… he's gained weight when most babies lose weight… possibly has grown already. But… he failed his hearing test" Bucky told her as he opened his eyes, "He didn't react to the left ear test"

"That was Steve's ear wasn't it?" Natasha asked.

Bucky nodded, "Yeah"

"What is your opinion? You've been with him nearly every minute since he was born" Natasha said.

"I don't know Nat… I…I mean I'll love him either way, Steve learned his way around it and of all Steve's health issues that would be the least of our worries" Bucky told her.

"What about my health issues?" Steve asked walking into the room.

Natasha patted the couch next to her, "Grant failed his hearing test"

Steve looked at Bucky and closed his eyes, "Shit"

"It could have been a bad test. I think he is just like Ellie and when she is really tired she won't wake up. He woke up though when she tested his right ear" Bucky told them.

"She did always sleep like a rock" Steve said.

Bucky ran his hands over his face, "I'm just so exhausted. I haven't felt this tired…since probably on the field in Italy before I was captured"

"Harder than you thought?" Steve asked.

"Fuck yeah, poor Ellie has it worse. I can change his diaper and cuddle him when he lets me. He wants Ellie more than me" Bucky told him, "Which I don't understand really. She told me that he preferred me over her most of the time"

Steve glanced at Natasha, who looked confused, "Things could change. I think you need some sleep Buck"

"You are probably right" Bucky said as he got up, "Night guys"

"It's 5pm" Natasha told him.

"Shit, its only 5pm?" Bucky mumbled as he walked back to their apartment.

Bucky walked quietly into their bedroom and climbed into bed next to Ellie.

She opened her eyes, "I was wondering when you were coming back. I've been waiting"

"Sorry, I was just talking to Nat and Steve" Bucky said as she moved over to his left side and snuggled up to him, lying her head on his chest, "Visiting?"

Ellie looked up at him, "How did you know?"

Bucky shook his head, "When you visit, you always listen to my heartbeat. I've picked up on it now"

"Shit… I thought I was slick" Ellie said as she held him close.

"You could have came out and told me to come back to bed" Bucky told her rubbing her arm.

"I know, but I like watching him sleep. This little stage doesn't last long enough" Ellie told him, "He is crawling everywhere now"

"How many months old is he?" Bucky asked.

"Six months old. Scares me how fast he is growing sometimes" Ellie told him as she breathed in his scent.

"Are you okay?" Bucky asked.

Ellie sighed, "I'm as good as I can be. I have to be strong but it's hard"

Bucky swallowed hard as he laced her fingers through his, "I might not be there El… but I'm there"

"I know if we could change that you would be. It's not just you we lost Buck" Ellie told him as he felt tears hit his chest.

"Steve is okay? Grant, Nat? The baby?" Bucky asked.

"Yes but… a whole lot of people… we lost" Ellie told him, "In a way I am lucky but I don't feel that way"

Bucky kissed the top of her head and pulled her close.

* * *

 ***~*~* November 27, 2017- Wakanda- Grant 4 days*~*~***

Sam sat at the kitchen island watching Ellie cook dinner and sanitize bottles, "Ellie I can finish dinner for you"

"No, no… I got it. Monday nights are my nights to cook. I can cook" Ellie told him as she added salt to the pot, "Shit that is the pot of bottles"

Sam got up and walked over to her placing his hand on her arm, "Ellie, take a week off. I'll finish this… what is it?"

Ellie sighed, "I honestly don't remember what I was making… its veggies and potatoes and… I forgot to turn the stove on"

Grant started crying from the monitor.

"Let Bucky handle it" Sam told her as she started walking out of the kitchen.

Ellie started crying, "He can't… I don't have the bottles clean and now I have to clean them again because I salted them"

Sam pulled her into a hug and she sobbed into his shoulder, "You can't do it all Ellie. You have to stop and take a break every once in a while"

Bucky started singing to Grant over the monitor and Grant quieted.

"See" Sam told her as he rubbed her back, "Bucky has it handled. Now how about you go take a nap, when I finish dinner I'll have Bucky wake you up and you can bring the bassinet out here and eat dinner with everyone"

Ellie wiped her eyes, "Okay"

"See, not so hard. You need to take it easy on yourself. You might have super serum running through your veins but that doesn't mean you can pull yourself in ten different directions" Sam told her.

Ellie hugged him tighter, "Thank you Sam"

"Glad to be of service" Sam told her as the door opened.

"Hello Agent Gorgeous!" Tony said as he walked in, "I hear the squirt is here"

Ellie looked at him, burst into a fresh round of tears then took off to her apartment.

Tony looked at Sam, "What did I do?"

Ellie slammed the door and laid her back against the door as she tried to catch her breath.

"El is that… what is wrong?" Bucky asked as he walked over to her.

"God I'm losing it" Ellie told him as she walked over to him and he pulled her into his arms.

"Why do you say that?" Bucky asked rubbing her back.

"Tony just showed up and I felt like I suddenly was having a panic attack and all I could think about was the new germs he could have brought in" Ellie told him as she buried her face in his chest.

"I am sure that Tony isn't carrying some horrible disease" Bucky told her.

Ellie looked up at him, "But what if Grant is more like Steve than we thought?"

Bucky shook his head and kissed her.

"Mmm… what was that for?" Ellie asked.

"I love you Angel but that brain of yours is going to get you in major trouble" Bucky said flicking her nose.

Ellie sighed, "You are right. I'm being silly. Let me go feed Grant then… we will introduce him to the rest of our crazy family"

Bucky followed her back to their room, where Grant was lying in his bassinet, staring at the mobile that the village merchant had gave her months ago.

Ellie grabbed him out of his bassinet and sat down on the bed. Bucky sat down next to them and put his arm around her, supporting her arm and kissed her head.

Ellie looked up at him, "If I have any more of those freak out moments… bring me back down"

"Of course I will" Bucky told her smoothing back her hair so he could see Grant's face

"Hey Ellie, so you…. Whoa!" Steve said as he walked into the room and turned around hitting the door, "Fuck!"

"That is why you knock Steve, what do you need?" Bucky asked not moving from his spot.

"Fuck I'm bleeding. Shit… Tony and Pepper are here" Steve said.

"We know that's why I am feeding him so he will be happy" Ellie told him.

"Got it… okay… I'll… I'll see you out there" Steve said as he shut the door behind him.

Rubbing his head, he left their apartment and walked out to the common area, "They know but she is feeding Grant" Steve told them.

"Why is your head bleeding?" Natasha asked him.

"I ran into the door in their bedroom" Steve said as he sat next to her, "How bad is it?"

"Its already stopped bleeding" Natasha said as she grabbed tissues and dabbed his head.

"How are you doing Natasha?" Pepper asked.

"I feel huge" Natasha told her as she handed Steve the bloody tissue, "Otherwise I feel good. I just hope that when she finally decides to come that she doesn't come into the world like Grant"

"Please, I don't feel like delivering another baby any time soon. I still feel weird looking at Ellie" Sam told her.

"Wait you delivered Grant?" Pepper asked confused.

"There was an outbreak at the hospital, she couldn't go there and he came fast" Sam told her, "Really fast"

"It was like an hour tops" Steve said, "Dr. Ksie didn't even have time to come back from the village and Ellie was shorting out the communication systems, so that didn't help either"

"Hello everyone" Ellie said as she and Bucky walked out of their apartment.

Pepper jumped up, "Oh look at him, he is adorable. Gosh Bucky, he is your mini-me"

"You think?" Bucky asked leaning over Ellie's shoulder, "I think he looks like Ellie"

"No I totally agree with Pepper. He is you all over again" Ellie said as Tony walked over to them.

"Well Agent Gorgeous… Dad would be so happy for you" Tony told her with a smile.

"Thank you Tony" Ellie said.

"God… Aunt Peg would have ate him up" Tony said.

Ellie looked at Pepper, "Do you want to hold him? I have a feeling you and Tony are next"

Tony grabbed his chest, "You just about gave me a heart attack"

Pepper rolled her eyes and sat down, "Sure"

Ellie swallowed hard and placed Grant in Pepper's arms then stood back.

Bucky put his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head, "You did great"

She took his hand and squeezed it.

Ellie pulled Bucky over to the couch and sat down.

"So I hear he came fast" Pepper said.

"Too fast, really never had time to wrap my mind around the fact he was coming then he was here. Thank god for Sam" Ellie said as she looked at Sam.

"I can't believe you delivered him" Pepper said.

Tony, who had stared at Pepper and Grant as soon as she started holding them, cleared his throat, "He's a big kid"

"Yeah, felt bigger coming out too" Ellie said.

Tony walked over and went to touch him, and suddenly Tony's hand hit an invisible wall, "What the hell" He said rubbing his hand.

Ellie reached over and lightly touched the field, "Wow…" Ellie said as she looked around to see Grant and his big blue eyes and the field went away.

"He can generate force fields?" Tony asked sitting down next to Bucky.

"He was shielding my powers from working but this is the first time we've seen the physical field" Ellie said as she took him from Pepper then looked at Tony, "He probably just didn't know you so he put it up to block you. Want to hold him?"

Tony looked at her wide-eyed, "I don't… I don't think I should"

"Why not?" Ellie asked, "Wouldn't hurt to try"

"I just…oh" Tony said as she went over Bucky to put him into Tony's arms, "Oooh he's…umm… he's little"

"Babies are" Ellie said as she looked at Tony.

"Well… shit" Tony said as he sat back, "I…I've never held a baby before"

"Can't say that now can you?" Bucky told him.

Tony bit his lip and looked at Pepper.

"Oh don't you even think about it" Pepper told him shaking her head.

"This can't be that hard can it?" Tony asked Bucky.

"Ask me whenever we get more than 4 hours of sleep at a time" Bucky told him.

"I never sleep as it is" Tony said as he stared at Grant.

"So what did you end up naming him?" Pepper asked.

"Well we were going to do Grant James or Grant Buchanan… but we decided on Grant Lindiwe Barnes" Ellie told her, "Lindiwe means awaited or waited for… we waited on him for a long time"

"Plus we rock at the Lindi Hop and it sounds like it" Bucky joked as Ellie gave him a look.

Tony sniffed, "What is that smell? What… oh god… what is that?"

Bucky started laughing as he took Grant, "Well he pooped and I must not have put the diaper on completely"

Tony started dry heaving.

Bucky carried Grant back to the bedroom laughing, "Thank you for that kid"

* * *

 ***~*~* November 28, 2017- Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie opened her eyes early in the morning to see Bucky had brought the rocking chair into their bedroom and he was sitting rocking Grant in it, "Morning"

Bucky looked at her, "Look, he took the bottle without fussing"

Ellie looked at the clock and sat up, "Holy shit… did I really sleep for 8 hours?"

Bucky grinned, "Yeah, how's it feel?"

Ellie laid back and stared at the ceiling then looked over at him, "My god I don't… when was the last time I slept through the night?"

Bucky laughed, "A long time ago"

"Shit… my brain is like firing a million miles a minute" Ellie told him as she sat up, "I feel amazing… but my breasts hurt"

"Do you want to finish?" Bucky asked.

"No I'll get the pump out" Ellie told him as she got up and knocked the bottle of water next to the bed onto the floor which hit a picture frame on its way down.

Grant jumped in Bucky's arms and started crying.

Bucky looked at Ellie, "His right ear is against me…"

"Oh thank God" Ellie said as she walked over to them.

"Oh fuck" Bucky said as he held Grant up, "Oh God… I think I'm going to vomit"

Ellie took Grant, "Oh honey did you poo poo on Daddy?"

"Shit… laughing at Tony came back to bite me" Bucky said as he pulled his shirt off and used it to wipe down his arm and his pants, "Why is it yellow?"

Ellie laughed as she walked into the bathroom, "Baby poop is yellowish until they start eating normal food"

"God it just went up his back like his diaper exploded" Bucky said as he followed her into the bathroom.

"Can you get the water in the sink ready for him? Just warm enough but not too warm" Ellie told him.

Bucky turned the water on then let it warm up, "I'm going to take a shower"

Ellie set Grant on a towel on the counter, "Hold him for a second for me please"

Bucky put his hand on his belly, "What are you doing?"

"Getting some lotion and a washcloth" Ellie told him.

"Ummm El, is that supposed to happen?" Bucky asked as something moved under his hand.

Ellie looked over his shoulder, "Oh his cord fell off. Good, he can have a real bath now. Where did I put the baby bath stuff?"

"Under the sink" Bucky told her as he pulled the stopper, "How much water?"

"Not a lot but enough to cover his lower half" Ellie told him as she pulled out the basket, "There we go… baby boy you get to have your first bath"

"El… look. Grant… he's holding my finger" Bucky told her amazed at his little hand holding his own finger.

Ellie smiled, "Of course he is. He knows that his Daddy has him"

"Shit" Bucky said as he looked up at the ceiling, "Am I seriously crying over this?"

"Because it's amazing Buck. You deserve this happiness" Ellie told him as she kissed his cheek, "Go get your shower. I'm next"

* * *

a/n3: Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter. The best reviewed chapter in a long time!

 **MommaWolf18: The snap will happen, just not for awhile. Thanks for reviewing!**

 **Crystal-wolf-guardian-967: Thanks for reading**

 **PrettyRecklessLaura: Thank you!  
**

 **Gingin1975: Thanos will make an appearance, but yes lots of family time before**

 **Animexchick: They will get their happiness before he comes… with a lot extra stuff between**

 **Tuckerjnp1: Thank you for reviewing!**

 **Stardustinhaze: Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

* * *

 _Now for the preview of Chapter 57: Good As You_

Ellie stood up and looked down at Grant, "I just… I had a tough day okay?"

Bucky stood back and watched her pace, "What happened?"

"That asshole! That asshole made me stay behind with the kids while they fucking went to space and it's not fair!" Ellie yelled her hair standing on end as it sparked.

"Wait what?" Bucky asked confused.

"My fucking brother said that someone had to stay behind with the kids in case something happened. Asshole" Ellie steamed.


	57. Chapter 57 - Good As You

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 _ **A/n2: Thank you to the new followers: ryvermikaelson13, Bethypie1998, Lauren In Action. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter!**_

* * *

 **I just wanna wake up every day here in this bed  
Never leave 'I love you' left unsaid  
It might take a hundred lifetimes to do  
But baby, I just wanna be good as you**

 **~ Good as You by Kane Brown**

* * *

 ***~*~* November 29, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Bucky walked through the common room after helping T'Challa to hear Ellie singing. He leaned against the wall outside their apartment and listened.

"I see the moon, the moon sees me. Shining through the branches of the old oak tree. Oh, let the light that shines on me, shine on the one I love. Over the mountain, over the sea, back where my heart is longing to be. Oh, let the light that shines on me, shine on the one I love" Ellie sang.

Bucky quietly unlocked the door and walked into the apartment.

"I hear the lark, the lark hears me. Singing from the branches of the old oak tree. Oh, let the lark that sings to me, sing to the one I love" Ellie sang carrying through the apartment.

Bucky peeked into the nursery to see her rocking Grant as she fed him.

"Over the mountains, over the sea, back where my heart is longing to be. Oh, let the lark that sings to me, sing to the one I love" Ellie sang as she stared out of the artificial window.

"I forgot how beautiful your singing was"

Ellie looked up at him, "Oh stop it. Mom had the wonderful voice. I'm just copying her"

"I think it was beautiful" Bucky said as he walked in and kissed her then kissed Grant's head, "How's he doing this morning?"

"Well he has gone through three outfits this morning from spitting up and he has gas. So he is definitely your son" Ellie joked.

"Ha ha" Bucky said as Grant pulled away from her breast with a sleepy smacking of his lips, "Here I'll burp him. Have you eaten yet?"

"No, I was going to make myself a sandwich" Ellie told him as he followed her out to their personal kitchen, "Chicken sandwich sound good to you?"

"Sounds great" Bucky said as Grant burped, "Good one… seriously?"

"What?" Ellie asked as she laughed as she saw spit up down is back, "First poop, now spit up. You just can't catch a break can you?"

"And he peed on me this morning when I changed him" Bucky said as he took a towel and wiped Grant's mouth, "You know bud you can share the wealth with your momma you know?"

"I'm good" Ellie said with a grin.

Bucky took a blanket off the back of the couch and laid it out on the floor then set Grant on it.

"What are you doing?" Ellie asked concerned.

Bucky looked up at her, "Nalia said to give him some tummy time. His cord fell off so he is good"

"He can't-" Ellie said reaching for him.

"El… he is fine. We are both right here and look… he's trying to pick his head up already" Bucky told her, "It's okay. He's fine. You have to let him… grow"

"I know it's just hard…" Ellie said as she grabbed her head.

"What's wr-" Bucky said as he grabbed her as she fell.

Ellie groaned as she looked at him, "Okay not ready to do this while I'm still awake. I think I twisted my knee"

"El" Bucky sighed.

Ellie stood up and looked down at Grant, "I just… I had a tough day okay?"

Bucky stood back and watched her pace, "What happened?"

"That asshole! That asshole made me stay behind with the kids while they fucking went to space and it's not fair!" Ellie yelled her hair standing on end as it sparked.

"Wait what?" Bucky asked confused.

"My fucking brother said that someone had to stay behind with the kids in case something happened. Asshole" Ellie steamed.

"Steve is in space?" Bucky asked surprised.

Ellie sighed as she pinched her nose, "Yes"

"Fuck" Bucky said as he sat down on the couch, "Like honest to God, real space?"

"Yeah, like beyond our galaxy or some shit like that" Ellie told him as she sighed as she sat next to him, "They think they can fix things Buck… fix what went wrong"

"Well I'm glad you didn't go… because heaven forbid something does go wrong. Grant and Sarah would have lost everyone. I'm assuming Nat went" Bucky said.

"Yep of course" Ellie said as she sighed, "God… what am I doing?"

She stood up running her hands over her face.

"You are upset they left you behind" Bucky told her.

"I get that I do but… I have these powers… but why won't anyone ever let me use them?" Ellie asked him holding her hands out so that they glowed, "The big battle, I had to stay behind with the kids. Going to space? Stay behind with the kids"

"Because we want to keep you safe" Bucky told her, "I'm not there but I'm sure I would agree despite the circumstances"

Ellie sat back down next to him and took his hand, "I'm sorry that I keep coming back"

"Look El, I might not be there but I'm always here for you. Just… do it, so you don't hurt yourself" Bucky told her.

"I know" Ellie said as she sighed, "I usually can time it pretty well when I'm asleep but I was so angry. As soon as I put the kids to sleep I just…I had to vent"

"Well I'm always here" Bucky told her.

"Thank you Buck" Ellie told him with a sad smile.

Bucky kissed her and rested his forehead against hers, "I love you El"

A tear fell down her face, "I can't hear that enough. I love you too Buck" She told him as she closed her eyes.

Ellie blinked and opened her eyes looking at him. She pulled back frowning and looked around, "I did the time travel thing again didn't I?"

Bucky sighed and nodded.

Ellie ran her fingers through her hair, "Have I done it more than I know of?"

Bucky nodded, "Yeah"

Ellie looked over at Grant then back at Bucky, "Like how much?"

"Enough" Bucky told her, "You pretty well have it mastered so you visit… in your sleep"

"So that's why I'm exhausted…my body that is" Ellie said as she sighed then looked at him, "Something big is coming… isn't it?"

"Yeah, you haven't told me what. Just… that we need to enjoy the time we have" Bucky told her.

"I left myself a note" Ellie told him as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

Bucky frowned, "What?"

"The day after he was born… I woke up to a note from myself" Ellie told him as she took his hand.

"What did you say?" Bucky asked.

"That we need to travel as soon as you were pardoned. Take Grant as many places as we can until April" Ellie told him.

Bucky sat back against the couch, "Shit… April? We only have until April?"

"If we do, then we are going to make the best of every minute" Ellie told him, "And we are going to live like April isn't an end date…because it won't be. The future can change. I've done it"

Bucky got up and picked Grant up then sat back down next to Ellie, pulling her close as she snuggled into him.

* * *

 ***~*~* December 1, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Ellie sat in Nalia's office, playing with Grant's fingers as she rested against Bucky.

"Sorry to keep you both waiting" Nalia told them as she walked in with another woman.

Ellie sat up and looked at Nalia.

"Ellie, Bucky, I'd like you to meet Dr. Rosa Khokho. She is going to start supervising Grant's care" Nalia told them.

"Wait, huh? Nalia why can't you… no offense ma'am" Bucky said looking at Rosa.

"Because Rosa is a pediatrician and I am an OBGYN" Nalia told them, "While I know children… she is a true doctor for them"

"But have no fear. Nalia and I have been speaking extensively about this transition and what to expect from this wee one here" Rosa told them.

"Can we redo the hearing test today?" Bucky asked, "He has been showing signs to us this week that nothing is unusual"

"Yes we can" Rosa told him as she walked over and washed her hands, "Can I examine him please?"

Ellie handed him off to her and cleared her throat.

"I am amazed he is only a week old. He could easily be 2 or three weeks old with his size and reactions" Rosa told them.

"With him being over-due and the serum, I think his development will definitely be faster than a typical child" Nalia said.

"I agree" Rosa told them, "let's see how much you weigh"

* * *

Ellie had just laid down Grant for a nap after coming back from their appointment that thankfully showed no hearing loss and that he was growing perfectly as can be, and had attempted to take her own as well but could not. So she walked into the sitting room of her own apartment to fold some laundry.

Suddenly out of nowhere, yellow sparkling light appeared in front of her then opened up as if there were a circle in front of her.

A man stepped out of the circle, "Ellie Barnes?"

Ellie held her hands up in front of her, "Who are you and how did you get in?" She asked as her hands started to glow.

"I am Dr. Stephen Strange, I mean no harm" He said as he walked over to her.

Ellie frowned, "How did you get in here?"

He nodded knowingly, "I am a sorcerer supreme, I know mystic arts and I have a special stone that helps me go through realms of possibility"

"Magic?" Ellie asked suspicious.

"More master of the mystic arts" Dr. Strange told her.

"And why are you here?" Ellie asked as she put her hands down.

"Because, it was foreseen by legend, and we have just seen that the legend is about you, that there would be a woman that would help save the world, but she needed a tool to accomplish it. Is it true that you can mentally time travel?" Dr. Strange asked.

Ellie looked at him, "Only Bucky and Steve know that, how… how do you know?"

"Like I said, it was foreseen… but you have not mastered the ability yet?" Dr. Strange asked.

"No, but my future self visits so I know I can do it eventually" Ellie told him.

"I have a gift for you… we don't have much time. I need you to wear these and guard these. They are forged in a metal that will not need washed. When it is time to use these, you will know. The key to our survival lies within these" Dr. Strange said as he handed her an old wooden box.

Ellie took them and stared at the box, "What are th-"

"Ellie, where is my-" Bucky said as he started to open the door.

Dr. Strange held his hands up and a sparkling gold circle appeared and the door Bucky was trying to enter froze along with his foot being the only visible part of his body.

Ellie walked over to the door and looked through it to see Bucky, mouth froze open, eyes wide and body froze in place, "What did you do?"

"Froze us in time. He can't know I am here. You must keep the fact that you have these, an utmost secret" Dr. Strange told her, "Not even your husband can know"

Ellie opened the box to see two silver earrings, "Earrings?"

"Legend says that the metal was forged by the Dwarves of Nidavellir" Dr. Strange told her.

"And I am supposed to know who they are?" Ellie asked confused.

"No, but you will" Dr. Strange told her, "Ask Thor when he returns"

"Thor will return?" Ellie asked him surprised.

"In time" Dr. Strange told her, "I must be going-"

"Wait, you do the hand motions and stuff to get your powers to work. Aren't you going to teach me?" Ellie asked.

"No, in time… you will know. Just remember; please keep those on your person at all times. Do not lose them. The fate of the world is at stake" Dr. Strange told her.

Ellie took the small pieces of metal out of the box and placed them in her ears, "I will"

He nodded, "Until next time"

"Wait will there be a next time?" Ellie asked as he disappeared and Bucky came through the door.

"Pair of shoes that I wear… what?" Bucky asked as he saw her face.

Ellie sighed, "Nothing, what do you need?"

"Do you know where those shoes I have for when Sam, Steve and I go running are?" Bucky asked.

"In the closet" Ellie told him as she sat down on the bed.

Bucky stared at her then sat next to her, "What's wrong?"

Ellie gave him a forced smile, "Nothing, just tired"

"How about this, I'll bring Grant to Natasha with some bottles. You take a nap" Bucky told her.

Ellie nodded, "That sounds good"

He held the covers up as she laid down then tucked her in. Bucky kissed her forehead, "get some rest, you need it"

Ellie sighed as she closed her eyes.

He sat with her, rubbing her back until she fell asleep.

Bucky slipped on his running shoes then walked over to Grant and picked up his bassinet then walked out of the bedroom. Grabbing two bottles, a pack of wipes and some diapers, he walked out of the apartment and knocked on Steve and Nat's apartment door.

Natasha opened the door, "hey Bucky, what do you need?"

"Ellie isn't feeling well and I told Steve that I'd go running-"

Natasha grinned, "Give him here"

Bucky handed the bassinet over, "Here are two bottles, a pack of wipes and some diapers just in case-"

"Go, we will be absolutely fine, won't we? Yes we will" Natasha said to Grant as she shut the door and yelled, "Have fun and beat Steve!"

Bucky shook his head as he walked back down the hallway to leave.

"Buck"

Bucky turned around, "Why are you awake already?"

Ellie ran over to him, hugging him as she cried.

Bucky rubbed her back, "Bad dream?"

"I wish that is all it was. It didn't work" Ellie sobbed into his chest.

"What didn't work?" Bucky asked.

"The space mission" Ellie told him sadly.

Bucky sighed as he pulled her closer.

"Steve… he is so…" She sobbed.

"Well we can't change it now" Bucky told her sadly.

"I could. I could go back in the past and tell them-"

"No" Bucky interrupted, "Look at me"

Ellie looked at him with tear filled eyes as he held her face in his hands.

"No, you can't change the past El. Too many things could go wrong" Bucky told her, "Look at you right now, where is Grant?"

"Um…with Pepper I think" Ellie said wiping her eyes.

"Shit El, really? Look at me, no more of this whenever you want to, you come back. You have to think of yourself and Grant now" Bucky told her shaking his head, "If I'm not there, you are all he's got"

Ellie nodded as a tear fell down her face.

"El, what time did you come from?" Bucky asked.

Ellie blew out a shaky breath and looked up at him, "June 2nd"

"This coming June?" Bucky asked.

Ellie nodded sadly.

Bucky sat down on one of the stools, "Shit… El, once a month tops. That's all I want you visiting. I'm going to start asking"

Ellie nodded, "Okay"

"And Grant has to be safe and with someone dependable" Bucky told her, "Understood?"

"Understood" Ellie said as she wiped away more tears.

Bucky stood up and pulled her into his arms, "I love you, I love him… I just want you to be safe. That's all I want"

"I know" Ellie said burying her face in his chest, "There is just so much I want to tell you"

"Come on; let's get this you back to bed" Bucky told her as he took her hand.

Ellie reached up and touched her ears.

"I don't remember those earrings. Did you figure out how to bring them with you?" Bucky asked.

Ellie shook her head, "No… current me just got them"

"Well I like them" Bucky told her as he led her to their apartment and into their room.

Ellie climbed into bed and Bucky sat next to her, "I wish I could take you back with me"

"I know you do but… it doesn't work that way" Bucky told her as he leaned down and kissed her, "Hmmm I love you"

"I love you so much Buck" Ellie told him.

"Get some rest and give Grant my love" Bucky told her.

"He has your picture right next to his crib" Ellie said as she yawned, "Maybe I should get some sleep"

"Go get Grant and rest" Bucky told her.

Ellie took his hand and closed her eyes.

Bucky waited until she fell back asleep and kissed her forehead. With a sigh, he stood up.

* * *

 ***~*~* December 8, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

"How are you feeling Nat? Getting tired?" Ellie asked as they walked through the market.

"A bit but I am fine. How's he doing?" Natasha asked looking at Grant as she rubbed her belly.

"Sound asleep" Ellie said with a grin as she looked down at Grant in the baby carrier that they had found, "it is amazing how they have these carriers that you can strap on your body now so your arms are free. I remember growing up, pushing them in a baby buggy was the only option available and they weren't easy to steer"

"What do you miss most about the 40s?" Natasha asked.

Ellie sighed, "It's not really the 40s that I miss, because modern conveniences are so helpful. I have Bucky with me and Steve with me. I guess Mom and being home. No offense to T'Challa because I am so gracious that they allowed us to stay here but…"

"It's not home" Natasha said nodding.

"Yeah" Ellie said.

"I've never really had a home to call my own but even with the chaos that surrounded it, the Avengers tower then the compound… closest thing I had to one, plus as crazy as Tony is… he made us a family. If I had a question, just went down the hall to talk to one of them. Group dinners and Rhodey's breakfasts he made a mean omelet" Natasha said sadly.

"They have to overturn the accords Nat. They just have to soon" Ellie told her.

"I hope so" Natasha said, "I mean I have Steve, and Wanda, and Sam but… I miss them all"

Ellie bit her lip, "Steve said something about Banner and you in the past"

Natasha shook her head with a laugh, "There was no real love there. Honestly I was scared about my feelings for Steve and Bruce… he literally can't have children because of the Gamma radiation and I knew that. Things were so different before her. I thought differently about life and the world before I knew I was having her" She said as she rubbed her expanding belly.

"Same here" Ellie told her as she saw a Koeksisters stand, "Have you ever had Koeksisters?"

"No, what is it?" Natasha asked.

"Its fried dough braided and drenched in honey or chocolate… basically a doughnut stick" Ellie told her.

"I want one" Natasha said as they walked up to the stand.

"Sawubona, uninzi kangakanani Koeksisters nceda? (Hello, how much for the Koeksisters please)" Ellie asked.

The lady running the stand looked up, "U-Ellie, oh ubuhle bam, unguEllie (Ellie, oh my goodness, you are Ellie)"

"Mholweni" Ellie greeted.

"You money no good...the baby" She said as she walked around and looked at the carrier, "He is here"

"Yes, he came last week" Ellie said with a smile.

The vendor hurried around her booth and grabbed multiple Koeksisters, "Here you take... bring to the palace and enjoy"

"I can pay please" Ellie told her as she took the bag of treats.

"No, go enjoy and blessed enjoy for baby boy" She said.

"Siyabulela kuwe (Blessed thanks to you)" Ellie said.

She bowed and they walked away.

"Does that happen a lot?" Natasha asked.

"Yes, I hate it" Ellie said with a sigh.

"Oh look at this Ellie" Natasha said as she saw a statue of a tiger, "Look how beautiful the artistry is"

"You like?" The vendor asked Natasha.

"Very much, how much?" Natasha asked.

Ellie suddenly noticed the volume of the market increasing and looked around to see the vendors and the patrons were speaking to each other and looking towards her, 'Shit'

Ellie walked up to Natasha, "We need to get back to the palace"

Natasha looked at her, "Why?"

"Listen" Ellie said quietly.

Natasha paid for the tiger then listened as the vendor made change, "The doughnut lady told people"

"And its spreading. We have to go" Ellie told her as she glanced down at Grant.

"Thank you" Natasha said as she took the statue and they hurried down the market row, "Should you call Steve or Bucky?"

"No, they don't mean harm, they are just excited that he is here" Ellie told her as she looped her arm in Natasha's, "Shit why did I not let Queen Mother announce it when she asked"

They hurried through the market and Natasha looked behind them, "We are starting to have a tail"

"Fuck" Ellie said as they left the market and started walking through the North village.

Natasha glanced back, "We've lost about 40% of the crowd"

Ellie saw a bus stopped up ahead, "We have to make it to that bus. Come on"

The bus started to drive away as they reached it and Ellie waved her arms and it stopped.

She helped Natasha on then got on herself, "Thank you"

The driver looked at her as Natasha took a seat to catch her breath, "Palace?"

"Yes please" Ellie said as she sat down next to Natasha.

"Fuck, I'm out of shape" Natasha said fanning herself.

Grant opened his eyes when the bus hit a bump and started crying.

"Shhh, momma is here" Ellie said as she ran her hand over his head.

She closed her eyes and rested her head against his, "It's okay Grant... we are almost home"

He stopped crying and looked at her with his wide beautiful eyes.

They made it to the palace as people on the bus started noticing them.

"Come on" Ellie said as the bus stopped.

They hurried off the bus then into the palace. The guards smiled at them and they walked over to the elevator.

"We made it" Ellie said resting her head back against the elevator wall as the elevator started climbing.

"I can't believe the reaction people were having" Natasha said surprised.

"The Queen Mother adopted Bucky and made him part of the royal family. Shuri told me that the phoenix has been a legend here since Howard brought me here. Then when they found out that not only was I real but I was Bucky's wife..." Ellie told her, "We were sent a lot of gifts when I was pregnant... I can just imagine the reaction now"

"That makes sense" Natasha said nodding.

They stepped off the elevator at the apartments and Ellie let them in.

They slid their shoes off and walked into the common area.

"I wonder what the boys have been up to?" Natasha said looking around to see no one, "Come to my apartment for a second I want to show you this cute outfit I found. Did I ever tell you that I used to be a ballerina?"

Ellie nodded, "I went to a red room recital. I know you weren't there but I saw the other ballerinas"

Natasha unlocked the apartment, "I found a little ballerina outfit. It's adorable. That is one thing I want to make sure I teach her"

They walked towards the baby's room and heard noises. Moaning as if someone were having sex in the apartment.

Natasha looked at Ellie concerned.

Ellie shook her head, "Steve wouldn't do that"

"Do modern girls really do that?" Bucky's voice asked and Ellie's eyes got wide.

"Holy shit... Look at her bend" Steve's voice replied, "She is like one of the circus performers we used to see. I don't know about modern girls Buck obviously. Ask Natasha"

"Fuck that, she is your baby's momma. Holy hell... That can't be natural" Bucky said.

Ellie bit her lip and closed her eyes.

Natasha threw open the door and Steve squealed as he jumped up off their bed.

"Nat, I ... We..." Steve said as he scrambled to turn the TV off.

Bucky saw Ellie staring at the screen sadly, "El"

Ellie shook her head then left the apartment.

"Shit" Bucky said as he jumped up to follow her.

Ellie walked into their apartment and wiped the tears that suddenly were falling from her eyes.

"Ellie look" Bucky said as he entered the apartment and she held her hand up.

"Don't... Just don't" Ellie said as she walked into their bedroom

"Steve just... well he found this website and... I don't know we got curious" Bucky told her.

Ellie sat down on the bed and started nursing Grant, "I get it" she said trying to hide her tears as she wiped them away.

"Then why are you crying?" Bucky asked as he sat next to her.

Ellie bit her lip, "Because… I'll never be one of those modern girls Buck. I…I will never be that 1940s girl you loved anymore"

Bucky shook his head and chuckled, "El, you will always be that girl I fell in love with"

"Look at me Bucky. I'm heavier now and-"

Bucky took her hand, "You also just had our baby"

"Back then when I was in shape I was only 110 pounds. I'm almost 150 now Bucky" Ellie said sadly, "I have stretch marks, I-"

"You are perfect and what stretch marks?" Bucky said.

"Oh they are there" Ellie told him shaking her head, "You just…why do you think I only wanted to have sex with the lights off near the end? They were really obvious"

Bucky looked at Grant, who had just pulled away smacking his lips, "Grant, your momma just doesn't get it. She is beautiful isn't she?"

Grant looked up at them and smiled.

"Oh my god… he's smiling! Bucky he is smiling!" Ellie said amazed.

"See he agrees, you are beautiful… isn't that right Grant" Bucky said as he took Grant and stared patting his back, "You might not be 1940s Ellie but you are perfect for me baby. I would never want anyone else. I mean, once you are healed we can always try some of the stuff that I saw but-"

Ellie flicked him off, "I'd throw a pillow at you if you weren't holding him" She said with a smile as she laid back, "God, she said six weeks but that's for a non-super soldier healer right?"

Bucky laid Grant down in his bassinet after he burped and climbed into the bed next to her, "Feeling a little… frustrated?"

Ellie looked over at him, "We shouldn't have been having so much sex before he came… now my body is craving it"

Bucky laughed and rolled over to kiss her, "You know" He said as he kissed down to her ear and bit her earlobe, "We don't have to actually have sex"

Ellie gasped as he kissed her spot that drove her wild, under her ear, "Oh shit… move Grant… farther over there"

Bucky jumped off the bed and moved Grant closer to the closet, "Sorry Grant, go to sleep"

He jumped back onto the bed and nearly bounced off.

Ellie laughed, "God I love you"

Bucky straddled her hips and pulled his shirt over his head, "Sit up"

Ellie sat up and he pulled her shirt off then kissed her then kissed down her chest, making sure to kiss every stretch mark and scar that he passed.

* * *

Bucky laid on his side watching Ellie sleep and smiled as she smiled in her sleep, mumbling something about dancing.

She scrunched her eyes up in her sleep like she was in pain then gasped. He was about to wake her up, when she relaxed and her smile came back. Then she gasped again and her eyes opened.

"Are you okay?" He asked concerned.

She put her hand to her head, "That was harder than normal"

Bucky sighed, "Has it been a month?"

"It's August… today is my birthday" Ellie told him sadly.

Bucky leaned over and kissed her, "Happy birthday baby"

Tears started falling from her eyes then her eyes rolled back and closed, then she gasped as they opened again, "Shit"

"What's wrong?" Bucky asked concerned.

Ellie bit her lip, "I'm having… power issues. I barely got back here and I'm hardly holding on to this time. This is probably going to be my last visit for awhile"

Bucky kissed her and she sobbed against his mouth, "I love you… is it your health?"

"No… well indirectly I guess. I just… need some time to rest. It's been a long few months Buck. God… it's been going on four months now" Ellie told him sadly resting her forehead against his, "I can't do it anymore Buck"

"Yes you can. You are so strong Ellie. You are the strongest person I know" Bucky told her.

"I don't feel that way when I am struggling to stay sane and take care of Grant and… it's just too much sometimes" Ellie told him sadly.

"Lean on Steve. Let him help you" Bucky told her.

Ellie shook her head, "I… haven't spoken with him since June."

Bucky looked at her, "Why?"

"I just… I couldn't do it Buck. I lost you and they came back from space and they left. It was literally Steve and Nat moping around the compound, Tony was fighting with Steve… Thor left. I couldn't take it so I left. Grant and I have been traveling. Doing more of our traveling list. We are in Norway right now" Ellie told him.

"Did you see the Northern Lights?" Bucky asked holding her hands.

A tear fell down her face, "They are so beautiful Bucky… I wish I could show you. You can see them from our hotel…it's this beautiful hotel called Lydgen Lodge"

"I'm with you still. I'm here" Bucky said pointing to her heart, "And here" he said pointing to her head, "And I will forever be a part of Grant. Just think of him experiencing things for me"

More tears fell from her eyes, "Oh Buck… if you knew… Ugh..." She said as she grabbed her head, "Shit I can't hold it. I love you"

Bucky kissed her, "I love you more"

This time her eyes closed and they didn't reopen as her body relaxed.

* * *

a/n3: I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, please review! Thank you to the five new reviews!

 **Tuckerjnp1: Thank you, I haven't had my own biological children yet but my sisters have so I kept that information in mind.**

 **Bethypie1998: Thanos will not be around for awhile… but future Ellie will**

 **Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967: Thanks as always for reading and reviewing!**

 **PrettyRecklessLaura: Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed it!**

 **Gingin1975: Many the up the back moments! Never a good sign when the back of the onesie turns colors. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

 **Now for a preview of Chapter 58: Look What God Gave Her**

Ellie and Bucky had just turned in for the night and were both asleep when their bedroom door flew open around 1am.

Bucky sat up with a knife in his hand as Ellie's hands lit up orange.

"Seriously? I come in peace with news" Shuri told them.

"Shit Shuri" Bucky said as he put the knife back under his pillow into its sheath, "Can't you knock? We could have killed you"


	58. Chapter 58 - Look What God Gave Her

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 _ **A/n2: So who else saw the SDCC announcements about phase 4? OMG I cannot wait. Plus Falcon and the Winter Soldier starts filming in October and hopefully we will get an idea of what will go on with it. I hope it's more buddy cop and Zemo isn't a HUGE factor. Stupid Zemo.**_

* * *

 **Got that look in her eyes  
Swear she fell right out the sky  
Yeah, I think I've seen the light  
Every kiss, I could die  
It's like the heavens opened wide  
Man, I swear I've seen the light**

 **~ Look What God Gave Her by Thomas Rhett**

* * *

 ***~*~* December 8, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

"Buck"

Bucky groaned as he turned over, "Go back to sleep… it's too early"

Ellie leaned over him, "Bucky wake up" Ellie said shaking him.

Bucky opened his eyes and glanced over at the bassinet to see Grant asleep, "What's wrong?"

"Hey" Ellie said with a sad smile.

Bucky sat up and placed his hand on her face and she closed her eyes moving into his hand, "Hey baby"

A tear fell from her eye, "I missed you so much"

"How long has it been?" Bucky asked pulling her into his arms.

Ellie looked at him with sparkling blue eyes, "It's January 1st of 2019"

"Shit… Grant is a year old" Bucky said glancing over at his newborn son.

"Yeah… God Buck… He's growing so fast its scary" Ellie said as she shook her head, "I mean you look at him next to Sarah… he could probably pass for two"

"Any more traveling?" Bucky asked rubbing her back.

"No…no more traveling. I… haven't been able to" Ellie told him looking over at Grant.

"Why?" Bucky asked, "Your power issues?"

Ellie nodded, "I wasn't healthy enough to travel" She told him as she saw how concerned he was, "But I'm okay now. Tired… it's been a long last few months but… I'm okay. I can't complain. The world… God the world is struggling Buck. No one knows what to do after the big battle" Ellie said as she shook her head, "A lot of people died that day and… you can't just… move on easily"

Bucky pulled her down onto his chest and she settled onto it with her head over his heart and she sighed in relief.

"Steve is doing… better with it" Ellie told him making shapes on his chest, "He's running support groups for the survivors"

"You are talking to Steve again?" Bucky asked.

"Yeah… I had to. I… I couldn't go without talking to him very long" Ellie said as she kissed his chest, "When I started having the health issues, he figured out who he could get to help me. I… I was basically running from him and Nat, he found me and Grant and forced me to come home"

"Well then thank God for Steve" Bucky said running his fingers through her hair.

Ellie inhaled his scent, "I don't want to leave… but I have to"

"Give Grant a big hug and a kiss for me. Tell him that I love him. I love you so much" Bucky told her as she looked up at him and he kissed her.

"I know you do" Ellie said with a tearful smile, "That's the only thing that keeps me going some days"

"Do something for yourself. Go somewhere… exciting. Go to the zoo, you always loved the zoo" Bucky told her.

Ellie laughed, "If you only knew. I've visited a lot of them lately. I love you"

"I love you too" Bucky told her as he laid her head on his chest again.

She sighed and he felt her body relax.

Bucky sighed as he moved out from under Ellie then got up. Walking over to Grant's bassinet, he picked him up and carried him out onto the balcony of their apartment.

He sat down on the porch swing that Ellie had found right before Grant was born and started slowly swinging, "I'm going to miss so much of your life Grant. I am sorry but if I could change it I would. I love you so much"

Ellie leaned against the doorframe of the sliding door, "We can't though. We just have to live every moment as if it were our last"

Bucky looked up at her, "Hey"

Ellie pulled her robe closer to her and sat down next to them, "Did I visit again?"

Bucky nodded, "Yeah, how can you tell?"

"You are so sad after I do. Buck… tell me not to do it anymore" Ellie begged him.

"No… you need it and… I want you to be happy" Bucky said as he kissed her.

Ellie rested her forehead against his, "Did I say anything?"

"Well… you were visiting from January" Bucky told her.

"Next month? Wow how-"

"Of 2019" Bucky told her.

Ellie sighed and closed her eyes, "A whole year?"

Bucky nodded trying to ignore the tear that rolled down her face, "Yeah you said that Grant is a year old, growing like crazy. You are back home with Steve"

Ellie sighed, "But you aren't back"

Bucky pulled her close to him, "Whatever happens, will happen. There is nothing we can change but we know what to expect. Others don't. We are lucky in that way"

Ellie laid her head on his shoulder, "I just can't imagine…living without you"

Bucky bit his lip, "Well you did it before, but… now you have Grant to help. Promise me… promise me that no matter what happens, you won't do what you did before" Bucky told her, "Grant can't lose both of us"

"There is too much at stake now. I would never think of it now. Back then I didn't have anything, so I didn't see that light" Ellie told him, "But I could never do it"

Bucky smiled as Grant opened his eyes, "Hey bud… good morning. You slept a whole 4 hours last night"

"Better than two" Ellie said as she took him and pulled down her top so that she could feed Grant.

Bucky pushed off on the ground so they would swing back and forth, "What time does Mother want us ready?"

"Noon is when she wants to do the presentation" Ellie told him as she laid her head on his shoulder, "I can't believe they even want us to do this"

Bucky took her left hand in his and ran his thumb over her wedding ring, "They have really adopted us"

"Even if we never make it home… we will always have a home here" Ellie told him as she looked at him, "Have… I said anything about that?"

"No, so… I don't think it happens before… whatever happens, happens" Bucky told her.

Ellie bit her lip, "I wish Ellis would decide whether to pardon you or not. There is so much I want to do and… just not enough time"

"Pepper said the house should be ready in the next few weeks right? That the escrow or whatever that was called should be ironed out with Tony's lawyers and the owner's lawyer" Bucky said.

"Yeah, she said possibly in the next few weeks" Ellie told him as Grant pulled away and she offered him her other breast and he took only a few sucks then pulled away completely.

"Here I'll burp him. You go ahead and get ready" Bucky told her as he took Grant as she handed him over.

Ellie kissed him, "I love you"

"Love you more" Bucky told her as he started patting Grant's back.

* * *

"There is my adorable nephew! Give him here" Shuri said as they walked in the throne room and she rushed over.

Ellie laughed as she handed him over to Shuri, "Careful of his head"

"How are you feeling my child?" Ramonda asked.

"Actually pretty good" Ellie told her as she watched Shuri and Grant, "Being a Mom is harder than I thought it would be but it is so worth it"

"It is truly the most rewarding thing you will ever do" Ramonda told her, "Just wait until he can talk and tell you that he loves you"

"With the way he is growing that might just be two months from now" Ellie said shaking her head.

"Just cherish every moment" Ramonda told her.

Ellie nodded as she turned away from her so that she would not see the tears building in her eyes.

"Hello everyone" T'Challa said as he walked into the room, "Is everyone ready?

"I feel like we are about to do that one scene from Lion King" Shuri joked.

"Oh we haven't seen that one yet" Bucky told her.

Shuri stared at him shocked.

"Okay, tonight… Lion King night" Shuri told him.

"I have been trying to watch them in order though" Bucky told her with a slight pout.

"What are you up to?" Shuri asked as she handed Grant back to Ellie.

"I think the 80s right?" Bucky asked Ellie.

"Yeah, we watched Fox and the Hound and…what was that one I fell asleep during?" Ellie asked.

"Black Cauldron" Bucky told her.

"That was it" Ellie said as she looked at Grant in his little traditional Wakandan outfit then up at Bucky, "Are we ready for this?"

Bucky nodded, "We don't even need to say anything" He told her.

T'Challa looked back at them, "Ready?"

Ellie nodded.

T'Challa opened the doors to the balcony that overlooked the park below and stepped out. Shuri and Ramonda followed him. Ellie swallowed hard as Bucky put his arm around her then kissed the side of her head as they followed.

T'Challa took his place at the microphone and Shuri and Ramonda took at his sides. Ellie and Bucky stood behind them.

Ellie looked out beyond the balcony and gasped. The park was filled with people as far as she could see.

"Fellow Wakandans, I have the pleasure of announcing as many may know that the royal family has increased in size. My adopted brother James Barnes and his wife Elizabeth have welcomed a baby boy!" T'Challa announced.

The crowd started cheering and shouting.

"We rejoice in his birth and celebrate the new life" T'Challa said as he turned and motioned them to step forward.

Ellie walked forward and suddenly saw their image projected on the side of the palace.

"The new royal baby has been named Grant Lindiwe Barnes" T'Challa announced.

The crowd below cheered shouting what sounded like blessings in Wakandan.

"He came into this world healthy and happy and for that we pray many blessings over him" T'Challa announced.

Bucky and Ellie waved at the crowds.

"We thank you for coming out today and I pray for you all to have a blessed day" T'Challa said as he turned and they all followed him as they went inside.

"That was it?" Bucky asked looking at T'Challa.

"Yes, when Baba announced Shuri… they did it downstairs and it was a whole production. I didn't think that was needed, are you okay with that?" T'Challa asked.

"Oh yes, thank you. I am just still blown away by the fact they care this much" Ellie said as she turned to Ramonda, "Do you want to hold him Mother?"

Ramonda smiled, "Yes child, I would love to"

Ellie placed him in her arms and stood back, "You know, he will never get the chance to know our parents. So I am glad he will still have one Grandparent. Thank you Mother"

Ramonda leaned down and kissed Grant's head, "I am so glad that I could do this for you both. You deserve so many blessings after all you have been through. Now, our chef made a large lunch for everyone so I hope everyone is hungry"

* * *

 ***~*~* December 15, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Ellie and Bucky had just turned in for the night and were both asleep when their bedroom door flew open around 1am.

Bucky sat up with a knife in his hand as Ellie's hand lit up orange.

"Seriously? I come in peace with news" Shuri told them.

"Shit Shuri" Bucky said as he put the knife back under his pillow into its sheath, "Can't you knock? We could have killed you"

Ellie swung her legs out of bed and grabbed her robe, "What is wrong Shuri?" She asked as she stood up.

"Nothing, Bucky is free" Shuri told them as she turned the television on and found the news channel.

Ellie sat on the bed as she saw scrolling on the bottom of the TV, "James Buchanan Barnes, the Winter Soldier, terrorist, has been pardoned by Matthew Ellis, President of the United States"

Ellie glanced back at Bucky, "Buck"

"I… I didn't think it would actually happen" Bucky said surprised as he stood next to her staring at the TV.

Ellie took his hand and looked at Shuri, "Did Ellis make a statement yet?"

Shuri brought something up on her phone and handed it to Ellie.

 **MATTHEW ELLIS**

 **President of the United States of America**

 **TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, GREETING:**

 **BE IT KNOWN, THAT THIS DAY, I, MATTHEW ELLIS, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, PURSUANT TO MY POWERS UNDER ARTICLE II, SECTION 2, CLAUSE 1, OF THE CONSTITUTION, HAVE GRANTED UNTO**

 **JAMES BUCHANAN BARNES**

 **A FULL AND UNCONDITIONAL PARDON**

 **FOR HIS PRE-EMPTIVE CRIMES while being the longest prisoner of war in American History.**

 **I HEARBY DESIGNATE, direct, and empower the Pardon Attorney, as my representative, to sign and grant a full pardon to the person named herein. The Pardon Attorney shall declare that his action is the act of the President, being performed in my direction.**

 **IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and caused the seal of the Department of Justice to be affixed.**

 _Done at the City of Washington this fourteenth day of December in the year of our Lord Two Thousand and Seventeen and of the Independence of the United States the Two Hundred and Forty-First._

 **MATTHEW ELLIS**

 **PRESIDENT**

"Oh my god, it's real" Ellie said as she handed the phone to Bucky.

Bucky read over it, "But… now… what does it mean?"

"That means we are free to go home. They can't try you in America for anything that you did as the Winter Soldier" Ellie told him as she looked at Shuri, "Right?"

"Yes, I believe so. I am sure someone from Ellis' office will be contacting you" Shuri told them.

"Thank you Shuri" Bucky said handing her phone back to her.

Shuri hugged him, "Congratulations brother"

"Thank you… for everything" Bucky said hugging her back.

"Just glad to help" Shuri said as she smiled at them, "See you in the morning. Celebratory breakfast around 9am?"

"Sounds good" Ellie told her as Shuri left and she looked back at the TV, "God Buck… its really happening"

Bucky sat next to her on the bed, "What happens next?"

Ellie took his hand, "I don't know… that's up to you"

Bucky shook his head, "No… we need to decide together" Bucky told her as he squeezed her hand and ran his thumb over her ring, "I'm not doing any of this without you"

Ellie looked over at him, "Are you sure I didn't mention anything about this?"

"No… no you didn't. That's why I am really… blown away. I honestly figured it was never happening" Bucky told her as he looked back at the tv.

Ellie bit her lip in thought, "Could… could time have changed?" Ellie asked curious.

Bucky looked at her, "I guess that's possible too" Bucky said as he listened to the reporter on the TV as he started talking about the Winter Soldier's supposed crimes, "Time is always changing right?"

Ellie rested her head on his shoulder as they watched.

* * *

 ***~*~* December 16, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Ellie sat on her and Bucky's bed surrounded by clothing as she put her head into her hands. It seemed like days prior, instead of just yesterday when T'Challa had walked into their apartment with a phone and handed it to Bucky.

On the other line had been the President of the United States, inviting she and Bucky back to the United States for the Congressional Christmas Ball on December 20th. With that kind of invitation, it looked like they were heading back to the United States sooner rather than later.

The door opened to their bedroom and Ellie looked up as Bucky walked in with Grant in his sling that Shuri had purchased for them.

"Whoa looks like the closet exploded in here" Bucky said looking around at what seemed to be every outfit they owned on the bed or the floor.

"What in the hell do I pack? How long are we going to be gone? Are we coming back for Christmas? Are we staying there? Are-"

"Ellie breathe, let's just take this one thing at a time okay? If we leave tomorrow morning, fly to New York like you and Pepper planned, one outfit to change out of once off the plane and nightclothes. Then we have the 18th and the 19th, two outfits there. Then we won't be dressed up for this ball on the 20th all day. We can come home any time after that. I would say take a week's worth of clothes just in case" Bucky told her.

"Buck, I looked up pictures of what people wear to this ball. We don't have anything-"

Bucky sat next to her on top of Grant's outfits, "El, Angel listen… you don't think Pepper might have connections?"

Ellie sighed, "You are right"

"Call her" Bucky said as he grabbed her phone off the table beside their bed then handed it to her.

Ellie brought up Pepper's number then put the phone to her ear.

"Hello Ellie, how are you today?" Pepper asked as she answered.

"Good, stressed trying to pack everything but… I have a question for you" Ellie said.

"Sure, what is it?" Pepper asked.

"The President invited us to the Congressional Ball and… I don't have any dresses or-"

"Oh I already have an appointment for us at my favorite boutique in the city. You will be here by Monday right?" Pepper asked.

"Yeah we are leaving tomorrow morning and we should be there by tomorrow afternoon. T'Challa is letting us take one of their Talon flyers" Ellie told her.

"Well I will send you the coordinates for the Avengers compound, you can fly in when you arrive and park it there. When you go to Washington, you can use one of the Stark planes" Pepper told her.

"Probably a good idea" Ellie said as she watched Bucky play with Grant on the bed.

"Are you bringing Grant?" Pepper asked.

"Yes, not sure what to do when we are at the ball but yes. I don't feel comfortable leaving him for an extended period of time yet" Ellie told her.

"I can always to go to DC with you, I can watch him if you want" Pepper offered.

"Really? You'd do that?" Ellie asked surprised.

"Yes of course. Thanks to you two I have baby fever, so thank you very much for that" Pepper told her.

Ellie laughed, "Go ahead and get on that"

"Lord, I can't handle a Tony and a mini-Tony. My luck it would be his reincarnate. See you when you get here" Pepper told her, "Travel safe"

"Thank you Pepper" Ellie said as she hung up.

Bucky looked up at her, "What did Pepper say?"

"She already made an appointment for me at her favorite boutique. We are going to land at the Avengers compound and then we can take a Stark plane with Pepper as a babysitter to DC" Ellie told him as she laid down next to Grant, "Hey Little Man"

Grant looked at her and opened his mouth with a little smile then started to coo.

Ellie looked at Bucky in shock then back to Grant, "Are you trying to talk to us Grant?"

"Ooooh" Grant replied.

"Shit" Bucky said, "Hey bud, can you say hi?"

Grant grunted then cooed some more.

"God, he's only three weeks old Buck. It's almost like he understands and is trying to communicate back" Ellie said.

Bucky picked Grant up, "You are going to be the smartest little boy in the world aren't you… yes you will" Bucky said as Grant cooed back.

* * *

 ***~*~* December 17, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Ellie stood on the palace roof landing pad watching Steve and Bucky load up the Talon Flyer with their luggage and Grant's traveling things that Shuri had secretly bought for them.

"Nervous?"

Ellie looked at Natasha, "Very"

T'Challa walked over to them.

"Morning T'Challa" Ellie said as he walked over to her.

"Good morning, here are your papers that you will need" T'Challa told her, "Just in case you encounter anyone. Your new dual citizenship, Bucky's dual citizenship and Grant's birth certificate and citizenship papers. As well as your passports"

"Thank you T'Challa" Ellie said as she took the envelope.

"Pays to know the king" T'Challa said with a wink as he walked over to the Talon Flyer.

Natasha rubbed her belly as the baby kicked, "You are going to be back for Christmas right?"

Ellie nodded, "That is the plan"

Bucky, Steve and T'Challa stepped off the flyer and walked over to Ellie and Natasha.

"Everything is all loaded up" Bucky told her.

Ellie sighed, "Guess it's time then"

Natasha hugged Ellie, "Everything is going to be okay"

"I know" Ellie said as she hugged her back with her free arm.

Steve pulled Bucky into a hug, "Go get them jerk"

Bucky laughed and rolled his eyes, "Shut it punk"

"Take care of her" Steve whispered.

"Always" Bucky said patting his back as they moved apart.

Ellie looked up at Steve, "We will be home for Christmas"

"You better" Steve said as he pulled her into a hug, "I love you El"

"I love you too Steve" Ellie said as she looked at T'Challa, "Thank you again for everything T'Challa"

"Don't mention it, I am happy to do it for you sister" T'Challa told her.

Bucky led her onto the flyer to see Shuri at the controls.

"Is Shuri coming with us?" Ellie asked Bucky.

"No, I'm staying here but I was just updating the controls to make them easier for you both" Shuri said as she got up from the pilot's seat, "Any questions Bucky?"

"No, I've flown more than a few times before. Howard would let me when we were going on missions" Bucky told her as he looked over the lack of controls, "This is just… way more futuristic"

"Well I made the model make the controls more American and looked at what planes used to look like back then and tried to make the controls easier for you" Shuri told them, "Go ahead and have a seat"

Ellie placed Grant into his car seat and fastened him in.

Bucky sat in the seat and the controls appeared holographically along with a stick appearing at his right hand and a control wheel in front of him made out of Vibranium sand.

Shuri scanned her Kimoyo beads over Bucky's left arm and beads suddenly appeared on his wrist.

"Have those been there all along?" Bucky asked looking at his arm.

"I didn't tell you about those?" Shuri asked.

"No" Bucky told her in disbelief.

"Sorry, they were hidden in the arm. Unlike Ellie's bracelet, you can call one bead at a time to your palm just by touching the spot as if they were there" Shuri told him.

"Good to know now" Bucky said.

"Alright, you two are all set. If you need anything, just call and I can help" Shuri told them as she looked back at Ellie.

"Thank you Shuri" Ellie said as she hugged her.

"No problem sister" Shuri said as she exited the plane.

Ellie looked around the flyer, "Are you sure you can fly this? This is a lot different than Howard's planes"

Bucky hit some controls, "I flew some for Hydra too and I landed the Quinjet for Steve"

"Landing and flying are a whole different thing" Ellie said as she started feeding Grant a bottle as Rosa suggested.

Bucky glanced back at her, "Do you trust me?"

"Of course" Ellie said.

"Then buckle in" Bucky told her.

Ellie fastened into the flyer as she felt the flyer start to vibrate softly as it hummed, "Wait that is it? It's on and this is how quiet it is?"

"T'Challa might have given me some flying lessons" Bucky said hitting some holographic buttons.

Bucky pulled back on the wheel and she felt a slight pitch backwards as they climbed in elevation. Looking out the small window next to her, she could see Steve, Natasha, Shuri and T'Challa along with his guard from a distance standing watching them. She waved despite knowing they couldn't see her for the dark windows.

"Here we go" Bucky said as he moved the wheel up so that they would climb higher and then moved the throttle.

Ellie watched as Steve and the rest of their family became smaller as they flew away. Below them the market, then the village passed, then they went over Central Wakanda, the Golden City then they were over the mountains.

Once out of Wakanda's country limits, Bucky entered their coordinates and hit some buttons to go into stealth mode, "We are invisible now"

"Wait… is it flying itself?" Ellie asked.

Bucky nodded, "Power of technology, Angel"

"Definitely a different experience then the last time I was in a plane" Ellie told him.

Bucky turned his seat around, "How is he?"

Ellie looked at Grant, "Doesn't seem like he was fazed a bit. The bottle helped"

"Good" Bucky said as he turned around, "Because we are about to go faster"

"How fast?" Ellie asked.

Bucky pushed the throttle down and Ellie felt the change in Gs. Grant let go of the bottle and fussed for a second then Ellie put the bottle back into his mouth. He went on happily sucking again after getting used to the change.

* * *

*~*~* December 17, 2017- New York*~*~*

Ellie opened her eyes and glanced over at Grant, who was asleep in his seat then stretched as she unfastened. She walked over to Bucky and looked out of the front of the flyer, "I fell asleep"

"Yeah, you fell asleep when we were over Morocco" Bucky told her as they slightly changed direction as the radar picked a plane coming towards them.

"Where are we now?" Ellie asked.

Bucky looked at the map in front of him on the screen, "You will be able to tell in about a minute so I'll just wait" He said pointing ahead of him out the window.

"What do you mean?" Ellie asked as she looked, "All I see is clouds and… liberty. Oh Buck… we're home"

The Statue of Liberty stood proud in front of them as the flyer few past it.

"Another thirty minutes and we should be at the Avengers compound" Bucky told her.

Ellie kissed his cheek then went back to sit with Grant.

* * *

Bucky softly landed the Talon Flyer in an empty patch of grass then looked over at the building, "Tony can't do anything small can he?"

Ellie looked at the building with the big A on it in front of them, "I would guess not"

Bucky turned the engines off and got up, "let's just take Grant and his bag for now. We can unload the rest of the stuff later"

Ellie nodded as she grabbed his bag as Bucky unfastened Grant's carrier and picked it up. He hit the button and the back hatch opened and so they could climb down the stairs.

Two figures were heading their direction and Ellie smiled when she recognized one of them.

"Pepper!" Ellie said as she rushed forward and hugged her.

"Welcome back home" Pepper said as she hugged her, "Ellie, Bucky… I'd like you to meet Colonel James Rhodes; he is also Tony's best friend"

Bucky stood tall, "Sir" he said as he saluted.

"Enough of that. Hello Sergeant Barnes, pleasure to finally meet you" Rhodey said as he shook Bucky's hand.

"You are War Machine, correct?" Bucky asked.

"Yes sir" Rhodey said.

"We just call him Rhodey" Pepper said, "Come on, I bet you are both hungry. How was the flight over?"

"Really easy. Grant slept through at least half of it" Ellie told her.

"Good, I set up a room for you both here. I don't know what your plans are" Pepper said as she joined her arm with Ellie's.

"I really don't know myself honestly. This happened so suddenly" Ellie remarked as she breathed in, "God it's been 30 years since I've been back in the United States… it feels like a lifetime ago even though it was only really 9 months for me"

Rhodey shook his head, "I don't know how you keep your head on straight with the differences in time"

Ellie gave him a slight smile, "It's hard but we manage"

Pepper led them into the first building, "This is the living quarters, over there are the offices and the hanger. Not sure if that plane can fit in the hanger though"

"It will be fine. No one even could probably figure out how to operate it" Ellie told them.

"Welcome to the Avengers compound" Pepper said holding out her arms.

Ellie looked around at the building and could almost immediately see what Steve was talking about. It didn't feel like a home that the kids could grow up in. It felt like an office that people happened to live in.

"The only people that really live here are me and Vision" Rhodey told them, "But there is a room for Thor that he never used. Pepper set it up for you"

Pepper lead them down a hallway and opened a door, "Go ahead and get cleaned up. I'll go see how dinner is doing. If you need anything, let me know"

"Thank you Pepper" Ellie said as they walked inside.

Bucky set Grant's carrier on the floor next to the bed, "This is… nice"

"It is" Ellie said nodding as she walked over to the large windows overlooking the property.

"I can see what Steve was meaning now" Bucky told her as he unfastened Grant and pulled him out of the carrier.

Ellie looked back at him, "yeah… it's not home. It's nice but… with my time with SSR or Shield, I stayed in hotels… this feels like a hotel to me"

"It's nice they are letting us stay here though" Bucky said as he laid Grant down on the bed to change his diaper.

"Yeah it is" Ellie said as she took Grant when Bucky was done changing him, "I'll feed him. Do you want to go get our bags? Don't forget the bassinet"

"Bassinet, bags… was there anything else we needed tonight?" Bucky asked.

"I don't think we brought too much else did we?" Ellie asked as Grant started feeding just as a knock was on the door.

Bucky walked into the bathroom and grabbed a towel then laid it over Grant, "Come on in"

The door opened and Vision glided in as the colorful version of himself.

"Sergeant Barnes, Miss Ellie… we are glad to have you here" Vision said.

"Thank you Vision" Ellie said.

"Do you have any luggage Sergeant Barnes?" Vision asked, "I can help you bring them in"

"Thank you Vision" Bucky said as he followed him, "But please, call me Bucky"

Ellie took the towel off her shoulder after the door closed, "Sorry about that little man. Welcome to momma's home state. Although, don't tell your Daddy but I was born in New Jersey"

Grant looked up at her with his big blue eyes.

"Your Daddy has never been a fan of New Jersey. He is crazy" Ellie said with a smile.

* * *

"Well hello everyone!" Tony announced as he walked into the dining area of the Avengers compound.

"Hey honey" Pepper said as he gave her a kiss.

"Bucky, Ellie… how was the ride here?" Tony asked.

"Easy, how are you Tony?" Ellie asked.

"Nothing new here. Training up the kid a bit" Tony said as he sat down at the table, "What did you make Pep?"

"We are sitting down and talking right now, pizza should be here any time now" Pepper told him.

"My favorite thing that you cook" Tony said as he sat down at the table.

"I can't remember the last time that I had pizza" Ellie said reminiscing, "I think it was in Italy"

"Shit… seriously?" Tony asked her surprised, "Real Italian pizza?"

Ellie nodded, "Your Dad didn't like pizza, it was too common, so when I stayed with you guys we didn't have it"

"Shit, Dad had a personal cook along with Jarvis. Heaven forbid we get takeout of any kind" Tony said leaning back in his chair.

"Howard was that… snooty?" Bucky asked surprised.

"Oh yeah… did you two ever really hang out?" Tony asked.

Bucky shook his head, "When he came to throw ideas around to the commandoes he would hang out with us. Usually was just to drink though" Bucky told him honestly.

"Now that sounds like my Dad" Tony said as he sighed, "Dad liked… a certain lifestyle. He had the money and he liked to show off that he had it. I'd purposely get into trouble so he'd have to come get me. Instead he'd pay them off to sweep it under the rug"

Ellie glanced at Bucky then back at Tony, "I will never be able to ask him this but, what do you honestly think Tony… do you think Howard would have worked with Hydra to… make me into a weapon?" Ellie asked honestly.

"No, he wouldn't have worked with Hydra on purpose. He didn't know that Bucky was alive. I've seen that tape. When he saw Bucky, Dad was shocked that it was Bucky there" Tony told her.

"What tape?" Ellie asked glancing at Bucky.

Tony looked at Bucky, "She doesn't know?"

Bucky sighed as he looked at the table, "When I killed Howard-"

"When Hydra killed Howard" Ellie interrupted.

"When Howard was killed there was tape of it" Bucky told her.

"Like someone recorded it?" Ellie asked confused.

"No, surveillance cameras. I honestly wanted to be caught on some level. That programming though… I couldn't completely break it" Bucky said shaking his head.

The doorbell rang and a bubble popped up above the table.

Tony touched it and moved his hands apart, "Hello"

"Hello I am here with a pizza for Pepper Potts"

"I got it. Let him in" Pepper told Tony as she got up.

"Come on in" Tony said as he touched a projected button then waved the screen away.

"Shit… we're doomed" Bucky said looking at Ellie, "Is that what technology is like now?"

Tony laughed, "No… that's Stark tech… so it's partly yours"

"Shit that is what we own?" Bucky asked taken aback.

Ellie shook her head, "What is it with you and shit tonight?" Ellie asked Bucky.

Bucky laughed, "I don't know"

"You and Steve have been hanging out too much lately" Ellie said shaking her head.

"Steve? Steve swears?" Tony asked surprised.

Bucky laughed as Ellie looked at Steve, "Hell, don't let him fool you" Ellie told him as Grant started crying through the monitor.

"I'll go get him" Bucky said as he got up.

Bucky passed Pepper as she walked in with the pizzas.

"By the way, the pizza guy totally went through the lawn to leave" Pepper told Tony.

"Seriously people?! Lawn maintenance!" Tony said as he took some of the boxes and put them in the middle of the table, "Everyone help yourselves"

Ellie grabbed a plate and put a slice of plain cheese on it, "So have you heard anything about the house?"

Tony put his pizza down, "okay so sorry, it's my fault"

Ellie looked at him, "What is?"

"So the house cleared… its yours but I think it needs some… improvements. The owners didn't think the house needed them so I'm paying for them" Tony told her.

Ellie stared at him, "From the pictures and videos that Pepper showed me, it looked fine"

"Pictures can be deceiving. For one, I am putting FRIDAY in the house" Tony told her.

"Wait what? We can go on Friday?" Ellie asked confused.

"No, hey FRIDAY introduce yourself to Ellie" Tony said.

"Hello Ellie, I am Ellie. Mr. Stark's Artificial Intelligence platform" A voice said as if it came from the walls.

Ellie looked around, "So Steve said that Vision was part of JARVIS, your former AI. So you have a new one?"

"Yes, after we made" Tony said as he looked at Vision, "No offense Vis… after we made Vision, Jarvis was integrated into Vision. So I made a new system called FRIDAY. She runs everything. If you need something, tell her. If you are out of something, tell her and she will order it"

"So… FRIDAY is your… butler?" Ellie asked, "The modern day version of Jarvis?"

"Much more than that but basically" Tony told her.

Ellie nodded, "But anyways, no big changes right?"

"No but while you are here we need to go visit it and make a list of what you guys want done so they can work on it. Now that he is free to come back, what are you guys going to do?" Tony asked.

Ellie bit her lip, and looked at the table then back up at him, "We want to do some traveling so after Steve and Nat's baby comes we will probably do a little of that"

"Their baby is due after Valentine's Day right?" Tony asked.

Ellie nodded as she took a bite of her pizza, "Goddd… that is so good"

"Best in New York" Tony told her with a smile.

* * *

Around 3am, Ellie put Grant down after feeding him and pulled her robe on. She decided to explore the compound a little for herself. Grabbing her phone, she checked on Grant to make sure he was sleeping one last time before walking out of their room.

She walked down the hallway and passed the door that Pepper had told her had been Steve's room. Ellie tried the doorknob and it easily opened.

Walking inside, she noticed a desk with a display and a fountain pen inside of a holder. She moved the chair out and sat at it, looking around the office. She turned around to see his guitar sitting next to the bed with a stack of books next to it. Getting up, she walked over to the bed and sat down on it. Grabbing one of the books, she opened it up and smiled to see some of his drawings.

Flipping through them, her own face peered back at her through a page in the middle of the book.

Ellie sighed as she laid back on the bed. She smiled when could very faintly smell his cologne on the sheets. She brought up Steve's number on her phone and called him.

"I thought you forgot about us for a second" He answered.

"Nah, just… it was a long day" Ellie told him as she yawned, "Damn of course now I'm getting tired"

"So everything went well?" Steve asked.

"Flight here was a breeze. Grant slept through most of it; I slept through a lot of it too. I can see what you said about this place though" Ellie said as she sighed, "It feels more hotel then home"

"I never really felt comfortable there" Steve told her.

Ellie looked at the pictures Steve had in frames next to his bed. She and Bucky, the three of them and one of Peggy.

"But after I woke up then I found out Bucky was the Winter Soldier… I needed… them and they were there" Steve told her.

Ellie stood up and looked at all the drawings that Steve had propped up against the window, "Steve, if you had the chance to change the future… or the past… would you?" She asked as she looked at Peggy's image in front of her.

"Have you seen something?" Steve asked.

"You know I can't see the future. I haven't even been able to figure out that power yet" Ellie told him.

"But you've came back to visit Bucky… has future you… or am I talking to future you?" Steve asked.

"No, it's me but… future me… has said some things to Bucky. Nothing that we can change the course of but… things will be happening" Ellie said sadly, "But would you? If you could go back to Peggy?"

Steve sighed, "No, I don't think so. I have a life here now with Natasha that I love and the baby coming. I mean… I love Peggy, that will never change but unless I would lose them… I can't lose this family. Plus who knows if she really loved me or if we would have even worked. Why are you wondering?"

"I just… I'm in your room" Ellie told him as she sat up on the edge of the bed.

"Ah… Pepper put you guys up in my room" Steve said.

"No, we are in Thor's but I went exploring and found your room" Ellie told him as she saw a picture in a frame, "Where did you find this picture of our family?"

"Huh? Oh the picture with Dad? It was in the Smithsonian. No clue where it came from because I don't remember Dad being with us in a picture ever" Steve told her.

"Wow… I never realized how much you look like him" Ellie said looking at the picture.

"I didn't either until I saw it. I always wanted to be like him… but I want to be like the best part of him, never the worst" Steve told her.

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Ellie broke it, "Steve?"

"Yeah" he replied on the other line.

"I love you not only for the man you used to be, but the man you became today. I don't know what I would do without you. I don't want you to forget that" Ellie told him.

"I love you too Ellie. I'm so glad that you are back in my life. The last five years without you and Bucky were the… weirdest years of my life. Now that you are back… things just feel right again" Steve told her.

"Because I'm awesome" Ellie said with a grin.

"I can almost see your grin from here. With that, it's what? Almost 4am there? Go to sleep" Steve told her.

"Do you want anything from your room when we leave?" Ellie asked, "We can bring it back for you"

"My drawing book, I think it's on my desk with my pencils. Both of those… other than that. I got all I need. Hopefully I'll get back there soon" Steve told her.

"Some press came here today to get a quote from Tony about Bucky. Tony said he should have had Bucky answer the call. I heard them talking about the accords though. Hopefully with the pardon and a new president… the accords will be gone" Ellie told him.

"You are stalling you know" Steve told her.

Ellie sighed, "Fine I'll let you go. I love you Steve"

"I love you too, goodnight" Steve said as he hung up.

Ellie glanced back at their family picture and took it with her back to their room.

* * *

A/n: So quick side note, Black Widow… anyone think Chris is going to surprise everyone and appear? Rumor is that it takes place between Civil War and Infinity War, she was with Steve during that period and Sam too. I at least hope so!

Now to the reviews!

 **Gingin1975: Time will tell! We will find out more. Thanks for the review!**

 **Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967: Thanks for reading as always!**

 **Tuckerjnp1: Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

* * *

 **Now here is your preview of Chapter 59- Let It Go:**

Ellie stepped out of the car and put her hands to her mouth as tears started falling from her eyes.

Happy came around and stood next to her, "Does it look like it did before?"

Ellie nodded, "Thank you" Ellie said wiping her tears as she hugged him.

"Do you want to go in?" Happy asked.


	59. Chapter 59 - Let It Go

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: Thank you to the new follower: Tarcyellen enjoy! One year ago I posted this story here not thinking it would go anywhere or that anyone would enjoy it. A year later, thank you to the 150 reviews, 175 followers and 127 favorites. This story is for you guys!**

* * *

 **Tryna push this problem up the hill**  
 **When it's just too heavy to hold**  
 **Think now is the time to let it slide**

 **~Let it Go by James Bay**

* * *

 ***~*~* December 18, 2017- New York*~*~***

Ellie stared out the window of Pepper's town car as Happy drove them to Pepper's boutique downtown.

"Things look different?" Pepper asked.

"Everything looks different" Ellie said sadly as she saw a sign for the Bronx Zoo, "At least the Zoo is still there"

"What was your favorite place to go when you lived here?" Pepper asked.

Ellie sat back against the seat and looked over at her, "Prospect Park Zoo. It opened up when I was a teenager. It was something that Steve and I could walk to easily and enjoy together. Bucky and I had our first real date there" Ellie said with a smile as she remembered it.

"What else did you frequent?" Pepper asked.

"Just places around Red Hook and every Sunday we'd take the subway to Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady Perpetual Hope" Ellie told her as they drove into Manhattan and she sighed as she saw a sign for Central Park, "But life is funny like that and its changed. This used to be the East River Drive. Now its FDR drive"

They passed a Target, "Oh look there is a Target" She said as she tried to get a look as they drove past.

"You know what Target is?" Pepper asked.

Ellie sat back in her seat, "Natasha told me about it"

They turned down East 97th street and Ellie watched out the window as New York moved past the window.

"Did you come to this area much?" Pepper asked.

"No, Upper East Side has always been upscale" Ellie told her as she looked at Pepper, "Not our scene"

Happy parked the car next to a building with the sign 'Runway Fashion', "Pepper just call me when you are done"

"Thank you Happy" Pepper said as they got out.

Ellie looked around her as Pepper came around the car.

"Ready?" Pepper asked.

Ellie nodded and they walked in.

A lady looked up behind the desk, "Oh Miss Potts! I am so glad to see you"

The lady rushed over and air kissed Pepper's cheeks.

"Ariana, I would like you to meet someone. She is invited to the President's Congressional Ball and she needs a dress that is perfect immediately" Pepper told her, "Ariana this is Elizabeth Barnes"

Ariana looked Ellie over and Ellie immediately felt under dressed wearing a simple shirt and skirt that she had from back in Wakanda, "Hmmm exquisite tastes. Very… African"

"I live in Africa" Ellie explained.

"Really?" Ariana said intrigued, "Come, come… let me show you what I have and you can tell me what you like that way we can build from there"

Ellie and Pepper followed her into the back behind a large flowing curtain.

Ariana stood in the middle of racks upon racks of dresses of various colors with her hands together in front of her.

"So this is for the Congressional Ball, its Christmas… so I would say reds, greens… what is your favorite color?" Ariana asked Ellie eying the choices in front of her.

Ellie bit her lip as she thought about it, "Blue, light blue like my husband's eyes" Ellie told her.

Ariana smiled, "Oh how romantic… have you been married long?" Ariana asked looking at some of her dresses to find a light blue.

Ellie bit her lip trying not to grin, "We've been married awhile"

"Do you wish to wear short or long?" Ariana asked.

"Excuse me?" Ellie asked confused.

"The dress, do you want a cocktail short dress or a long evening dress?" Pepper asked Ellie.

"Oh… long I guess and not tight. I hate corset similar things and especially with the baby weight" Ellie told her rubbing her middle.

Ariana grinned, "You are a new mother?"

"I have a three week old" Ellie told her.

Ariana gasped, "And you look this beautiful? You are blessed"

"Well thank you" Ellie said embarrassed.

Ariana guided them to a couch with a coffee table in front of it, "Have a seat and look through the books, get an idea of the style that you are looking for" Ariana told them.

Ellie sat down then picked up a book and started looking through it, "Where are the prices?" Ellie whispered to Pepper when she only saw style numbers.

"Don't worry about the prices" Pepper whispered glancing over at Ariana flitting around.

Ellie mumbled under her breath then touched the communicator that was still behind her ear and thought of Bucky. Not sure if there was a range on her power or not, 'Buck I have a feeling these dresses are way more than our parents would have made in their lifetime. Why am I doing this?'

* * *

Bucky was lying on the floor with Grant, who was on his belly, playing with him with some of his toys, when Tony walked in.

"Hey Manchurian Candidate, can I check out your spaceship?" Tony asked as he stood in front of him.

Bucky looked up at him, "One, it's not my ship its T'Challa's and two, why do you call me that?"

"It's a movie. Can I?" Tony asked.

"As long as you don't break anything I don't see why not" Bucky said as he picked Grant up and they walked outside.

"Look, I'm sorry for what went down in the past. My judgment was clouded-" Tony said.

"Past is the past Tony. There is nothing we can do to change it" Bucky told him, "If I could have I would have went back to save them in a heartbeat… but I can't"

Bucky held up his left hand and the stairs came down.

"How'd you do that?" Tony asked surprised.

"Wakanda has things called Kimoyo beads that are communication devices. My beads are built into my arm" Bucky told him as they climbed the stairs.

"Wow" Tony said looking around, "This is truly remarkable. Where are the controls?" He asked as he looked at the pilot's seat.

Bucky sat down with Grant then held his left arm out. The display came on in front of him and the Vibranium Sand moved into place with the control wheel and the throttle.

"What is that?" Tony asked touching the throttle.

"Vibranium sand. It's controlled through vibrations. Strong as Steve's shield" Bucky told him as he heard in his head, 'Buck I have a feeling these dresses are way more than our parents would have made in their lifetime. Why am I doing this?'

Bucky looked at Tony, "Can you hold Grant for a second please?"

Tony awkwardly took Grant so that Bucky could hold his left hand out and he touched his wrist as if the communicator Kimoyo bead was there and thought of Ellie.

Suddenly Ellie was projected into his hand, "What?"

"Buy whatever dress you want, cost doesn't matter" Bucky told her.

"Buck-"

"No Buck me. Trust me, we have the money" Bucky told her, "And red looks amazing on you. That's just my opinion"

"Fine, love you" Ellie told him with a sigh.

"Love you too" Bucky said as the image went away.

"I need to get to Wakanda" Tony said shaking his head as he looked at Bucky's arm.

* * *

Ellie had about had it after trying on a large pile of dresses. To the point she had used her powers to persuade Ariana to tell her the actual price of one dress that she seemed to keep pushing on Ellie. When $3000 came out of the lady's mouth, Ellie almost walked out.

"I need a minute; can you guys give me a minute please?" Ellie requested stressed.

"Of course, are you okay?" Pepper asked as she could see Ellie's eyes literally glowing.

"It's just… it's a little too much" Ellie told her, "I just need a breather"

"Miss Potts, I have one of the one of a kinds to show you. Come" Ariana said.

Pepper followed her out.

Ellie let out a breath and looked at herself in the mirror. She was currently wearing a slinky red dress made of silk, which had a sweeping cowl neckline. Picking her feet up she knew that she would have to wear heels to even be able to walk in the dress.

Her favorite that she herself had found in the boutique was a sequined V-neck sleeveless ball gown that was an A-line silhouette that was barely touching the floor. It came in a beautiful gold color. But Pepper had told her that it wouldn't be good enough for the ball. She had found a price tag inside the dress and it was only $500.

Ariana's favorite was another slinky dress. It was as she called it, Black crepe. It was sleeveless with a one shoulder neckline gown. The entire back was exposed as well. While Ellie's scarring from the 40s was not as evident as it used to be, her pregnancy made it slightly pink in appearance as her skin had stretched. The price tag in that dress was also over $3000.

Pepper walked back into the room holding a new dress, "How about this one? It is a Talbot Runhof… very affordable. It has the metallic sequin look from the dress you liked"

Ellie stepped behind the curtain and took the red dress off, then got into the new dress and let Pepper zip her up.

"I don't know Pepper. I'm not a fan of the cape" Ellie said.

"Yeah, no" Pepper said as she stood back.

"I do like the way the abdomen lays though" Ellie said running her hands across her belly, "Doesn't make my baby belly show that much"

"Wait, Bucky suggested red right?" Pepper asked.

Ellie rolled her eyes, "Yes… it's a joke though, back from Peggy" Ellie told her.

"Be right back" Pepper said as she left.

Ellie looked in the mirror and ran her hands down her body, "Momma if you knew how things are so different and just how expensive this fabric is. I'd take one of your dresses in a heartbeat right now"

Pepper appeared at the curtain, "Try this one on"

Ellie slipped the dress she had on off, and then stepped into the red dress that Pepper had brought her.

"Oh I like this one but… my breasts won't stay in this neckline" Ellie told her.

"There is always tape but with you having to pump that won't work" Pepper said as Ariana came in.

"Oh you look exquisite! How do you like? That is one of the cheapest dresses I have" Ariana told her.

"I am not sure about the chest, it shows a lot" Ellie told her, "I love the color though"

"I have just the dress" Ariana said as she left.

"You do look very beautiful in red" Pepper told her.

"Well thank you" Ellie said looking in the mirror, "Red wasn't a color we had at the ready growing up"

"Alright, this dress does not have a zipper, you will have to step into it" Ariana told her as she handed it to Pepper, "But I think this is the one"

Pepper helped Ellie unzip the dress she had on, and then helped her slide the new dress on, "Oh my god"

Ellie turned and looked at herself in the mirror, "Whoa"

"If you don't buy this dress for yourself, I will buy it for you" Pepper told her.

Ellie looked at the back in the mirror, "it is even flattering from behind. My breasts aren't spilling out"

"It's just the right length for you too" Pepper said.

Ellie walked out, "Ariana, I will take it"

"Oh you look like a movie star!" She gasped, "And it is only $1000"

"Still a lot of money, but cheaper than some others" Ellie said as she looked at herself in the mirror.

"Oh so exciting, now we get to go find shoes to match!" Pepper said.

* * *

After nearly 8 hours of shopping, Ellie was exhausted. Her breasts hurt from only pumping once. Her feet were sore from trying on what they called shoe fashion now.

She had finally settled on a pair of simple platform pumps in black by someone named Christian Louboutin, when they told her that the shoes cost $875 and she shorted out the register.

Pepper pulled her away and found a pair on sale for $500 for a brand called Manolo Blahnik. It was a black suede pump with only a 3 inch heel. After that Ellie was just finished shopping so they left after purchasing them.

Happy pulled up in the car and Ellie climbed in, "God… is that really what fashion is anymore? No one can afford it?"

"Well that is high end fashion. I should have started you small" Pepper said.

"Where to ladies?" Happy asked.

"I have a reservation in Little Italy at 7" Pepper told him.

"I have an idea until then" Happy told her as he drove away from the curb.

Ellie stepped out of the car and put her hands to her mouth as tears started falling from her eyes.

Happy came around and stood next to her, "Does it look like it did before?"

Ellie nodded, "Thank you" Ellie said wiping her tears as she hugged him.

"Do you want to go in?" Happy asked.

"Can you go in churches whenever you want anymore?" Ellie asked.

"Of course, that is what a church should be isn't it?" Happy asked as Pepper joined them.

Happy opened the door for them and they walked inside.

"We always had mass in the lower church but Easter services they needed the Upper Church… it was built when I was…around ten" Ellie said, "It was the place where we went for holy days. I always wanted to be married in that church"

"Where did you get married?" Pepper asked.

"The courthouse. Bucky only had two weeks between training and being shipped overseas. So it was just us, mom, Steve and Bucky's family. They are all we really needed though" Ellie told her as they walked into the sanctuary.

Ellie stood at the beginning of the aisle and closed her eyes as she could almost hear her mother yelling at her and Steve as they ran though the pews.

"This is beautiful" Pepper said.

Ellie ran her hands over the pews as she walked down the aisle towards the pulpit. She slid into the row closest to the front and had a seat.

"Hello my child, may I be of assistance to you today?"

Ellie opened her eyes, "Hello Father"

"I do not recognize your face child. Are you a member here?" He asked.

"I once was, it's been… a while. A long while" Ellie told him sadly, "Father Mitchell was Priest then"

"Father Mitchell? He has not been… you are Elizabeth Rogers" He said as it dawned on him, "I have heard stories that you and your brother once attended here. I am Father Brennan"

"Nice to meet you Father. I was in town for the first time since… forever, my friend was nice enough to bring me by" Ellie said as another tear fell.

"Does it look the same?" Father Brennan asked looking around.

"It does but doesn't at the same time. The last time I was here was… my nephew's christening. That was… 1949, right before I went under the first time" Ellie said.

"Well I am glad that you have returned. A sheep can always return to the flock" Father Brennan told her.

"Can I see the Upper Church sir?" Ellie asked, "It was always the highlight of my Christmases"

"Will you be here for Christmas?" Father Brennan asked holding his arm out for her.

"No sir, we are heading back before Christmas" Ellie told him as she stood up and took his arm.

"Well if you are in town for Easter mass, make sure to stop by" Father Brennan told her.

"We are purchasing a home in Livingston and I know it's a bit of a drive but… I am planning on bringing my son here for holy services" Ellie told him.

"Well we will be glad to have you" Father Brennan told her.

After they got back into the car and got onto the road, Ellie smiled, "Thank you guys"

"No problem and we even have time to stop by IKEA so you can get some ideas for your house" Pepper told her.

"What is IKEA?" Ellie asked.

"A furniture store, but its HUGE" Pepper told her.

"Just about anything you can think of is there" Happy told her.

Ellie looked out the back driver's side window, "Bucky used to work over there" Ellie said pointing towards the water where the docks were, "He worked at the docks. All the food coming from overseas came through there"

Ellie pointed out some things that she recognized until they got off the highway at the tunnel, "Wait the IKEA is in Red Hook?"

"Yeah, why?" Pepper asked.

"We lived here" Ellie said.

"Do you want to see if it's still there?" Happy asked as he turned down a road that looked about ten blocks away from their old apartment.

"No" Ellie said quickly, "No, sorry… I want Bucky there with me when I do that"

She sighed in relief as they turned right going away from the location of their former apartment.

Ellie smiled, "That park is called something different but Steve ALWAYS got beat up there. And there at the library, wow it's still there. These businesses used to have alley's between them… he'd get beat up in them" Ellie told them with a smile, "Down that way was Steve's art studio he went to. There used to be a restaurant right there that I was a waitress at until Mom made me quit"

Happy pulled the car up into the parking lot for IKEA.

"Whoa, this place is huge. The market used to be here. I hated coming here because it stunk so much of fish" Ellie said as Happy stopped in front of the store.

"Are you coming in Happy?" Pepper asked him.

"I'll go park then I'll meet you both in there" Happy told them.

"Come on Ellie" Pepper said as she got out of the car.

* * *

Ellie walked into the Avengers compound after shopping at IKEA and dinner in Little Italy with Happy following her.

"Welcome back Mrs. Barnes" FRIDAY said making her jump.

"You get used to her after awhile" Happy said as he sat her purchases down on the table, "Do you need anything else?"

"No, Happy, thank you for today" Ellie said as she hugged him.

Happy smiled, "Glad I could help. Have a great night"

Ellie looked around the empty compound then grabbed her dress and shoe bags, leaving the smaller purchases from IKEA on the table as she walked down the hallway to their bedroom. She opened the door and Bucky sat up in bed.

"Hey Angel" Bucky said as she walked in.

Ellie groaned as she toed her shoes off then went to the closet to hang up her dress, "Remind me to never go shopping with Pepper again"

Bucky laughed, "That bad?"

"Oh yeah" Ellie said as she walked over and kissed him, "Hmmm hey"

"I missed you" Bucky said as he pulled her on his lap, "So what all did you do?"

"Tried on a million dresses, then shoes then we drove through Brooklyn of all places. I went to our church" Ellie told him, "The lower church hasn't changed at all. The upper church was all decorated for Christmas and it was beautiful"

Bucky pulled her to lay down with him, "Where else did you go?"

"To a furniture store to get ideas for the house then to dinner in Little Italy. I am exhausted" Ellie told him as she snuggled up to him.

Grant started fussing.

"He heard your voice" Bucky told her as she got up.

"I need to feed him before my breasts explode anyway" Ellie told him as she picked Grant up, "hey little man, momma is back"

Ellie settled on the bed and started nursing Grant, "So what did you two do?"

"Tony stopped by and we actually were hanging out" Bucky told her.

"Really?" Ellie asked surprised.

"I was showing him the Talon Flyer and was telling him about Wakandan technology. Then he started showing me some of the Stark Tech stuff he is working on. He really is smart" Bucky told her, "Then we went and we got some old plans of Howards and we were talking about his ideas. Oh and did you know that there is a TV channel completely devoted to baseball?"

Ellie laughed, "Oh I will never get the television now"

"God I miss the Dodgers" Bucky told her, "Those were some great games. Did you go by the apartment?"

"No, we didn't go down that way. We went by the docks and IKEA was two blocks from Steve's old art studio" Ellie told him, "Red Hook has changed Buck. The zoo is still there thank god"

"You and your zoos" Bucky said shaking his head with a smile.

"I love looking at the animals" Ellie told him, "they are usually so carefree and beautiful"

"Not as beautiful as you" Bucky said.

Ellie looked at him, "Okay there Mr. Suave"

"Should I slick my hair back for the ball?" Bucky asked.

"Um… no" Ellie said shaking her head as she thought about it, "Crap, you don't have anything to wear. We didn't think about that"

"Oh, yeah … Rhodey and Tony have me covered" Bucky told her, "That's what we did today too"

"Oh good" Ellie said as she sighed, "Tomorrow… I'm doing a lot of nothing"

"Sounds good to me. Tony mentioned going to see the house" Bucky told her.

"That's not too bad. We can do that" Ellie said as she closed her eyes.

* * *

 ***~*~* December 19, 2017- Livingston, NY*~*~***

"Oh hell no" Bucky said as they stepped out of the car in the garage of their new house.

Ellie laughed as she unfastened Grant's car seat from Tony's car.

"What? You don't like the house?" Pepper asked looking at Bucky.

"It's close to Jersey, how the hell did I not figure out that it was this close to Jersey!?" Bucky said appalled.

Ellie just laughed.

"And you don't like New Jersey?" Tony asked.

"It's awful, they are snobs" Bucky said.

Ellie rolled her eyes, "Welcome to my life, Bucky has hated New Jersey since high school when the Jersey champion beat him in the boxing championship"

"You boxed?" Tony asked surprised.

"Oh yeah, I was the state champ in my sophomore and junior years. I had to drop out in my senior year to work at the docks" Bucky told him as Pepper handed Bucky the key.

Ellie smiled at him as he looked at her, "Go ahead"

Bucky put the key into the door and opened it up.

"Alright, so this room is just the mudroom and over there is just a bathroom. That is a closet" Tony said as he led them through the house, "On the left here is the water heater, furnace and so on, on the right is an empty room for storage or whatever you want. More storage on the left and on the right… this is the gym. Through the gym is the indoor pool. It's not up to code, so they have to do work on that. Same with the mechanical room. Straight ahead is the wine cellar here" He said as he opened the door on the left, "Then straight ahead is the Recreation room with not one but two closets but one closet has the movie theater equipment for the back of the screen"

"Movie theater?" Bucky asked surprised, "In our house?"

"Yeah, pretty cool" Tony said as he walked into the recreation room, "Through this door is a basically crafting room, but you guys can use it for whatever. The owner right now is a painter so he uses it as his painting studio. More storage is attached to it. Then here" Tony said as he opened the next door attached to the recreation room, "Is the kid's playroom. There is a wall with a glass wall between the playroom and the indoor pool. Oh and there is a small kitchen down here too"

"This is just the first floor? This is nearly as big as our whole apartment building was" Bucky said running his fingers through his hair, "It didn't look this big online"

"Let's head upstairs" Tony told them.

Ellie took Bucky's hand as they walked to the stairs, "It won't just be our house remember. Wanda, Sam, Steve, Nat… they all will be welcome here"

Bucky nodded, "it's just big"

They followed Tony up the stairs and he opened the door, "So the past owner had so many paintings that the realtor said you guys could have these"

"Wow, these are beautiful" Ellie said looking at some of the paintings of New York, "The Statue of Liberty at sunset, Empire State building… look at this one Buck, it looks like the docks… but he made it beautiful"

"The guy was talented" Bucky said as he looked at Tony, "Why did he sell?"

"His wife died" Pepper told him, "It was too big of a house with just him living here"

"Through here is a bar right here. I'll get you the alcohol to stock it, don't worry about that. A small sitting room to enjoy drinks, here is the living room" Tony said as they walked into the living room.

"Wow this is a big living room" Ellie said as she looked at the carpet, "Carpet has to go though. I don't like it"

"Oh it is. I could just imagine walking through this living room while drunk" Tony said as he opened the door, "This is the study"

"I like the paintings, but the carpeting goes. Hard wood floors in here" Ellie said as she saw a room off of the study, "What is this room?"

She opened the French doors and looked at the books, "They left their books?"

"He said that many of them were his wife's books. His children didn't want them" Pepper said sadly.

"Poor guy" Ellie said as Bucky took her hand as she looked at the books, "There are so many classics here"

Tony opened the door, "Here is your terrace, outdoor seating area and over there is a grill, but it's cold so we won't explore there"

Pepper led them to the next room that was off the gallery, "This is the solarium, a nice little sitting room. At the front door there is another coat room, small restroom and the foyer. There is storage there and that is the pantry down there. Then this way, this is the dining room"

"Look at that chandelier" Ellie said as she looked at the dining room, "But the red… no. A cream color maybe. We need some paintings in here, especially over this fireplace"

"Last but not least is the family room… I would make this the TV room" Tony told them.

Ellie let out a breath, "That is an idea"

"Let's head upstairs that is where the bedrooms are" Tony told them.

Ellie looked at Bucky, "We are going to get a helper to come in once a week"

"I think we can swing that" Bucky said as they climbed the stairs.

"There are four bedrooms on this floor and two small guest rooms" Tony told them as he walked to the right, "These two in both directions have their own bathrooms and walk in closets. There is another laundry room here, then these are the guest rooms through here and there is a sitting room for the guests. Then back on the other side of the house is another bedroom with a larger bathroom. Then the master suite"

Tony opened the door, "Here is one of the doors for the wardrobe"

"Wait what?" Ellie asked as she opened the door, "Holy shit. Our closet is now as big as most of our apartment was!"

"We don't even own clothes to fit in even half this… not even a quarter of this" Bucky said as they walked through the closet.

"Then this is the master bath. His and her sides. Large bathtub in the middle" Tony said.

Ellie smiled as she looked at Bucky, "It's definitely big enough"

"Oh yeah" Bucky said as he kissed her.

"Large shower too" Ellie said.

"Okay I've heard you two are closet freaks. Let's move on to the master bedroom. Through here is another sitting room and the master bedroom. The fireplace in here is cracking so it's going to be replaced. Then upstairs are two bedrooms with baths, but the one bedroom is much larger with a dressing room" Tony told them.

Ellie walked over to the window and looked out at their property. Bucky walked up behind her and put his arm around her.

"You going to be okay?" Bucky whispered.

A tear rolled down her cheek, "We are supposed be raise our family here. Is this too big of a house, with what we know now?" Ellie asked.

Bucky shook his head, "No, the Avengers still need a home right? Wanda can be upstairs with Sam, we saw what the guest rooms looked like. Nat, Steve and Sarah can have that wing of the house. Grant can have the bedroom closest to ours. Then there will be two more rooms for those who want to use them"

Ellie put her head back on his shoulder, "I wish you could experience this house with us"

Bucky pulled her close to him, "I'll always be here"

* * *

 ***~*~* December 20, 2017- Washington DC *~*~***

Ellie opened her eyes as Pepper stepped back, "How does it look?"

"You look gorgeous" Pepper said closing up her makeup kit, "I love how you wanted a very basic look"

"I'm just glad my hair is finally getting long again" Ellie said looking in the mirror, "I do miss my curls though"

"You have a beautiful wave to your hair" Pepper said as she helped Ellie step into her dress.

Ellie looked at herself in the mirror, "Holy shit… is this really me?"

"A little different that the 40s?" Pepper asked.

"Just a bit" Ellie said shaking her head.

"You can wear my diamond earrings" Pepper told her.

Ellie touched her ears and the earrings that Dr. Strange had given her, "No… I am going to wear these"

"Let's go show your man" Pepper said as she opened the bathroom door, "Bucky are you ready?"

Bucky stood up from the chair he was in and Pepper stared at him.

"Wow" Pepper said as she looked back at Ellie, "Come on out"

Ellie stepped out and Bucky felt his jaw hit the floor.

"God you… you look amazing" Bucky said as he marveled at her in her red dress.

Ellie stared at him in front of her, "How did you get that?"

Bucky looked at his uniform, "Rhodey and Tony. They thought I should wear this instead of a tux"

Ellie walked over and touched the medals that adorned his dress uniform and Bucky took her hand in his over his heart.

"You guys look amazing together" Pepper told her.

Ellie looked at Pepper, "If you need anything, call me. We will come right back"

"We will be fine. Won't we Grant?" Pepper asked him as he laid on his belly and looked up at them as he stretched.

Bucky squeezed her hand, "We better go Angel"

Ellie walked over to her heels and he helped her balance as she slid them on.

Pepper picked Grant up and helped his little hand move as if he was waving, "Have fun mommy and daddy"

Bucky looked at the clock, "Our car should be here"

Ellie grabbed her clutch and slid her phone into it, "Let's go before I change my mind"

* * *

a/n3: Thank to the four new reviews!

 **Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967: Thanks for reading and reviewing! I appreciate it!**

 **Tuckerjnp1: I really hope that they will be in Black Widow but we will see!**

 **Gingin1975: Thank you! A short little cameo for Scarlett? I don't think he'd say no.**

 **PrettyRecklessLaura: Thank for you reading and reviewing!**

* * *

Preview of Chapter 60- It's My Life:

Falling to her knees, she closed her eyes and suddenly she was in the bed, lying next to Bucky as the blanket covered them.

"If your mother only knew the things that we did under this blanket" Bucky said with a grin as he rolled her over and laid on top of her.

Ellie took his left hand in hers and ran her fingers over his wedding ring, "I love you"

She gasped as she was thrust back into her current body as Bucky set his hand on her shoulder. She sobbed as he pulled her into his arms.


	60. Chapter 60 - It's My Life

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: So I have started an Instagram page for pictures related to the story, so go check it out. Instagram name is PrincessCaptainWinter. Thank you to all those who read and review and have stuck with this story over the last year! Thank you to the new follower Zexiroth15 as well!**

* * *

My heart is like an open highway  
Like Frankie said  
I did it my way  
I just want to live while I'm alive  
It's my life

~It's My Life by Bon Jovi

* * *

 ***~*~* December 20, 2017- Washington*~*~***

As the car that had been sent for them entered the gates, Ellie was able to get a full view of the White House for the first time.

"Is this really happening?" Ellie asked out loud gazing at it in the distance.

"I'm pinching myself right now" Bucky told her as their car followed the lantern lit path along the driveway.

Their car pulled up to the front of the entrance and a man opened the door.

"Ma'am" He said as he held his hand out.

Ellie took it as Bucky got out and walked around the car as Ellie climbed out.

Bucky held out his arm and led her up the front steps where another person held the door open for them.

"Welcome to the White House sir and madam" He said with a bow.

"Thank you" Ellie said as they walked inside and saw security.

Bucky swallowed as he saw the guard waving a wand over people and that you had to walk through a metal detector as well.

"Just explain you have a prosthetic" Ellie told him as she guided them forward.

They reached security.

"Good evening" The guard said.

"Sir, my husband has a metal arm" Ellie told him.

Bucky pulled his sleeve up and the man nodded.

"Thank you for letting me know, do you have any weapons sir?" The guard asked as he waved his wand over the rest of his body.

"No" Bucky said.

Ellie thanked the lord that she had talked him out of coming to the event with a knife in his boot.

"Ma'am I'm going to wave this over you as well" The guard said as he finished with Bucky.

Ellie held out her arms and she quickly passed.

The guard motioned to the metal detector guard, "Go ahead"

Bucky set off the metal detector then Ellie went through without it going off.

Ellie took his arm when he offered it to her and leaned over, "I thought Vibranium didn't set off metal detectors"

"But the gold laced in it does" Bucky told her with a wink, "Shuri put it in there for that very reason"

"Smart" Ellie said as the followed the small crowd.

A few people looked as if they were wondering who they were as they passed through the hall that was lit with chandeliers and ivy. Holly was bound together to create an archways over the ceilings and walls. At the end of the hallway, covered in twinkling lights, a door was held open for them as they walked inside to be met with a giant Christmas tree.

"Oh Buck" Ellie said as she gazed at the tree glittering in front of her squeezing his hand.

"Don't short it out" Bucky joked.

"Shhh… don't joke about that" Ellie scolded as she elbowed him.

A man walked over to them, "Sergeant and Mrs. Barnes?"

Bucky looked at him, "Hello"

"I am Eugene Christensen, one of President Ellis' interns. It is a pleasure to meet you both" He said as he shook both of their hands.

"Hello Mr. Christensen" Ellie said, "Thank you for inviting us"

"The pleasure is ours. I will be your liaison tonight. From now until 7:30, there will just be a small mingling period. At your table, table 4 over there, there will be a card. Just mark which meal you want and they will collect the cards. Dinner will be served between 7:45 and 8pm. There will be an hour to eat then at 9pm we will have the ball. The President will be out to give a speech then you are free to leave whenever you wish from there" Eugene told them.

Bucky led her over to their table and they saw their names printed on small table cards with a card in front of it with a menu of choices, "I have never heard of some of these"

"I will go with the safe choice. I'll have the chicken" Ellie said as she marked her card with a pen that was on the table.

"A good steak" Bucky said as he marked his card.

"Good choices" Eugene said as he motioned to someone and a waiter came over to collect their cards, "Let me introduce you to a few of the congress people"

Ellie nodded as she took Bucky's arm and they followed Eugene.

* * *

A woman walked over to them as they stood admiring one of the Christmas trees next to their table after talking to Congress people from California, Florida, Washington, Indiana and more.

"Are you Sergeant Barnes and Ellie?" She asked.

Ellie turned to look at her, "Hello"

"I cannot believe I am meeting you. My grandmother served with you in MI5" She told her, "I am Violet Holland, senator from Maine"

"Oh wow, hello. Who was your grandmother? We did not frankly have a lot of females at the time so I may remember her" Ellie said.

"Agent Scarlet Duncan at the time" Violet told her.

"Scar? I remember her, she was part of my task force" Ellie said with a smile, "She was a wonderful and strong individual"

"She is actually still with us. She is 103" Violet told her.

"My goodness. How is she?" Ellie asked with a smile.

"Amazing for a 103 year old woman. She left MI5 in the late 50s to raise my mother but started a self-defense school" Violet told her, "She was running it and teaching classes until she turned 90"

Ellie smiled, "So glad to hear that. She was always so amazing"

"Excuse me everyone, please take your seats as dinner is about to be served"

"I will let you go eat" Violet told them.

"Give Scarlet my love and tell her I said hello" Ellie told her.

"I will. I cannot wait to tell her. Have a great night" Violet told them as she walked away.

Bucky nudged her with his elbow, "That was pretty cool"

"Scarlet had trained with Peggy in the beginning and took me under her wing when I started" Ellie said as he pulled her chair out.

Bucky sat down next to her, "This is not what I expected it to be"

"Me neither" Ellie said as she surveyed the room and a couple approached.

Bucky went to stand and the man held out his hand.

"No sir, go ahead and remain seated. Jason Carson, Montana" He said holding out his hand.

Bucky shook it, "Hello sir"

Jason Carson pulled his wife's chair out, "This is my wife Rosie"

"Pleasure to meet you ma'am" Ellie said with a smile.

"This is my wife Ellie" Bucky said.

"Captain Rogers' sister correct?" Jason asked.

"Yes sir, Steve is my brother" Ellie told him.

"It amazes me how you are all… no offense, been around for so long and you look amazing" Rosie said.

"Well I also received a version of the super serum that Steve was given and Bucky received a version as well" Ellie told them, "Other than that, I do not recommend cryogenic freezing"

"So you were really frozen all those years? I know Captain Rogers was found in the ice at the sight of his plane crash" Jason said.

"Yes, cryogenics were… literally an experiment whether it worked or not back then. They discovered it worked thankfully when it worked for me" Ellie told them as the last couple came to their table.

"Ma'am" Bucky said as he stood up and pulled out the lady's chair.

"Thank you sir, I am Amanda Everett of Idaho, this is my husband Keaton" She said as she sat down.

"Hello sir" Ellie said.

"Forgive me but I do not know who you are" Keaton Everett said.

Ellie squeezed Bucky's hand under the table where it sat on her leg, "I am Ellie Rogers-Barnes and this is my husband Sergeant James Barnes"

The man's eyes got wide, "You mean Howling Commandoes Sergeant Barnes?"

Bucky nodded, "Yes sir"

"It is a pleasure to meet you. I have heard many stories of you, Captain Rogers and the rest of the Commandoes adventures" Keaton said amazed, "You will have to tell me if they were true"

Bucky smiled, "Sure"

Jacob looked up as the waiters walked their food over to their table, "Good, I am starving"

* * *

After dinner had been finished and plates had been cleared, they had a small cakelike dessert. Bucky, by habit, was observing their surrounding as a familiar song that they used to dance to at the dance halls for slow dances came on the speakers.

Bucky nudged Ellie, who was speaking with the ladies at the table, "Angel, how about we go cut a rug?"

Ellie looked over at the dance floor to see a few couples, "Nothing too special though. I don't want to stand out"

Bucky stood up and held his hand out for her.

"Excuse me ladies" Ellie said as she stood up and took his hand in hers then let him lead her to the floor.

Ellie put her arms around his neck and they swayed back and forth, "How are you doing?"

"It's… overwhelming but I'm good" Bucky said as he kissed her.

"Well as soon as President Ellis does his speech, if we have the chance to tell him thank you, I want to. Then we can go back" Ellie told him pushing a piece of stray hair behind his ear.

"Sounds good" Bucky said as more people started joining them.

They danced for ten minutes until a familiar voice came over the speakers.

"This is Frank… I haven't heard this one before" Ellie said as Bucky took his hand in hers and put his other hand around her pulling her close.

"For nobody else gave me a thrill. With all your faults, I love you still. It had to be you. Wonderful you, It had to be you. For nobody else gave me a thrill. With all your faults, I love you still. It had to be you, Wonderful you, It had to be you" Bucky sang along with Frank Sinatra.

Ellie kissed him, "I love you"

"Nah, you love Frank Sinatra more" Bucky told her with a grin.

"Oh man… I missed the chance. We should have named Grant, Frank" Ellie joked.

Bucky shook his head as he smiled.

"Attention ladies and gentleman please cast your eyes towards the front stage. I now present you the Vice-President of the United States, Hartley Martin and his wife, Rachel"

Everyone stood still and clapped as they came down the stairs behind the small stage then stood next to the podium. "Hail to the Chief" started playing and President Ellis walked down the stairs with a woman then came to the podium.

"Thank you everyone. What a crowd tonight. Everyone is looking amazing and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays and since you are on recess, I hope you have a happy New Years as well. Tonight is a special occasion and I thank you all for coming to my final congressional ball as president of these wonderful United States" Ellis said, "This year was not an easy one by any means but with your help we were able to pass many bills that will further our country, tax cuts and health programs."

He turned to his wife and smiled, "I want to thank my wife, Julie for helping organize this amazing event" Ellis said as everyone clapped, "She has done a terrific job and I thank you so much for all that you have done"

"We have so many members of Congress with us tonight, members of the cabinet, Supreme Court, dignitaries. But we also have two people with us tonight that I wish to give a special thanks to" Ellis said as he looked out, "Sergeant Barnes, Mrs. Barnes… are you out there?"

Ellie looked at Bucky wide-eyed as President Ellis spotted them.

"Mrs. Barnes you look marvelous tonight. Can you both please come up here and join me?"

Eugene found them and guided them up onto the stage, where a large amount of the people in the room clapped.

President Ellis shook Bucky's hand then gave Ellie a hug then Ellie looked out at the crowd nervously.

"Before any of you …. Well most of you were even born; these two individuals were serving our country keeping our interests at heart. I did my research and I found out that in 1942, at that time she was Elizabeth Rogers, and she joined a program through our government called the Strategic Scientific Reserve. They were the governments' secret line of defense to keep our government out of the war that had yet to become World War 2. Then Pearl Harbor happened. James Barnes here, was drafted into our military and quickly rose in rank to Specialist Sergeant before he even was at the front lines. Elizabeth was serving behind the scenes using science and psychology, correct?" Ellis asked looking at Ellie.

"Yes sir" Ellie said nodding.

"To help not only to try to find a way for us to win the war, but our soldiers to heal mentally. She and the SSR recognized that our soldiers were not the same mentally when they returned. They helped to create our first super soldier, Elizabeth's brother Steve Rogers and with his help, we won the war" Ellis said, "But before we won, Sergeant Barnes and his troop were captured by the Germans, their scientific division was called Hydra and were prisoners of war for three months before Captain Rogers freed them. After he was freed Sergeant Barnes, Captain Rogers and the rest of the Howling Commandoes piece by piece started destroying Hydra. In 1945, everyone thought that Sergeant Barnes had… unfortunately met his death. Captain Rogers defeated Hydra, or so we thought and we were suddenly in peace. But Sergeant Barnes was not. He survived the fall and was captured by Hydra and became our longest prisoner of war in history. Hydra brainwashed him, and tortured him. It was not until Captain Rogers was saved himself and rescued Sergeant Barnes one last time from Hydra, that we really knew what was happening. Sergeant Barnes has been pardoned by myself because he is innocent in his crimes. Since being freed from Hydra by Captain Roger when Hydra fell, he has not committed a single crime and has been living as a farmer in Africa, where he is free to be himself" Ellis said as he looked at Bucky, "Sergeant Barnes, I thank you for your service and I would like to call General Mark G. Jones the Chief of Staff of the Army up to the stage please"

An African American man came onto the stage in his dress uniform and Bucky saluted him.

"At ease" He said with a smile as he stood behind the podium, "Hello… growing up, I heard stories from my Grandfather about his friends in the Army… that had to be exaggerated. They could not be real. People did not do the things he said were done. As I became older, I researched into those stories that he had told me as I rose through the ranks in the Army and I came to find out that my Grandfather was telling the truth. He did serve in an elite task force that eliminated Hydra and eventually won us World War 2. My grandfather was Gabriel Jones, one of the Howling Commandoes"

Bucky looked at Ellie shocked.

"Gramps told us of Sergeant Barnes, despite being told it was too dangerous, running into buildings to disarm the people holding hostages captive. He told me of the Commandoes freeing survivors of the Holocaust. He also told me of when he himself stood on a bomb, it was about to go off and Sergeant Barnes jumped into the field, grabbed it then threw it as far as he could as they ran then when they were in a distance he felt comfortable, he shot it. Saving my grandfather's life and so many others… without him I would not be here" General Jones said looking at Bucky, "But not only were the commandoes essential to us winning the war but behind the scenes at SSR, Mrs. Elizabeth Barnes was strategizing and winning the war for us behind the scenes. So tonight I am here to award some things that are long past due"

Three people walked over with cases in their hands.

"Sergeant Barnes, you never received this for your first time as prisoner of war… when you survived being captured and tortured for three months then decided to continue fighting for our country instead of being sent home. I award you the Prisoner of War medal" General Jones said as he took it out of the box and Bucky stood at attention as he attached it to Bucky's jacket.

"Thank you sir" Bucky said.

"But that is not it. I also award you the purple heart, the Army Commendation Medal, the Medal of Honor and the US Army Distinguished Service Medal" General Jones stated as four other boxes were brought over and General Jones attached them to Bucky's uniform one at a time, "Thank you for your service Sergeant Barnes"

They saluted each other.

"But that is not all I am awarding tonight. As a division of our government, not only did Ellie Barnes help save millions of Americans here. After her job was done here in America, she went overseas and served in England. She is actually Dame Elizabeth Barnes after saving Queen Elizabeth" General Jones stated, "Please come here Ellie"

Ellie stepped forward with shaky legs. Mentally regretting wearing heels.

"I award you the bronze star as well as the US Army Distinguished Service medal. Thank you for all that you have done for our country as well" General Jones told her as he handed her two cases.

"Thank you sir" Ellie said accepting them.

"Now I will officially open the ball with my beautiful wife. Sergeant Barnes, Ellie, will you please join us?" Ellis asked.

"Yes sir" Bucky said as he held out his hand and Ellie took it then led her to the dance floor following the President and the First Lady after Eugene took Ellie's awards.

* * *

Bucky unlocked their door and held it open so Ellie could walk in. Ellie walked into the room to see Pepper on their bed watching CNN.

"The biggest surprise of the night was President Ellis and General Jones giving medals to a former terrorist and his wife"

Ellie stopped to listen.

"Wait Jake, they are more than that. The records are clear from Hydra's leak. He was very clearly captured and tortured. Killed and brought back to life many times. Since the fall of Hydra, yes Vienna happened but that was not actually Barnes. It was Zemo acting as Barnes; let's not forget that" The person on the television said, "Barnes has done nothing against this country since getting his own freewill back"

"One side note from me then we can move more into the subject, Elizabeth Barnes's dress" The woman said, "Gorgeous and you can tell she is from the 40. The classic beauty tonight"

Pepper saw them and turned the TV off, "You two were the highlight of the night"

"Definitely wasn't just the dance we were expecting" Ellie said as she walked over to Grant's bassinet and picked him up when she saw he was awake, "When was the last time he ate?"

"A couple hours ago. He's such a good baby" Pepper told her as Ellie turned her back then pulled her dress down to nurse him.

"Bad part about him nursing so much, my body expects it" Ellie said as she sat down on the bed.

"So what are your plans for tomorrow? Well… technically today" Pepper said looking at the clock to see it was after midnight.

"Checkout is what time?" Ellie asked.

"By 11" Pepper told her.

"We can check out at 10 then head back to the compound" Ellie suggested, "Then just relax for the rest of the day… unless you have plans"

Bucky shook his head, "I do want to try to go into town tomorrow… not today but tomorrow tomorrow"

"Sounds good, well I'll see you both in the morning" Pepper told them.

"Thank you Pepper" Ellie said as she gave her a half hug.

"Don't mention it, whenever you need a baby sitter I'm here. It helps push down the baby fever for a bit. Tony isn't ready for that" Pepper told them as she shook her head, "God I'm not ready for that. Running a billion dollar business with a child… there we go, that's my birth control. I think my ovaries just died thinking about it. Night"

Bucky shook his head as he looked at Ellie, "People are so much more open about everything now aren't they?"

Ellie nodded, "Too open"

Grant finished feeding with her left breast so Ellie moved him to the right, "So how are you really feeling about tonight?"

Bucky laid back on the bed, "Overwhelmed…it was… so many people and everyone was watching our every move. I'm so used to operating in the shadows. Even before Hydra, Snipers aren't supposed to be seen or heard"

Ellie took his hand, "You deserved every one of those awards you know"

"Do I? I didn't…I still don't know 100% of what I did as the Winter Soldier. There was periods of time that are so fuzzy that they tried to erase all traces of memory of" Bucky told her, "I killed so many people-"

"We both have. Bucky I'm not 100% innocent either. We were doing things to help people for the right reasons in the war. They controlled you. It was blood on their hands with those killings. You wouldn't have killed them if you knew the reasoning behind them back then. MI5 sent me out there to save people, so I did it. People who could have been killed are alive today because of us; there are new families because of us. Yes it's not easy for the conscious but we were doing our job" Ellie told him as Grant finished and she put him on her shoulder to burp him, "We can't change the past Buck. We just have to do our best with our second chance"

Grant let out the loudest burp that he had ever done causing Bucky to laugh.

"Yep he is your son" Ellie said shaking her head, "Ridiculous"

Ellie got up and walked over to his bassinet, "Goodnight my love, I love you" She said as she set him inside and kissed his forehead.

She stood up and looked back at the bed to see Bucky staring at her, "What?"

"Do you realize how beautiful you are?" Bucky asked.

"Stop" Ellie said as she felt her face get hot, "I am standing here with one leaky breast hanging out of my dress with practically day old makeup on-" Ellie said as he stood up and walked over to her and kissed her, "Mmm"

"You've never looked more beautiful than you do right now" Bucky told her as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Hold on" Ellie said as he kissed down her neck, "I know where this is going"

Ellie pulled away and moved Grant to the wall farthest from the bed, "I don't know if he has the memory I do… but I don't want him to have that lesson yet"

Bucky laughed, "Gotta teach them young, best way to pleasure your girl" Bucky said pulling her into his arms again.

"No, he won't be doing that until he is 30" Ellie told him as she kissed him then pushed him back onto the bed.

He fell back and watched her as she slowly pulled the red dress up her body then onto the floor leaving her in panties, her small thin bra and her heels, "God I wish you were cleared"

Ellie bit her lip, "Well I was kind of talking to Nalia before we left. She suggested I waited longer but I told her I felt fine. So she told me some things to do and use to be… extra safe"

Bucky sat up, "Seriously?"

Ellie walked over to her bag and pulled out a box of condoms and a tube of gel, "My body is craving you…"

"Shit" Bucky said as he threw his head back on the bed, "Get over here"

* * *

 ***~*~* December 22, 2017- New York*~*~***

"Which way is your former apartment?" Happy asked.

"It was on Mill and Henry Street in Red Hook" Ellie told him looking out the window, "About I'd say three miles away"

Bucky looked back at her, "Ready to head home?"

"Home is wherever you are. Home won't be there anymore" Ellie told him sadly.

Happy turned onto Mill Street, "Well I think there will be something"

Bucky glanced at the sign as they passed, "There is a museum ahead"

Happy parked on the street near the intersection of Mill and Henry, which was now called Rogers and Barnes Memorial Roads.

Ellie opened the door and looked over the car to see a giant statue, "Oh my god"

Where a small park used to reside, there was now a statue that sat at least 20 feet tall. Depicted were Steve and Bucky, running into battle. They did an amazing job at their likenesses. At the base of the statue were treasures and signs. Around the statue were a few people.

Ellie grabbed Grant's carrier and shut the door. Bucky walked up next to her and pointed towards their old building.

"Look… it's still there" Bucky told her amazed.

"Go have a look, I'll wait here" Happy told them.

Bucky kissed the side of Ellie's head then took her hand, leading her across the street to their former apartment.

They walked over to the stairs and looked up at the building, "Well at least the stairs have improved" Ellie said as she looked down at Grant, who was awake and looking around, "Grant honey, you are about to go into Mommy and Daddy's first home"

Ellie walked up the stairs with Bucky following and she looked over at him.

"You don't need a key under the rock anymore" Bucky told her as he reached and opened the door.

Ellie walked inside and nearly gasped as the hallway looked the same. The only difference is where Mr. Shara's 1B apartment used to be was now a desk.

"Hello welcome to the Captain America museum, how… wait you two look… oh my god" She said as she jumped up, "You are Bucky Barnes and… Ellie Rogers"

"Please, please don't make a big deal. We just came by the neighborhood to see if this building even existed. We didn't know it was a museum" Ellie told her, "We just want to look at our former home"

"I can't charge you. Go ahead in. Do you need a map?" She asked.

"No, we know where everything is. The apartment isn't large" Bucky told her as they walked into the first room.

"How in the world?" Ellie said as she saw her own baby picture along with some of Steve's baby clothing adorning the walls and scattered in cases, "How did they find these things?"

Bucky looked around at all the items and the explanations, "Here… it says that Jamie donated them all"

"I wonder if Jamie is still alive" Ellie wondered as she saw an early picture that Steve had drawn.

"We can always look him up" Bucky suggested.

Ellie ran her hand over the case that held a crib, "We didn't keep the crib from… oh"

Bucky walked over and hugged her, "Was it?"

Ellie nodded as she looked down at Grant in between them, "Yes, it looks so weathered and worn but it was never used. Come on; let's go to the next room"

They visited the childhood room with trinkets, clothing and a couple pictures from Steve and Ellie's childhood. The next room was where Bucky saw his face for the first time.

Someone had taken the time to go through old Dodgers photos and found them. Tickets from the games they attended. School pictures. Pictures from friends.

"My God I haven't seen half of these" Ellie said as she looked at a picture labeled 'Soldier says goodbye to sweetheart at Brooklyn train station, "That's us. The last time it was truly us. No powers…no experimentation"

Bucky kissed the side of her head, "I love you"

Ellie took his hand and pulled him out of the room into the room labeled the simple word 'Home', "Wait… this is our apartment. The actual apartment"

Bucky surveyed the hallway, "It is"

Ellie walked through the door and gasped as her memories tried to take her over.

Bucky looked around as the lights started to blink.

Tears streamed from her eyes as she saw the memories of her and Bucky on the couch surfaced. She looked over at the kitchen to see them kissing with soapy hands after washing the dishes together.

She walked in between the roped off areas back to their room and sobbed when on the bed was the family blanket in a glass case.

Falling to her knees, she closed her eyes and suddenly she was in the bed, lying next to Bucky as the blanket covered them.

"If your mother only knew the things that we did under this blanket" Bucky said with a grin as he rolled her over and laid on top of her.

Ellie took his left hand in hers and ran her fingers over his wedding ring, "I love you"

She gasped as she was thrust back into her current body as Bucky set his hand on her shoulder. She sobbed as he pulled her into his arms.

"I guess it's too much. We should probably leave" Bucky told her as he looked at the bed.

Ellie held out her hand and opened her mouth. The glass case shattered setting off alarms as the blanket flew into her hands. She shook it off so no glass would get onto Grant then looked at Bucky and the lady who had ran into the room, "I'm taking this with us. Any questions send whoever asks them to me. It's mine. It was my mother's"

The lady nodded.

"Let's go" Bucky said as he helped her stand.

They quickly left the building and Bucky took Grant from Ellie as she sat on a park bench with her head in her hands.

"Are you okay?" Bucky asked rocking Grant.

"I did it" Ellie said as she looked up at him, "I suddenly was in that bed, with you on our wedding night under this blanket, then you put your hand on my shoulder and I was back"

"Summoning things to you is new too" Bucky told her.

"So is breaking glass without screaming" Ellie said as she shook her head, "I could barely even hear the noise I made and it shattered"

"You did make a noise?" Bucky asked.

"I lost it" Ellie sobbed, "I was holding Grant and I lost it"

"He's okay. He wasn't fazed one bit" Bucky told her.

"But he could have been, what if that glass hit him?" Ellie asked wiping her eyes.

"You didn't see it, but Grant was protecting you. I couldn't get next to you at first" Bucky told her.

"Huh?" Ellie asked looking at Bucky and Grant.

"He had a shield… it was like this shimmering glass all around you as soon as you went to your knees" Bucky told her, "I couldn't touch you until he dropped it"

Ellie ran her hand over Grant's head and closed her eyes, "He's sleeping. He's tired… he tired himself out"

"Now, let's call Happy and go do something fun… sightsee… shop. Just be… us" Bucky told her.

Ellie looked up at him, "That sounds amazing"

Bucky took her phone and sent a quick text to Happy then one to Steve asking if he was busy.

He handed her phone back to her.

Less than a minute later, it rang and Ellie saw Steve's name, "Did you message him?" Ellie asked Bucky.

"Yeah, talk to him" Bucky told her.

Ellie answered her phone, "Hey Steve"

"Hey sis, what are you up to?" Steve asked.

"Sitting outside of our apartment" Ellie told him, "Our old apartment"

"It's still there?" Steve asked.

"Oh yeah, it's now a museum… to you" Ellie told him, "And Bucky is mentioned too. The only real mentions of me that I saw were of Bucky's possible girlfriend"

"I can't believe it's still there" Steve told her.

"Yeah, all the other apartments have been turned into rooms of your life throughout the years" Ellie told him, "Our childhood, meeting Bucky… I kind of lost it so we didn't go past our old apartment to see the Commandoes area and later on"

"You okay?" Steve asked her.

"I will be. I have Bucky and Grant here with me and we are going into town" Ellie told him.

"Fun plans when it town?" Steve asked.

"Well it's too early for Christmas light displays, so we will probably go to Central Park and sightsee, then go to the store fronts and the tree. The Holiday market is open late tonight so we will go there last. Anything special you want?" Ellie asked.

"Anything special we want from the holiday market in New York?" Steve asked.

"For him not to shave, I'm making him grow a beard!" Natasha yelled in the background.

Ellie laughed, "She is making you grow a beard?"

"She says she likes it so she claims she threw away my shaving kit" Steve told her.

"You two behave. We will see you on Christmas Eve" Ellie told him.

"That is when you are coming home?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, we will be back possibly late night tomorrow night but definitely by Christmas Eve" Ellie told him.

"Be careful, I love you" Steve told her.

"Love you too Stevie" Ellie said as she hung up.

"Feel better?" Bucky asked.

"Yeah, you know just the right thing to do for me" Ellie said as she kissed him.

* * *

a/n3: So a new power, is she getting more powerful? Time will tell. Thank you for the five new reviews! In a year, 155 reviews, 176 followers, 128 favorites and 55,094 views. Thank you everyone for making this story for what it is. I appreciate each and every one of you.

 **Gingin1975: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! Your kind words are always appreciated!**

 **Guest: Thank you for reading! Please stick around, lots of new developments coming!**

 **Tarcyellen: Thanks! I am glad you are enjoying it! What has been your favorite part so far?**

 **PrettyrRecklessLaura: Thank you!**

 **Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967: Thanks for reading and reviewing as always! I appreciate knowing that you have read every chapter!**

* * *

 **Preview of Chapter 61: New York, New York-**

"An old fashion shaving kit always is a great idea for the men in your life" A voice said next to her.

Ellie looked up to an elderly gentleman next to her, "That is a good idea for my brother, thank you"

The man stared at her, "I forgot how beautiful you were"

Ellie stared at him, "Excuse me?"


	61. Chapter 61 - New York, New York

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: So I have started an Instagram page for pictures related to the story, so go check it out. Instagram name is PrincessCaptainWinter. Thank you to the new follower: cachilapo**

* * *

These vagabond shoes  
They are longing to stray  
Right through the very heart of it  
New York, New York

~ **New York, New York by Frank Sinatra**

* * *

 ***~*~* December 22, 2017- New York*~*~***

Happy pulled up to Central Park, "Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" He asked looking at Bucky then back at Ellie through the rearview.

"Happy I appreciate it but… this is our home. It may look different than we remember but we should be okay" Bucky told him as he looked back at Ellie.

"Plus we get to test out our stroller" Ellie told him as she got out of the car.

Happy and Bucky climbed out of the front and Happy walked to the back to opened the trunk.

Bucky pulled the stroller out of the trunk and unfolded it behind the car as Ellie pulled Grant's carrier out of the car.

Ellie locked the carrier into the stroller then slid his diaper bag under the seat.

"You have my number, if you need me, call me" Happy told them as he shook Bucky's hand.

"Thank you Happy" Bucky told him.

"Have fun, you two deserve it" Happy told them as he got back into the car.

Ellie looked at Bucky, "So we are just two parents with their son at Central Park… where do we go?"

"Well it's too early for the Christmas lights and I want to try to hold off on buying things until the end so we don't have to carry everything" Bucky told her as he looked over at the sign, "Let's go to Central Park zoo"

Ellie smiled as she looked down at Grant, "You get to see your first zoo Grant honey! So exciting!"

* * *

Bucky and Ellie sat down at the Central Gardens and watched the sea lions playing in the water.

"Did we come to this zoo before?" Bucky asked pulling her close to his side.

"Yes, Mom took Steve and I here once right after it opened… but you came with us around my 16th birthday" Ellie told him as she smiled as two sea lions played together, "Its so much bigger now"

Ellie smiled as she laid her head on his shoulder, "I love you"

"I love you too… I'm glad you are enjoying this" Bucky told her.

"I'm so happy" Ellie told him.

"I'm glad, I wish I could make you happy more often" Bucky told her.

"You always make me happy Bucky" Ellie told him as she gasped then shook her head.

"What is it?" Bucky asked.

"I didn't fight it this time" Ellie said as she looked at him with sparkling blue eyes, "Hey baby"

"You didn't knock yourself out, good job" Bucky said as he kissed her.

"Well… it's because I am starting to figure out how I feel when… I try to come visit. I felt it and just let it happen. Mentally… current me is taking a little mental nap" Ellie told him.

"So you are getting a better handle on it" Bucky said.

"I just… I very clearly remember today and how happy I was. My emotions help channel it" Ellie told him, "I have to be relaxed when I come into this body and I wanted to relive this moment and visit you too"

"When are you visiting from?" Bucky asked pulling her close.

"February 2019" Ellie told him as she placed her hand over his heart to feel it beat, "Sarah is one today and Pepper and Tony got married at our cabin. It was beautiful but… I missed you so I asked them to watch the kids, and then slipped away for a quick visit"

"Tony Stark getting married… who would have thought" Bucky said shaking his head.

"Well I tried to help Pepper a little with her jitters and looks like Tony Stark, father might be happening sooner than later too" Ellie told him.

"Seriously?" Bucky asked with a laugh, "God if he only knew"

Ellie sighed, "After my… health issue. Pepper was there for me. She and Tony got more comfortable with Grant. I think Tony will be a great Dad"

"How is Grant?" Bucky asked.

"Well he is 15 months old and is running around. I'm exhausted" Ellie told him with a smile, "Oh and get this… the other day he climbed out of his crib. I'm screwed"

Bucky laughed, "Did he climb or-"

"Don't you say it, don't you say it. My baby can't fly. He hasn't shown any signs of my powers" Ellie told him, "Just yours"

"Wait what?" Bucky asked confused.

Ellie smiled, "So you haven't discovered them yet but the shielding power… was from you. It never went past a mental shield before… it happened but Wanda was working on it"

"If I had a mental shield… I couldn't have" Bucky said confused.

Ellie looked at him, "Why do you think they never could completely remove me from your mind? You protected me from them. It never came into play though other than blocking Shuri's calls when you got mad and blocking Wanda from reading your mind. Turns out she never was able to unless you let her"

Bucky looked up at the sea lions as he heard a splash.

"I better go… Steve was invited to the wedding but he and Tony still… they aren't getting along. Steve will probably want to be going soon" Ellie told him as she looked up at him, "I found your note in the house by the way… a few notes"

Bucky looked at her, "I left notes?"

Ellie smiled, "You will… and they help because I never know when I am going to find them" She said with a laugh as she kissed him, "I love you"

"I love you too. Give Grant a kiss for me" Bucky told her.

"I will" Ellie said as she laid her head back on his shoulder.

Ellie squeezed his hand, "Was it a good visit?"

"Yeah, you said that you didn't fight her…you" Bucky said.

Ellie looked at him with a smile, "After a few times, I recognize the feeling of when I try it. So I just… rest…I guess you could call it that. I need it obviously and it makes you happy"

Bucky ran his tongue over his lips and took her hand, "I like knowing that you are okay… even if I'm not there"

"So it was a happy visit? You seem happy" Ellie said surveying his face.

"It was. You were at a wedding and just missed me" Bucky told her.

"Steve and Natasha?" Ellie asked.

"No, Tony and Pepper actually" Bucky told her.

"Shit really? So I guess the August wedding gets postponed" Ellie said sadly, "She had this beautiful idea for it"

Bucky patted her leg, "Come on, let's keep moving. I want to see the bears"

Ellie let him pull her up then started pushing the stroller as they walked on.

* * *

After a walk through Central Park, they decided to talk a walk to see the lights and the window displays that Manhattan was famous for at Christmas time.

"Bucky, look it's Barneys!" Ellie said as she spotted it as they walked down East 61st Street.

Bucky laughed as she skipped ahead then stopped at the first window then frowned as her face dropped, "What is it?" He asked as he pushed the stroller up to her and looked at the window.

"What the hell is that?" Ellie asked looking at the colorful window in front of her, "With my vision it's almost too much color… mushroom singularity? What the hell?"

She moved onto the next window find some of the same then to the next window, "Well at least this one has a cute zebra and a rhino. What the hell happened to the Christmas displays? This one has volcanoes?! I don't get it"

"Who knows, come on. Let's go to Bloomingdales" Bucky said taking her hand.

Ellie sighed, "Well we could actually afford Bloomingdale's now"

"Do we really need anything?" Bucky asked.

"No… but what's the fun in that?" Ellie asked as they walked down to Lexington and cut across a block to Bloomingdales.

"Well… it's not… weird but… its circus themed" Bucky said looking at the first window.

"P.T. Barnum… must be honoring him and his circus" Ellie said taking in the bearded lady.

They walked along the windows taking them in.

"Oh they are doing a movie about his life" Ellie read on the window, "The Greatest Showman"

They walked to the next window and saw a fortune teller box.

"Mom would never let me go near these" Bucky said as he hit the button on the box.

"Your holiday fortune is for a wonderful holiday season, and 25% off one item. Come inside" The teller said inside the window.

"Let's just go to Saks 5th" Ellie said with a sigh, "The tree is there at least"

They turned onto 5th Ave and Bucky looked at Ellie, "Saks or the tree first?"

"Saks so the tree can cheer me up if Saks' window display depresses me" Ellie told him as they walked past St. Patrick's Cathedral and walked up to Saks front windows.

"Wait… it's not Christmas but that looks like a familiar scene doesn't it?" Bucky asked Ellie as he read 'Once Upon a Holiday' on the window.

Ellie pushed Grant down to the next window, "This is why"

"It's Snow White!" Bucky said as his face lit up, "Look she's dancing! There is Dopey!" Bucky said as he went to the next window, "And she is waking up in their beds" Bucky said excited as he went to the next window.

Ellie took her gloves off and pulled her phone out of her pocket to take pictures of him so happy.

"Off to work they go" Bucky said as he stared at the window in front of him of the Dwarves heading across the log to the mine.

Ellie smiled and tried not to cry as he went window by window in awe of seeing their childhood displayed in windows by figures that moves, "It's the 80th anniversary Buck"

"Doesn't feel that long ago" Bucky said shaking his head.

As the stood in front of the store, the lights came on and Ellie felt as if her head were going to explode.

She breathed in and closed her eyes trying to relax and center herself as she opened them up to see a dazzling display of lights made to look like Snow White's castle.

"You okay?" Bucky asked as he looked over at her.

"Yeah, it was just a little much when all the lights came on" Ellie told him as he took her hand.

"Come on, let's go see the tree" Bucky said as he kissed the back of her hand.

They walked down Rockefeller Center and Ellie tried not to cry at the beauty of the angels lighting their path as they got closer to the tree.

Bucky pulled her into his arms as they stopped near the base of the tree, "Bring back good memories?"

"Yes, but I like making new good ones too" Ellie said as she kissed him.

Grant started fussing so Ellie unbuckled him and pulled him out of the carrier, "What is wrong little man?"

"Does he need changed?" Bucky asked.

"Doesn't feel like it" Ellie said as she checked him, "I just fed him about an hour ago so I don't think it's that"

Grant settled into her arms and stopped fussing.

"He just wanted to be held" Bucky said as he kissed Grant's forehead.

"Would you like a family picture?"

Ellie looked up to see a middle aged woman, "Sorry?"

"Would you like me to take your family picture in front of the tree?" The lady asked.

Ellie looked over at the woman and was taken back how familiar she looked.

"Oh, yes please" Ellie said as she handed Grant to Bucky then took out her phone and brought up the camera.

The woman took it then pointed it at them, "Adorable… okay, say cheese. 1..2..3"

Ellie and Bucky smiled as she took their picture.

"Here you go…I… I just wanted to say I am glad to finally meet you. I've heard stories about the both of you but… to see you in person" She said in disbelief as she hugged Ellie suddenly, "Thank you"

Ellie watched as she hurried off and got lost in the crowd.

"That was weird" Bucky said, "I'm confused… you aren't mentioned in anything on purpose. Steve and I kept you quiet"

Ellie stared in the direction that the woman went, "She seemed… familiar"

Bucky shook his head, "I don't think we've met her before. Come on, the market is only open until 9 and its… 6 already"

"Are we getting a cab or taking the subway?" Ellie asked.

"You pick" Bucky told her.

"Let's take the subway" Ellie said, "If it's still the same, we can take the M train down like two stops to the Q train… the Q train takes you to union square"

"Well then let's go" Bucky told her.

* * *

"Which one do you think Steve would like?" Ellie asked holding up two hats.

"Hats for Steve? No… plus it's too hot anyways" Bucky told her as he looked down the way, "I'll be three booths down"

"Okay" Ellie said as she sighed looking around the booth.

"An old fashion shaving kit always is a great idea for the men in your life" A voice said next to her.

Ellie looked up to an elderly gentleman next to her, "That is a good idea for my brother, thank you"

The man stared at her, "I forgot how beautiful you were"

Ellie stared at him, "Excuse me?"

"Hug your loved ones tight" He said with a sorrowful look.

Ellie stared at him then looked at his eyes, "Wait, do I know you?"

"No kid, you don't. Just take care" The man said as he left the booth and she lost him in the crowd.

Ellie searched for his figure in the crowd and ran her hand over her face, "It couldn't have been… there is no way. We didn't have any cousins"

* * *

 ***~*~* December 23, 2017- New York*~*~***

"Are you sure you don't want to stay for Christmas?" Pepper asked as Ellie got all their things together.

Ellie looked at her, "I'd love to stay Pepper but… I want to be with Steve for Christmas. It is the first Christmas that I will have with him since 1944"

"I get it" Pepper told her, "You are always welcome here though"

"I know and I thank you for that" Ellie told her folding the dress that she had purchased for Natasha and placing it into her suitcase.

"When are you two planning to come back?" Pepper asked.

Ellie sighed, "I don't know. We will have to play it by ear. The house won't be done for awhile"

Bucky walked back into the room, "Anything else you have for me to load into the flyer?"

"I'm almost done with my suitcase" Ellie told him, "Can you go by Steve's room real quick and get some of his drawing books please? He only asked for the one I took but… I want to bring him some more"

"Sure" Bucky said as he turned and left.

"I'm going to go see if dinner is done so you guys can eat before you leave" Pepper told her.

"Thanks Pepper" Ellie said as Pepper left the room.

Ellie looked at Grant in his bassinet, "We get to go home and be with Daddy, Uncle Steve, Auntie Nat, Grandmother Ramonda, Aunt Shuri and T'Challa for Christmas for the last time… all of us together"

Grant opened his eyes and looked at her with a smile.

"I wish I could tell them to enjoy this Christmas. Tell everyone is may be our last Christmas before everything changes, but I can't baby, I can't" Ellie said running her hand over his head.

She leaned down and kissed his forehead.

Bucky walked back in the bedroom, "I grabbed these five. I didn't see any others"

Ellie cleared her throat, "He only wanted the one, so these others will just be… extra special"

"Are you okay?" Bucky asked.

Ellie nodded as she smiled at him, "Yeah… we get to go home to be with our family at Christmas"

Ellie picked Grant up and sat on the bed with him, "Go ahead and take the bassinet out. I'll finish feeding him then we can eat before we go"

Bucky leaned down and kissed her, "I'll go take this out then I'll meet you in the dining room"

"It's a date" Ellie told him.

"Suitcase packed?" Bucky asked her.

"Yeah" Ellie said as he zipped it up then grabbed the suitcase and the bassinet.

She watched him leave and looked down at Grant, "Your daddy is an amazing man Grant. I know you are young but I hope you remember every moment with him that you can for the rest of your life"

* * *

 ***~*~* December 23, 2017- Over the Atlantic Ocean*~*~***

Ellie opened her eyes and stretched. She grabbed her family blanket as it slid off her body.

Bucky looked back at her, "Good afternoon sleepyhead"

Ellie unfastened then walked over to him, first checking on Grant in his seat, "Where are we now?"

"Over the Atlantic Ocean, we are about… an hour away from crossing into Mauritania" Bucky told her, "We are over halfway there now"

Ellie looked at the gauge, "How fast are we currently going?"

Bucky looked at her, "900mph, there is literally no air traffic over the ocean so I picked it up. When we get closer to land I will knock it back down around 750. This can take up to 1000 but I don't want to mess with that with Grant"

Ellie nodded as she sat next to him in the small "co-pilot" seat.

Looking out the small window, she watched the ocean pass below them. Occasionally spotting a small piece of something in the ocean or land.

"You are probably tired of me asking you this but… are you okay?" Bucky asked looking over at her.

"Yeah… just feeling very… nostalgic" Ellie told him as she looked over at him and covered herself up with the blanket, "Do you remember Christmas of 1944? With the Commandoes?"

Bucky laughed, "You were so drunk that night that you wouldn't keep your hands off me"

Ellie rolled her eyes, "I think that was the night we conceived Ulysses actually, that or New Years and my being drunk was all Dum Dum's fault"

Bucky grinned, "Oh because he kept forcing those drinks in your hand"

"I hadn't had good Vodka in years… still haven't had good Vodka since" Ellie told him.

"I'm sure we could get some" Bucky told her.

Ellie looked over at him, "Buck, if we do have more children… what would you want to name them?"

Bucky looked over at her, "Do you want more kids that fast? I mean… if we have until June… that would mean that there would only be like 7 months tops between the next one and Grant"

"Well no, I don't think my body is ready for it anyway but I was just wondering" Ellie told him looking out the front window.

"What would you name any other kids?" Bucky asked.

Ellie thought about it for a moment, "If I could plan it, I'd want a little girl next time. Not Sarah obviously, I would want to honor your Mom in some way"

"Please don't even think about Winifred" Bucky told her.

"What was her maiden name?" Ellie asked looking over at him.

"Byrne" Bucky told her.

"Didn't have to go far to Barnes did she?" Ellie said with a laugh, "Do you remember her middle name?"

"Maria" Bucky said with a small smile, "My grandmother didn't want to call her Winifred Mary so she picked Maria instead" Bucky told her.

"Or we could just do Rebecca to honor her" Ellie said.

"What about it if was another boy?" Bucky asked.

"Name him George Steven" Ellie told him, "No question there"

"Dad would like that" Bucky said as he looked at her, "What is one of your biggest dreams?"

"Other than stopping this giant… shithole that could very possibly happen? I would love to help children in some way" Ellie told him, "Whether being a therapist for the traumas they've went through or what but… something like that. You?"

Bucky smiled, "Being able to fill that house with our children so the Avengers have to find somewhere else to live"

Ellie nodded as she rested her head back on the seat so he didn't see her eyes sparkling with tears.

"Okay if its question and answer time, if you could visit anyone in the past… or even the future. Who would you visit?"

"Shit…I don't know" Ellie said as she thought about it, "I guess Mom, I'd go back and visit with Mom and tell her everything. Maybe learn how to make her pies. She made wonderful pies that I have never even came close to"

"I always wonder how she did it with the rationing we had back then" Bucky told her, "Look we've made it to the coast"

Ellie looked down to see the waves crashing into the shore.

"I'd say two or three hours until we get back" Bucky told her.

"Sounds good. Just in time for dinner" Ellie told him as she put her finger on her communicator and thought about Steve, 'Hey Stevie… we just got to the coast. We will be home soon'

* * *

 ***~*~* December 23, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Bucky hit the necessary buttons as they reached the edge of Wakanda and they went through the barrier as the country appeared under them.

"Home for Christmas" Ellie said looking at the countryside as they flew past.

"I am ready for solid land" Bucky told her.

Ellie looked back at Grant to make sure he was still sleeping as she checked her belt. Bucky flew over to the palace and landed it gently on the pad.

"Just in time for dusk" Bucky said as he powered down the flyer.

He unfastened then walked over to the ramp and opened it so they could start unloading. Bucky had just turned around when Steve came up the ramp and hugged him, "Whoa Steve" Bucky said as he nearly lost his footing.

"Steve, what's wrong?" Ellie asked as he came over and hugged her.

"I just missed you guys. Before Nat got pregnant it was always me going out and traveling… when it was you both missing… it just felt weird" Steve told her as he saw the blanket sitting on the co-pilot seat, "How… how did you get the family blanket? Did they give it to you?"

Ellie held her hand out and it flew to her, "No, I just took it. It's ours, not theirs"

Steve looked at her wide-eyed, "Um since when can you do that? Summoning things to you?"

"It just happened, now I find it easy" Ellie said with a shrug as she picked up Grant then, "I'm going to go put him in the apartment then I will be back if you need more help"

Steve looked at Bucky after she left and Bucky held his finger up until he saw her enter the palace, "Okay what the hell happened there?"

"I don't know, she seems… stronger. She got really upset at the apartment and traveled back to our wedding night back in the apartment then suddenly she was summoning for a better word the blanket to her after she broke the glass. I didn't even hear her scream Steve" Bucky told him.

"We need to keep an eye on her" Steve told him.

* * *

 ***~*~* December 25, 2017- Wakanda*~*~***

Ellie woke up a little after 4am on Christmas day and rolled over trying to go back to sleep. She sighed as she laid on her back, frustrated when her brain would not stop to let her fall back asleep.

Grabbing her robe, she slid it on the walked out of the bedroom, then out of their apartment to the common area.

She sat on the recliner and smiled as she saw all the presents under the tree that Shuri had bought for them. With a flick of her finger, the Christmas tree lit up. She closed her eyes and tried to relax.

"Couldn't sleep?"

Ellie opened her eyes and looked at Wanda, "Hey Wanda, no… my brain won't turn off"

Wanda sat down on the couch, "So… Steve's brain was basically screaming since you came back"

Ellie frowned, "What is he worrying about?"

"You have new powers?" Wanda asked.

Ellie rolled her eyes, "I can summon things to me suddenly"

She held her hand out and from under the tree; her present for Wanda flew to her. Ellie held it out to her, "Merry Christmas"

Wanda took it from her, "That was really precise for just getting that power. Are you sure you haven't had it before?"

"No I didn't" Ellie told her as she bit her lip, "You can summon things to you… have you ever…seen into the past?"

Wanda looked at her, "No, can you?"

Ellie nodded, "Don't tell Bucky and Steve that I told you. They don't want anyone to know I can"

"So you can see into the past? To see how events happened?" Wanda asked.

"Well… not exactly, I have only done it a few times but… the future me has it figured out" Ellie told her, "I've visited Bucky"

"So what do you do exactly?" Wanda asked interested.

"Well… future me can come mentally back into my body. The times that I have done it, I have went back to my body in the 40s and 37" Ellie told her, "But I have no clue how I do it"

"Well the times that you have, have you felt different?" Wanda asked.

"Well the first time was when I was sick and in the hospital. I mentally went to my past body. When we were in Brooklyn, I knew that past me was visiting… I felt different, I was happy but suddenly I had this really light feeling and I was sad so I just… let the other me take over" Ellie told her with a shrug, "But when I went back to our wedding night in Brooklyn… I was sad and upset"

"Sounds like your power is emotion fed. I'll help you work on it" Wanda offered, "Mine started out fed by emotions too. Pain and anger. Then I moved onto channeling my powers through relaxing, lots off meditation when I joined the Avengers"

"I know I can do it… it's just learning how to do it" Ellie told her.

"That is half the battle; I didn't know what my powers were when I got mine. You do" Wanda told her, "Here, let's go sit out on the balcony and just relax. Let your brain go"

Ellie followed her to the balcony and sat in one of the recliner chairs. She sighed and closed her eyes as she listened to the quiet around her.

* * *

"Merry Christmas!" Steve said as he and Natasha came out of their apartment.

Ellie got up from the recliner and hugged him, "Merry Christmas Stevie"

Natasha sat down next to Bucky, who had Grant in his lap, "How is he this morning?"

"A happy baby" Bucky told her as he looked over at her, "Merry Christmas"

"Same to you" Natasha said as Sam came into the room.

"How about pancakes everyone?" Sam asked.

"Sounds great" Bucky said, "Can't go wrong with pancakes"

Ellie sat down on Bucky's other side and looked over at Bucky as Grant was propped up on his legs.

Bucky leaned over and kissed her, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm happy… its Christmas" Ellie told him.

"Let's make today our best one yet" Bucky told her.

* * *

a/n3: Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing. In the review tell me something that you would love to see happen in this story between this point and Infinity War or beyond! Now to the reviews!

 **Tuckerjnp1: Thank you, I am trying my best!**

 **Gingin1975: Thank you, I have been trying to figure out who to bring in from that group.**

 **Crysta-Wolf-Guardain-967: Thank you! Enjoy**

 **PrettyRecklessLaura: Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

* * *

 **Preview of Chapter 62: I Need You**

"You could always name her after me" Ellie said with a grin, "I am named after Grandma Elizabeth, instead she could be Belle Rogers"

"But didn't you guys have a cousin named Belle?" Bucky asked.

Ellie looked at him, "No. Dad was an only child and so was Mom"

Bucky frowned, "But I met your cousin Belle in the hospital when your Mom passed. She kissed me even"

Ellie stared at him, "What?"


	62. Chapter 62 - I Need You

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: Thank you to the new followers: haze47, Filipa1994, csifreak4, knueselanna, and Broken Kylo Ren.** **So in case you've missed it, I have started an Instagram page for pictures related to the story, so go check it out. Instagram name is PrincessCaptainWinter.**

* * *

I wanna dance to the static of an AM radio  
I wanna wrap the moon around us, lay beside you skin on skin  
Make love til the sun comes up, til the sun goes down again  
Cause I need you

~ I Need You by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill

* * *

 ***~*~* December 31, 2017 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

Sitting in Grant's nursery on New Years Eve, Ellie rocked Grant until he started drifting off after his late evening feeding. With a sigh, she set him in his bassinet and stood next to him watching him until his breathing slowed as he fell asleep. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she saw it was 11:24pm on New Years Eve night.

She leaned over his bassinet and rubbed his back with her thumb, "Time is passing so fast now that I know we only have a little bit longer with your Daddy. I don't want to lose him Grant"

She swallowed hard and sighed as she wiped the tear from her face that had escaped. Glancing in the mirror to make sure her eyes were not red or swollen, she composed herself as she turned the monitor on then walked out of their room to head back out to the common room.

Wanda looked up as she saw her, "Grant asleep?"

"Finally" Ellie said as she sat next to Bucky and he pulled her into his side and kissed the side of her head.

"Any more luck?" Wanda asked.

Over the last week, Ellie and Wanda had been working together on Ellie's time traveling power with no success. Wanda said that Ellie needed to relax more and her biggest problem was her running thoughts. Even though she had "cleared" her mind and thought that she was relaxed, Wanda had taken a peek at her thoughts to see all the thought processes going through her head. Now Wanda knew that something big was coming as well.

 _Ellie looked at her as she saw Wanda pale, "Wanda… what did you hear?"_

" _What is going to happen in a few months?" Wanda asked concerned._

" _I don't know… I have never told Bucky what it is exactly" Ellie told her sadly._

 _Wanda bit her lip, "Who doesn't survive other than Bucky?"_

 _Ellie bowed her head, "That I don't know either. I know Steve and Nat and I survive. That is all I know"_

Ellie shook her head, "No, still nothing"

"I was really hoping we could make some progress soon" Wanda told her shaking her head, "I really thought that your power was very similar to mine"

Natasha looked over at her, "When you do figure it out, who and when are you going to visit first?"

"I already know the exact time I do it… and I do it soon" Ellie said as she looked at Bucky.

"Remember when we went to that resort and you two were in the cabana?" Bucky asked Natasha, "Future Ellie made her first visit then"

"You picked that point in time?" Natasha asked confused.

"It was fresh and I was relaxed at the time. Plus I was able to reassure Bucky that he was going to make a great father" Ellie told her as she closed her eyes and relaxed into his side.

* * *

"Are you asleep?" Bucky asked as the TV stated there were only ten minutes left until the New Year.

"Hmm…. No, I can make it" Ellie said as she opened her eyes.

Bucky laughed as he pulled her onto his lap and she cuddled into his chest, "You only have ten more minutes"

Ellie yawned, "Why is it that when I first got the serum, I could stay out for days without sleeping when on a mission? Now it's a struggle to make it until 10"

"You are a Mom now" Bucky said rubbing her back.

"I go through the same thing. On mission it's like a switch goes off in my brain, I don't need sleep" Steve told her as he looked at Natasha, who was laying against him as something nudged him, "Lord she kicked hard"

"Fuck, now I have to pee" Natasha said as she pushed herself up and left the room.

Steve looked at Bucky, "So no more…visits?"

Bucky shook his head, "No" He said as he bit his lip.

Ellie yawned, "I'm a little concerned about it" Ellie said sadly, "What if something happened… to me? I was visiting really frequently for awhile from what you said"

"You probably just got busy" Bucky told her as he pulled her closer, "Time flies when you are having fun"

"Natasha! Two minutes!" Steve yelled as the countdown started on the TV.

"I'm moving as fast as I can" Natasha told him as she flicked his ear then threw herself down into his lap making him groan, "Serves you right"

"Have you two thought of names yet?" Wanda asked Natasha as she watched the countdown move down.

Bucky squeezed Ellie's thigh as she smiled.

"We've been throwing a few around" Steve told her, "Nothing really has stood out though"

"You could always name her after me" Ellie said with a grin as she winked at Bucky, "I am named after Grandma Elizabeth… instead she could be Belle Rogers"

Bucky frowned, "But didn't you guys have a cousin named Belle?" Bucky asked.

Ellie looked at him confused, "No. Dad was an only child and so was Mom"

Bucky frowned, "But I met your cousin Belle in the hospital when your Mom passed." Bucky laughed, "She kissed me even"

Ellie stared at him, "What?" She glanced over at Steve, who was confused.

"Yeah, when your Mom was really sick, before we couldn't see her anymore Belle came to the hospital" Bucky told her, "She told me not to give up on you, that you did really like me but you were going through a lot. Then she kissed me to see if the rumors were true"

"And she said that she was my cousin?" Ellie asked confused.

"Yeah she did… she looked a lot like you too. But she had… straight hair" Bucky said as he thought about it and glanced at Wanda, who shrugged.

"That is so weird" Ellie said as they started counting down on the TV.

"4…3…2…1, Happy New Year!" They all yelled.

Ellie looked into Bucky's eyes, "I love you Bucky Barnes. Let's make whatever time we have left, our best yet"

Bucky kissed her, "I love you too. More than you know"

"I'm telling Vision" Natasha teased Wanda as she gave Sam a chaste kiss.

Wanda just rolled her eyes.

Sam looked at her, "I always wondered… how does that work?" Sam asked.

"How does what work?" Wanda asked him.

"You know… the mechanics of the two of you in… that department?" Sam asked slurring department.

Wanda's eyes glowed red.

"Okay Sam, I think its time for you to go to bed. You've drank a little too much tonight" Steve said as Bucky laughed as Steve jumped up and practically lifted Sam off the couch.

Shaking her head Natasha looked at them, "I'm heading to bed" Natasha told everyone, "Goodnight!"

Steve pushed Sam ahead of them as they headed off in the direction of the apartments.

"Me too" Ellie said as she stood up and looked at Wanda, "Night Wanda" She looked back at Bucky as she pulled down her shirt, "You coming to bed?"

"I'll be there in a bit. I just want to watch this a little more" Bucky told her pointing at the screen.

Ellie leaned down and kissed him, "I love you"

Bucky smiled, "I love you too. You'll probably be asleep before I get in there. Goodnight" Bucky told her.

Ellie chuckled, "More than likely" Ellie said as she walked off to their apartment.

Bucky held his finger up to Wanda until he heard the door shut.

Wanda closed her eyes, "She is in your room already checking on Grant"

Bucky looked at her, "Can you try to see my memories?"

"Do you think it was Ellie?" Wanda asked as she opened her eyes.

Bucky nodded, "I just thought about the ring Belle was wearing. I just bought Ellie a new ring to give her when we go to Paris. I think it was the same one and her new earrings… I think she was wearing those too"

Wanda sat on the couch next to him and turned so her knees touched him, "Last time we tried this you blocked me. You need to relax. How far back was it?"

"Early 1940 I think" Bucky told her as she sat cross legged next to him.

"Close your eyes and relax" Wanda said as she put her hands next to his head.

Bucky closed his eyes.

* * *

Suddenly Bucky found himself walking up to the front door of the hospital that Sarah Rogers had been in. Opening the door, he walked down the familiar hallways of the hospital that led to Sarah Rogers's room, when Bucky heard his name.

He stopped and looked at the woman as she walked over to him, "Wow… you have to be a cousin of Ellie and Steve"

She was the same height as Ellie with the same shade of hair, but it was straight with a slight curling on the bottom.

The woman smiled, "I'm Belle, Isabelle...Rogers. I was just in talking to mo… my Aunt Sarah"

"How is she?" Bucky asked taking in her appearance.

She definitely appeared older and more weathered in appearance than Ellie. Belle also wore a ring on her finger and appeared as if she had not seen a good night's sleep in awhile.

Belle sighed as she looked in the room, "She is starting to fail. I don't think she has long left"

Bucky stood next to her and took in her blue eyes, the same shade as Ellie's.

Belle looked over at him, "Look Bucky… don't give up on Ellie. She does really have feelings for you… she just doesn't know how to deal with those feelings"

"Really?" Bucky asked.

Belle nodded, "Just… give her a bit of time. She is trying to be strong for Steve and her Mom… be strong for her and just… be there for her"

"I will… thank you Belle" Bucky told her, "You should come around more. Steve always hates being the third wheel. Can you dance?"

"I know a move or two" She said with a smile, "I'm just in another time and place sometimes but if I am around… I'll save you a dance"

Bucky nodded as she stepped closer to him, "What are you-" he said as she kissed him.

Belle pulled back breathless, "I … just had to see if the rumors are true. Go ahead in, looks like she is awake again"

"Nice meeting you Belle" Bucky said licking his lips as he noticed her eyes sparkling.

"You too Bucky" Belle said as she walked down towards the stairs.

Bucky turned towards the room.

"Oh, hey Bucky?"

"Yeah?" Bucky asked looking at Belle.

"Don't tell Steve or Ellie that I was here" Belle told him, "Or what I told you"

"Secret is safe with me" Bucky told her as he opened the door to Mrs. Rogers room.

She opened her eyes and smiled at him, "Bucky"

"Hey Sarah, you look great" Bucky told her with a smile.

* * *

Bucky gasped as Wanda pulled out of his memory.

"That was our Ellie" Wanda said in disbelief.

"No, that was future Ellie. She had the ring I give her and… she looks older" Bucky said sadly as he ran his hand over his face, "Sad and… tired. Shit… I wonder how… far in the future she was from"

"So eventually her powers must… mature and she can travel with her whole body" Wanda said.

Bucky put his head in his hands, "Shit"

"Are you going to be okay?" Wanda asked.

"Yeah… just… my brain going haywire right now. Go head to bed. I'm good. Thanks Wanda" Bucky told her.

* * *

After about an hour after Wanda went to bed, Bucky was tired from trying to figure out his past memory, so he got up and made sure everything was turned off.

Bucky walked back to their apartment and made sure everything was turned off, and then stripped down as he walked into the bedroom.

Ellie sat up, "I was wondering where you were"

"I was in the common… hey baby" Bucky said as he leaned down and kissed her as he noticed her eyes sparkling.

"Hey" Ellie said as she ran her fingers through his hair.

Bucky sat down next to her, "When are you from this time?"

"March 10th 2019… happy birthday baby" Ellie told him sadly.

"Been busy?" Bucky asked.

"Really busy. Between running after Grant and Pepper asked me to help out with Stark Tech and the Relief Foundation, so I am Chief Operations Officer of both of those companies now. So between being a Mom and COO of a major international company… I'm a little busy" Ellie told him sadly, "But they have a preschool on site for the kids of the employees so they are right there. When I do have down time I go visit. Plus it's not like I have to leave work, go to the school before home. Just load up the car and go home. So far it's been good just getting used to HOW to do everything. We are working with Thor and some other individuals to take alien technology and trying to build it here on Earth so simplify our lives as much as possible. Biggest problem is after… everything with the battle and the effects on the world… everyone is just… too busy to enjoy the finer things in life really"

"It's that bad?" Bucky asked.

Ellie nodded, "Yeah… a lot of people died that day and… the world just doesn't move on that fast. To put it into prospective… Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty… they aren't tourist attractions anymore. Ellis Island is a refugee station for those who no longer…have their loved ones and don't know what to do. Sports were shut down because they don't have the people to run the parks" Ellie sighed, "its bad. Its slowly getting better but… the world isn't quick to recover"

Bucky bit his lip trying to think about it.

"But… to give something for him to do, I'm letting Steve work on the house. It's nearly finished" Ellie told him, "Steve and Sarah live in the two guestrooms on our floor. Natasha lives there sometimes too"

Bucky frowned, "They aren't together anymore?"

"They are but… Natasha is taking it upon herself to run the Avengers out of the compound. She is searching for the Infinity Stones with the remaining Avengers hoping they turn up somewhere" Ellie told him sadly, "So far, no luck but she wants to be there in case something does turn up"

"The remaining Avengers? Some of them… die?" Bucky asked.

Ellie shook her head, "I've told you too much already Bucky… I shouldn't be telling you this. Dr. Strange would have my head if he knew. We lost more than you that day" Ellie told him sadly.

Bucky pulled her into a hug.

"I better be going. I think Grant is going through another growth spurt because he was cranky when I put him to bed" Ellie told him as she looked him in his beautiful eyes, "One of these days, I'm going to get Steve to watch him so that we can just spend the whole night together"

"Sounds amazing" Bucky told her as he kissed her.

Ellie rested her forehead against his, "Until next month my love"

"See you then baby" Bucky told her as he helped her lay down.

She grabbed his hand and closed her eyes and for a moment, Bucky saw a flash of another room in his eyes before it faded away.

* * *

 ***~*~* January 4, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

Dr. Rosa entered the room, "Hello everyone, how is everyone doing?"

"Pretty good" Ellie told her holding Grant.

"That is good. How is little one?" Dr. Rosa asked as she took Grant, "Well look at you big boy"

"He is sleeping 8-10 hours a night now. Occasionally waking up to feed but it's usually after 5 hours" Ellie told her.

"How much is he sleeping during the day?" She asked as Grant smiled at her as she set him on the scale.

"It averages to about three hour naps, a few times a day" Ellie said looking at Bucky, who nodded.

"Well… weight and height, along with that information and the fact he smiled at me a genuine smile… I'd put his development around 2 ½ months. For that, we might want to give him his two month old vaccines now" Dr. Rosa told them.

"Multiple?" Ellie asked.

"Six in total. Two of them orally" Dr. Rosa told them as she laid him down on the floor and he pushed himself up, "Great strength…he is definitely developing at a faster rate but not too accelerated"

"Is there anything else he will need in the next month? We will be doing some traveling" Ellie told her.

"No, to where?" Dr. Rosa asked.

"America. There are a few loose ends we need to tie up" Ellie told her, "We will probably be bouncing back and forth for a few months"

"Well let me go get the vaccines then you can be on your way" Dr. Rosa told them as she left the room.

Ellie looked at Bucky, "Can you-"

Bucky chuckled, "I'll hold him"

"Oh thank god" Ellie said as Bucky picked Grant up, "What I wouldn't do to have the powers that Wanda has to take away pain right now"

* * *

 ***~*~* January 7, 2018 ~ New York*~*~***

Bucky sat staring at Ellie who was taking a nap and decided that since Grant was asleep too, he could find something else to do. So he got out of bed and left their bedroom at the Avengers compound and walked down to the workshop where he knew he would at least find Tony.

"Hey" Tony said as he saw him as he flipped up his mask, "What are you up to?"

Bucky shrugged, "Ellie and Grant are asleep. Mind if I just watch?"

"Not at all, I'm just working on my new suit" Tony told him, "It's using nano-technology"

"What is nanotechnology?" Bucky asked interested.

"These" Tony said handing him a small Petri dish of rolling dots.

"It looks like mercury" Bucky told him moving it to make them roll.

"Similar. They are gold-titanium nano- particles that are programmed to spread out of this" He said as he showed him the arc reactor, "And make a suit that has increased durability and power, along with being extremely flexible compared to the iron alloy I've been using"

Bucky looked at one of the leg pieces, "So can it shoot fire?"

"In a way, its repulsor technology so not really fire" Tony told him.

"Well your Dad's ended up on fire" Bucky said with a smile.

Tony looked at him with an eyebrow raised, "Did you bug Dad like this?"

"Am I bugging you? I can leave" Bucky said pointing towards the door.

"No, no… you are fine" Tony said with a sigh.

"So… have you gotten to our house any more lately?" Bucky asked after a few minutes.

"Yeah they are doing a complete rewiring right now and putting the Stark Tech systems in" Tony told him.

"Oh so… we wouldn't be able to stay the night?" Bucky asked.

"Most of the furniture is gone and but the heating is on so the pipes don't freeze. There wouldn't be electricity to anything other than the furnace. When the owners went from grid power to solar power they didn't update anything so it needs work" Tony told him as he set his tool down, "Why? Are you planning on staying the night?"

"I don't know, just thought I'd run it past Ellie" Bucky told him with a shrug.

"Well you'd have to go to Wal-Mart or Target and get an inflatable mattress and candles" Tony told him as he adjusted something on the boot of the suit, "You could always make it romantic. Pepper is always asking me to do stuff like that. Ellie would probably love it"

Bucky rolled his eyes as he got up and looked at the arm of the suit, "You need more joints in the elbow here"

Tony put the screwdriver down, "Why do you say that?"

"Yes you will have your own arm in the suit but the flexibility is only 180 degrees this way, you need some more left to right" Bucky said demonstrating it on his own.

Tony walked over to it and touched it, "This is made out of Vibranium?"

"And gold" Bucky told him as he shifted the plates to show him the gold inlay.

"Interesting, T'Challa's suit is made out of Vibranium too right?" Tony asked.

"Yes but he has an updated suit… probably similar to your suit you are working on here but the whole suit is contained in his necklace" Bucky told him.

"Wait, that is where he stores it?" Tony asked surprised, "I need to get to Wakanda"

* * *

" **In 1/4** **th** **mile, make a left turn on Hudson Run road"**

Ellie glanced over at Bucky to see he had finally relaxed, "See I'm not a bad driver"

"My first experiences with your driving didn't ease my mind but… you are a good driver" Bucky told her as she stopped at the light and signaled to turn left when it changed.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence babe" Ellie said as she turned left, "I wouldn't endanger your or Grant's lives"

"I know that" Bucky said as he placed his hand on her leg.

"Don't distract the driver" Ellie warned him.

" **In 3000 feet, make a right turn on High Street"**

"Tony said this place was going to quote 'Blow my mind' so I wonder how big it is?" Bucky said as she stopped then turned right once it was clear.

"Well if it's anything like IKEA, gigantic" Ellie said as the GPS told them **'In a ½ mile your destination will be on the left'**

"Whatever happened to the little corner stores?" Bucky asked as they saw a sign for Wal-mart up ahead.

Ellie turned her signal on and pulled up into the parking lot, "Holy shit"

"This is the Market side, is the home and pharmacy side a different store?" Bucky asked.

"I think it's all one store" Ellie told him as she tried to find a parking spot and finally found one then someone pulled into it before she could pull the car into the spot, "What the hell!"

"That was an asshole move, there is another spot up there" Bucky said pointing it out.

Ellie parked the car then they got out, Bucky carrying Grant's carrier.

"Are the buggies inside or do we take one of these?" Ellie wondered.

"There are some inside that aren't covered in snow" Bucky told her as he took her hand.

Walking into the store they were hit with a blast of warm air and saw more shopping carts.

"Here" Ellie said as she took Grant and put his car seat into the top part of the cart.

"Smart" Bucky said.

"God Buck, we sound like two old people" Ellie said shaking her head as she pushed the cart.

"Because we are" Bucky told her as a lady greeted them.

Ellie let out a breath, "Where do you go?" She asked as she looked around.

"Hi, can I help you with anything?" A young kid asked as he walked by in a yellow vest.

"Where would the candles be?" Ellie asked him.

"Down this aisle, follow me" He said, "They are located down K1"

They followed him to the aisle and it was filled with nothing but candles.

"Here you go, have a great day"

Bucky looked at Ellie, "We are so in over our heads"

Ellie drove into their driveway and keyed in her code then drove down the driveway to the house and pulled up to the garage.

"What is the code again?" Bucky asked as he opened the door.

"1234" Ellie told him.

Bucky got out and keyed the code into the keypad, and the door didn't open. He tried again and nothing happened again.

"Shit" Ellie said as she opened her door, "Bucky the electricity is out, it's not going to work"

"Fuck, how else do we get in?" Bucky asked.

Ellie grabbed the keys, ironically that had a Stark Enterprises keychain on them and threw them to Bucky, "Door is over there on the left. Unlock it then pull the door up from inside"

Bucky looked at her, "How do you know that?"

Ellie shrugged, "I think I saw it on TV once"

Bucky walked over to the door and unlocked the door then went inside.

Ellie looked back in the backseat and saw Grant moving in the small mirror Pepper had placed in the backseat, "Come on Bucky, he is going to start getting cranky"

A couple minutes later, the door went up and Ellie drove the car inside the garage. She turned the ignition off and climbed out.

"I couldn't see it was so dark in here" Bucky told her.

"I should have done it but I didn't think I'd be tall enough to get it high enough for the car to get in" Ellie told him.

Bucky looked at her with a grin, "You could have flown it up"

Ellie rolled her eyes, "I am not going to come so dependent on my powers for everything Bucky"

Bucky gave her a chaste kiss then opened the trunk to get their purchases out.

"I'm going to take Grant in the house. He is going to start getting cranky soon. It's been four hours since he's been fed" Ellie said as she took Grant out of the car.

"I'll be right in" Bucky told her as he threw her the keys and she caught them one handed.

She unlocked the door and walked into the house and observed the temperature was at least warmed than outside but still cool, "Yeah we definitely will need to use the fireplace"

Walking through the hallway, she then made it to the steps to go up on the first floor, and then she continued up to the second floor.

Ellie gnawed on her lip a bit as she looked around at the holes in the walls then walked to the room that they had decided on as their bedroom. The sitting room that was attached to the bedroom was empty and the doors to the bedroom were open. Ellie smiled as she saw the new doors that she and Pepper had ordered were leaning against the wall.

Walking inside the bedroom, the carpet was covered with plastic and the pale blue that she and Bucky had picked had already been painted on the walls. The contractors had taken the 'Please finish our bedroom first' to heart and had already repaired the walls.

"Ellie?!" Bucky called from somewhere in the house.

"In our bedroom" Ellie replied as she took her coat off and put it on the floor then pulled her shirt up and unfastened her nursing bra so Grant could start feeding, which he eagerly did. Then looked out at the backyard covered in snow.

Bucky walked into the bedroom with their bags, "I'm glad we bought the firewood logs after all. We will need them"

He walked over and put his arms around her, then kissed her neck, "You are so beautiful"

Ellie smiled at him as a tear slipped down her face, "we get to spend the night at our own home Buck, yours and mine alone"

"Only took us 75 years" Bucky joked.

Ellie leaned back against him, "I hope we make it to our 75th"

"We will" Bucky told her.

"Go inflate the mattress" Ellie told him, "One thing less to do later"

"Yes ma'am" Bucky said as he kissed her then went over to the bag.

* * *

Bucky lit more of the candles in the rapidly darkening room as some of the smaller ones were starting to go out.

Ellie walked back into the room tucking her top back into the top of her skirt and leaned against the door frame as she watched him in the dancing light as he lit more candles.

Bucky looked over at her, "He asleep?"

Ellie nodded as she pushed herself off the doorframe then walked over to put her arms around his neck.

Bucky reached out to caress her face. Callused fingers traced along her jaw and Ellie sighed. Moving closer still, Bucky let his other hand rest on her hip. A gentle brush of his lips against hers and she wrapped her arms around him, Bucky pulled her closer.

Sweeping his tongue along her bottom lip Bucky moaned as her mouth slid open to allow him entrance. Hearing her whimper spurred him on and he trailed his hand up her side, slipping beneath her shirt to stroke across her skin.

Ellie felt as if his finger tips were on fire as they danced across her skin as he started to kiss her neck. As the back of her ankles hit the bed Ellie reached down, fumbling with button on his pants as his hands traveled back down her sides to the bottom of her skirt.

Running his hands up her thighs beneath her skirt, Bucky tugged at her panties as she pushed his pants and pants down around his knees. As her panties hit the floor Bucky gripped her thighs, dropping her onto the inflatable mattress.

Ellie laughed as she bounced then reached up to pull him down to her as she spread her legs. Her fingers slipping across the exposed skin of his hipbones as he settled between her splayed thighs.

"Wait… condom" Ellie gasped.

"Shit" Bucky said as he jumped up, tripping on his pants.

Ellie snorted as he kicked them off jumping as they stuck on his one leg. She watched him search through the bags as she pulled her shirt off and took her bra off.

"Finally!" Bucky yelled as he found the box and opened it up so hard that they flew in multiple directions across the room.

Ellie laughed as she pulled her skirt off, "Come here"

Bucky ripped open the package and rolled it onto himself then climbed back onto the inflatable mattress. Then kissed her hard, Bucky lined himself up and she pushed into him gasping as he was finally inside of her.

Wrapping her legs around his waist Ellie moaned as he leaned down, flicking his tongue across her nipple before sucking it into his mouth. Clenching her fingers into his hair Ellie let her head fall back, gasping as his pelvic bone bumped against her clit.

"Careful… he…oh right there. The milk flow comes really easy" Ellie told him as she moaned as her orgasm started coming on fast.

Feeling Ellie tighten around him Bucky thrust harder, pulling away from her breasts to press a line of kisses up to her throat. Reaching down between them, he ran his thumb across her clit, rubbing circles across the hard little nub as her teeth sunk into his lip. She pulled away with a yell, nails digging into the skin of his back beneath his shirt as she urged him on taking her over the edge.

Moving faster Bucky pushed himself up, taking in the sight of her hair fanned out, chest heaving as she clamped down around him like a vice. Another harsh thrust and Bucky stilled, dropping down to press his face to the side of her throat as he came.

"God I love you" Bucky mumbled against her throat as her arms wrapped tightly around him, holding him close as they both struggled for breath. Bucky pulled away first, brushing the tangled, sweaty hair away from her face as he watched her intently.

"What?" Ellie asked looking up at him.

"Just taking in how beautiful you are" Bucky told her with a smile, "You blow my mind sometimes"

Ellie kissed him again then grabbed his shirt slipping it on, "Come on"

"What?" Bucky asked as she climbed off the mattress.

"Go take that off and grab the box… we have to christen our new house. Who knows when we will be back" Ellie told him.

Bucky jumped up, grabbed the bag and followed her as she giggled when he picked her up from behind.

* * *

Bucky's eyes fluttered open when he felt Ellie's fingers running across his abs, "Didn't you get enough?"

Ellie grinned as she kissed him then straddled his waist, "I never can get enough of you, but that wasn't me… it was a memorable night but I just wanted a refresher"

Bucky pushed a piece of hair out of her face and looked up at her, "Hey baby"

"Hey" Ellie said as she started kissing down his chest, "There was two condoms left in that box right?"

"Yeah" Bucky moaned, "Good memory… its now… April right?"

"Um huh" Ellie said as her teeth scraped his nipple, "Steve and Nat have Grant for the night…so I thought we'd just have some Mommy and Daddy time. I've been working with Pepper and pulling long hours" She told him as she kissed down his chest licking and nipping at spots, "Pepper told me to go home… ironically" She said as she pulled away and looked around the dark room, "Lying basically in this very spot right now on our bed"

Bucky bit his lip as he placed his hand on her face, "Do…do I get to spend the night in it?"

Ellie gave him a small smile and nodded, "We order it in the morning and don't worry… we christen every damn room in this house but one… so" Ellie said as she moved her face and nipped at his thumb, "Want to go christen it?"

"Which one is that?" Bucky asked.

"The solarium… the moonlight shining through the windows will provide enough light" Ellie told him with a grin.

Bucky took her hand, "Come on, we have to fix that"

"What about Grant?" Ellie said as Bucky grabbed the box of two remaining condoms.

"He will be fine. He has been sleeping longer" Bucky told her as he kissed her neck.

"Oh god… it's been too long" Ellie moaned as she reached back and grabbed his neck then turned around for a kiss, "I might not make it there"

"We have two" Bucky grinned against her lips.

"Race ya" Ellie said as she took off towards the steps.

Bucky growled as he chased after her.

* * *

Present Day Ellie opened her eyes and looked around, "Shit it worked"

Looking around the room, she marveled at the bed that was now in the bedroom, the pictures that scattered the walls, artwork that had to be made by Steve.

When she was just starting to fall asleep, she felt her future self trying to share her mind, so she let her then tried to follow her own mind into the future. It had worked.

Standing up, Ellie appraised her body noticing that nothing really changed in a year other than a little weight that she had put on. Remembering that Bucky had told her that Steve was living with her and Grant, she walked out of the bedroom noticing the office was set up with papers across the desk. Walking out of the master suite, she opened the door on the left that was meant to be a wardrobe and her jaw almost dropped at the amount of clothes that were inside.

Touching one of Bucky's pants, she sighed and put it to her nose surprised his scent was still on them. Leaving the wardrobe, she walked through the hallway and looked into the first bedroom. It was no longer Grant's room as they had planned but instead was pink with two cribs inside.

Ellie bit her lip.

"What are you doing?"

Ellie jumped, "Shit Steve… don't do that to me" She said as she grabbed her chest.

"I thought you said that you were going to visit Bucky?" Steve asked holding a baby in his arms.

Ellie tried not to smile as she saw the little blonde curls on the baby's head.

"I…did" Ellie said slowly.

"How… how was he?" Steve asked sadly.

"Happy… I went back to the first night we spent in this house in January" Ellie told him, "Before Sarah was born"

She reached out and touched the little one on Steve's shoulder's back.

"Can you put her in her crib for me? I know you wanted a night for yourself but Rhodey was just trying to call me and I wanted to put her down before he tries calling back" Steve told her.

Ellie took the little girl into her arms and smiled, "Go, I got this"

Steve kissed her cheek, "I'm glad you had a good visit with Buck, you seem much happier"

"Me too" Ellie said as she walked into the pink bedroom that she had just visited and looked into the first crib that had a K over it, where there was a baby already sleeping that was the splitting image of the one in her arms.

She walked over to the crib that had an R over it to see it was empty and placed the sleeping baby inside.

Gazing down at the baby, she smiled, "You know… your daddy always did want a big family when we were growing up… I just never thought it would happen for him. I'm happy for him. At least something good came out of this situation"

She glanced in at Baby K to see she was still sleeping soundly then walked down to the next bedroom and opened the door to see a sleeping Grant.

Walking into the bedroom, she smiled when she saw Bucky's picture next to his bed and she sat down on the side of his bed to just watch him.

His blue eyes blinked open and he gave her the same look Bucky gives her when he first wakes up, "Mama?"

"Go back to sleep Little Man" Ellie told him as she leaned down and kissed his forehead.

"Love you Mama" Grant mumbled as he closed his eyes.

"I love you too and Daddy loves you very much" Ellie told him.

"In the stars" Grant mumbled as he drifted back off.

Ellie smiled as she watched him a little longer then got up, walking back to her bedroom. Walking into the study, she noticed there was a handprint on the wall and tried not to cry. Walking over to it, she placed her hand over top and laughed a watery laugh as she saw the handprint that Bucky had accidentally made earlier in the night was still there on the wall.

* * *

Ellie sighed as they made it to the solarium, "Note to self, need new carpet on the stairs… that wasn't very soft"

Bucky laughed, "It wasn't when you made me switch places with you"

"Made you? You were plowing my back right into that stair… I'm old. It couldn't take it" Ellie said with a grin.

"Old my ass" Bucky said as he laid the blanket out on solarium floor.

Ellie put her arms around him and grabbed his ass, "Nope, doesn't feel old" She said as she moved one hand around to grasp his penis, "This doesn't feel old either"

Bucky kissed her hard.

"Come on, let's dance" Ellie told him as she put her arms around his neck and they swayed back and forth.

"We don't have music" Bucky told her.

"We don't need music" Ellie said resting her head on his chest to hear his heartbeat, "I had no idea how much I missed this until now"

"Once a month, from now on… you and me" Bucky told her.

Ellie looked up at him, "It's a date"

Bucky lowered his face to hers and pressed his lips against hers. She bit his lip and begged for entrance to his mouth.

Ellie pulled back and laid back against the blanket. Bucky just stared at her in the moonlight. The furnace was not as warm in his room so the colder air had her skin covered in goose bumps and made her nipples erect.

"Are you going to just stand there or are you going to come over here?" Ellie asked as she grinned, "Because I want you doing that in me"

Bucky laid down next to her and rolled her onto her side to kiss her.

"Fuck Bucky… Fucky Bucky… that rhymes" Ellie said with a laugh.

Bucky flipped her onto her back then kissed down her body, pulling apart her thighs.

Ellie moaned as he latched onto her clit and moved one finger into her.

"God you are still so wet" Bucky moaned.

Ellie moaned, "I'm so close"

"Come on baby, you can do it" Bucky said as he added another finger and she screamed as she crashed over.

Ellie looked up at him, "You still got it"

Bucky kissed up her body then covered himself with the condom, "Are you ready?"

"I'm always ready for you" Ellie told him.

Bucky kissed her as she wrapped her legs around his waist as he thrust into her.

Ellie fought to catch her breath as Bucky kissed her neck, "What are you doing?"

"Enjoying it" Bucky told her.

"Buck, you have to move" Ellie told him.

Bucky slowly started to move as he leaned down and kissed her, pouring his heart and soul into the kiss. He built her up with slow, torturous movements of his hands as they ran over her body seeming to go a million places at once. One hot and one cold. It was nearly overwhelming.

Ellie moaned as her orgasm built up to nearly the edge and Bucky slowed his thrusts, "Bucky, move damnit"

Bucky grinned against her lips then started slamming into her causing her to throw her head back as he hit the perfect spot inside her that made her see stars, repeatedly.

"Buck…oh god" Ellie moaned.

"I got you baby, just let go" Bucky said as he kissed her hard as she screamed.

For a moment, she left her mind and went back to her present, to find she wasn't in the same place that she had left her body before she pulled herself back to Bucky.

"You alright?" Bucky asked grinning.

"My God… that was… wow," Ellie said gasping.

"Literally my pleasure" Bucky said.

Ellie sighed as she laid against his chest, "I don't want to leave"

"You said Steve was watching Grant right? Let's go back upstairs and you can stay with me until you fall asleep" Bucky told her.

Ellie sighed, "I guess… I can't stay here forever as much as I want to. It's not fair on… present me"

Bucky wrapped her up in the blanket then picked her up.

"What are you doing?" Ellie asked.

"I don't want you to get too cold" Bucky told her as he carried her all the way upstairs to their room, stopping to check on Grant and seeing he was still asleep.

Ellie noticed the handprint on the wall and stared at it, "Wait… oh my god"

"What?" Bucky asked as he sat her down.

Ellie held the blanket close to her and walked over to it.

"Oh I accidentally touched the wet paint earlier and we were-"

"Fucking against the wall" Ellie said as she looked at him, "Don't even say it, I know… making love. That's not what I meant though. I just remembered… old me… this Ellie… is in my future, my body right now"

"What?" Bucky asked surprised.

"I remember it now; I used the connection and switched places. I saw Grant and Steve and…" Ellie said as she bit her lip, "I kept the handprint there… I sound so stupid but I put my hand on it and pulse my energy so it feels like your heartbeat sometimes"

Bucky pulled her into his arms, "That doesn't sound stupid"

Ellie lost it and sobbed into his chest.

Bucky picked her back up and carried her to the inflatable mattress and laid down with her.

"God… I am so weak" Ellie told him.

"No you aren't… its perfectly okay to lose it sometimes" Bucky told her, "You are just human Angel"

"I miss hearing you call me that" Ellie told him as she cuddle back into his side, "Now I am either Mrs. Barnes or Mama. He looks at your picture every night and talks to you. I wish I could record it and show you. He's done it since he could talk. Some nights I find him cuddling up with your picture. Steve bought him this bear at build a bear, after… things that happen, happened. They made bears of you and the others. Steve said that he had to have his little Bucky bear. He always has it with him. I wish there was a way for you to visit"

"One day, you will figure it out" Bucky told her as he drew shapes with his fingers across her skin, "Have Wanda's help"

Ellie snuggled into his chest, "We lost her Buck… she is gone with you"

Bucky frowned, "Who else is gone?"

"Hmmm too many" Ellie said, "I love you"

"I love you too Angel" Bucky said as he kissed the side of her head, "So much"

Ellie gasped as she sat up, "God that felt weird"

Bucky laughed, "That is what you get for sneaking into the future"

Ellie bit her lip sheepishly, "I knew?"

Bucky nodded, "You remembered the handprint in the study then how you saw Grant"

"And Steve… Buck, Steve and Nat have twins" Ellie told him excited, "Grant is a mini-you"

"Twins? Way to go Steve" Bucky said sadly, "Wow"

Ellie pulled her to him as tears fell from his eyes, "I know… I shouldn't have told you"

"No… I'm glad you did. That means that Steve is happy. That's all we want right?" Bucky asked, "I'm just sad I'll never get to meet them. Did you see them?"

"Two little girls. I got to hold the one. Her name starts with an R, she had an R over her crib, and the other had a K over hers. Both looked identical with blonde curly hair" Ellie told him.

"Little Aunt Ellies" Bucky said pulling on one of her own curls.

"Let's hope that between them and Sarah, they don't have his attitude" Ellie told him.

"With Nat's influence too?" Bucky asked.

"Shit, they are screwed" Ellie said with a laugh as she laid back and looked over at him, "Don't tell me that… we used all the condoms"

Bucky snorted, "Now that we can have sex again, future you won't keep her hands off me again. Sorry babe"

"What a bitch. Well there are other things we can do" Ellie said with a grin.

"God I love my life" Bucky said as she straddled him.

* * *

 ***~*~* January 8, 2018 ~ Wakanda*~*~***

"Ooh look at all the pretties" Natasha said her eyes wide as she looked over the table in front of her.

Steve looked at her, "Can you please stop talking about guns and knives the same way… other people… normal people talk about shoes or jewelry?"

Natasha picked up a knife and looked at him, "What was that dear?"

"Oh nothing" Steve said with a smile.

"Thought so… you can never have a big enough arsenal. Most of mine is back in the United States" Natasha defended as she grabbed her stomach, the blade falling to the ground.

"Are you okay?" Steve asked putting his hand on her back.

"Shit… that was a hard kick" Natasha said as she gasped for breath, "I swear she kicked my lungs"

Steve let out a breath, "We need to come up with a name Nat… we are almost a month away now"

"I know… nothing fits though" Natasha said as she rubbed her belly, "Ellie and Bucky had it easy; they just went with your middle name. What is Ellie's middle name?"

"Belle" Steve told her.

"I think of Beauty and the Beast with that. She might have red hair so that is a no" Natasha said.

"She needs her own name anyways. Is there a Russian-"

"No" Natasha told him, "I am not using Russian names. Any other names hold meaning to you?"

Steve stopped looking and the handmade object in his hand and put it down, "Just my Mom's name"

Natasha bit her lip, "Why don't we call her Sarah, it's a cute name"

"I want her to be her own person though" Steve told her.

"She still can be. Your Mom was extraordinary. I mean, she raised you and you were determined to die and she kept you from it. I think it's only right" Natasha told him.

Steve pulled her into his arms, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, there needs to be another Sarah Rogers in this world fighting for the small guys" Natasha told him with a grin.

"Then Sarah Rogers it is" Steve said as he kissed her, "I get to pick her middle name though"

Natasha rolled her eyes, "Please do not call her Dodgers, Sarah Dodgers Rogers is just asking to be picked on"

"No, I want it to be perfect. Give me some time" Steve told her, "Ooh Violet"

"Take more time" Natasha said as she started walking through the market.

"Come on, Sarah Violet Rogers… wait, yeah no" Steve said following after her.

* * *

a/n3: Longest chapter ever I think. I hope you all enjoyed it and the peek into the future. Next week's chapter might be in two weeks instead. Labor day weekend is a crazy weekend for me so we will see! Let me know what you guys think!

* * *

Now to the reviews!

 **Tuckerjnp1: Hmmm interesting, you are close but not quite ;)**

 **PrettyRecklessLaura: Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

* * *

Here is the preview of Chapter 63: I Won't Dance

"What are we doing about Grant?" Ellie asked as she stood up.

"Me and Pepp will watch him" Tony told her.

Ellie looked at Tony, "Umm… did you tell that to Pepper because she went out to dinner with a friend" Ellie told him as she looked at Tony.

"Well shit… no" Tony said as he shrugged, "Can't be that hard can it?"

Ellie stared at him, "Seriously?!


	63. Chapter 63 - I Won't Dance

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: Thank you to the new followers: Chewbecka and BrandiBoo23. So I have an Instagram page for pictures related to the story, so go check it out. Instagram name is PrincessCaptainWinter.**

* * *

You know what you're lovely  
You know what you're so lovely and, oh, what you do to me  
I'm like an ocean wave that's bumped on the shore  
I feel so absolutely stumped on the floor

~ I Won't Dance by Frank Sinatra

* * *

 ***~*~* January 10, 2018 ~ New York *~*~***

Ellie fought to keep her eyes open as she listened to some man drone on and on about one of his inventions and its functions to Pepper, the board of directors, and Ellie. Earlier in the week, Pepper inquired to Ellie if she would like to take her board of directors' spot that was hers if she wanted it at Stark Enterprises.

With a yes, Ellie was now the Outside Director of Stark Tech, in charge of really nothing substantial to the company but just to keep the shareholders in mind since she controlled a majority of the shares herself.

Ellie tried her best to cover her yawn as they were rapidly losing her attention. She felt herself zoning out as she tried to relax using the exercises that she and Wanda had been working on, and tried to recreate the feeling that she felt when her future self would travel.

Her thoughts were broken when Pepper stood up, "Thank you Mr. Seely, we appreciate you coming to speak with us and we will be in touch if we decide to continue to work together"

"Thank you Miss Potts" The man said as he collected his things and left the room.

Pepper walked over and wacked a sleeping man with a file, "Dexter at least appear to be awake. Honestly"

Ellie snorted then stood up stretching, "I for one didn't understand a thing he was saying"

"Yeah, he was really nervous and stumbling over his words" Pepper said, "Plus the technology sounds like the Stark9 prototypes with the folding screens"

"Folding screens on phones? Wouldn't that shatter them?" Ellie asked as Dexter hurried out of the conference room.

"It's a special glass" Pepper told her as she looked at the rest of the board, "Go ahead guys, we are done here"

Ellie sighed as she sat back in her chair after everyone left, "Is it always like that?"

"Some meetings are more exciting than others are. This just happened to be… a pretty boring one with the more senior idiots of Stark Enterprises" Pepper told her, "Next time you want to go to one of these, just let me know"

* * *

Ellie walked into the compound and looked around, "Bucky?"

"In here Agent Gorgeous" Tony called.

Ellie walked into the sitting area where Tony had a projection on a glass wall with what looked like cars racing.

Bucky hooked her with his arm and pulled her down onto his lap, "How was the meeting? Learn anything new?"

"I wanted to stab everyone" Ellie said as she buried her face in his neck.

"Well good thing you didn't. We have our dinner reservations at seven" Bucky reminded her as he rubbed her back.

"Shit… do we have to go?" Ellie whined as she kissed his neck.

"No you don't… you aren't going to distract me. Go feed Grant and then put on that dress from the President's thing" Bucky told her, "I set it out on the bed"

"What are we doing about Grant?" Ellie asked as she stood up.

"Me and Pepp will watch him" Tony told her.

Ellie looked at Tony, "Umm… did you tell that to Pepper because she went out to dinner with a friend" Ellie told him as she looked at Tony.

"Well shit… no" Tony said as he shrugged, "Can't be that hard can it?"

Ellie stared at him, "Seriously?!

"Come on Angel, he can call us whenever he needs us" Bucky told her as Rhodey walked in, "Rhodey can help"

"Wait… wait what am I helping with?" Rhodey asked.

"Babysitting" Tony said.

Rhodey looked at Tony, "Are you serious?"

"We play with him a little, put him to bed and then he'll sleep until they get back. Piece of cake" Tony said.

Ellie just stared at Bucky.

"Go get ready, it will be okay" Bucky told her, "I'll go over everything with them, go"

Ellie bit her lip and left the room.

* * *

"Do you think I should call?" Ellie asked as they walked into the restaurant.

Bucky shook his head as he poured more wine for her, "No, they are fine. They will call us if they need us"

"Bonjour, welcome to Le Canard Enchaine, how many?" The lady asked.

"Reservations for Barnes" Bucky told her.

"Right this way Mr. Barnes" The waiter said as he came over to them.

Bucky took Ellie's hand in his as they walked through the tables to the very back of the fancy restaurant.

The waiter set down their menus and Bucky pulled out Ellie's chair.

"Thank you babe" Ellie said as she sat down.

Bucky sat down across from her and Ellie took in his outfit. He was wearing a black leather jacket with a white button up shirt underneath with black pants that were tight in all the right places. Of course with his famous boots that Ellie would love to throw into the Hudson when he wasn't looking.

"Monsieur and Madame, here are our specials for tonight. Any questions feel free to ask. Will I be starting you with any beverages?" He asked.

"I will have the Brut Champagne" Bucky told him without looking at the menu.

"Excellent choice sir, Veuve or Lallier?" The waiter asked.

"Ummm… whichever is the best" Bucky told him.

"I will be back with your wine momentarily" He said as he left.

"Did Tony tell you about this place?" Ellie asked Bucky as she opened her menu.

"No, I actually found it online. It said it was the closest to France that you can get here in New York" Bucky told her.

Ellie looked over the menu, "I might speak it but I still suck at reading it"

"Most of them are at least understandable" Bucky said, "There aren't a lot of choices either"

The waiter came back with a bucket of ice, a bottle of wine and two glasses. He opened the bottle then poured them both a glass, "Have you decided if you are having an appetizer? Maybe a salad?"

"Actually" Ellie said as she pointed at the Endive Salad, "I'll have the Endive Salad with blue cheese but walnuts on the side please"

"Yes Madam" He said as he wrote it down, "And for you sir?"

"The mixed greens salad with everything on it" Bucky told him.

"I will put that right in" He said as he left.

Bucky picked up his glass and held it up, "Well Angel, I hope you enjoy tonight"

Ellie narrowed her eyes, "What do you have up your sleeve?"

"You just have to wait and see… I think I'll have the Long Island Duck. Mom made duck once and I liked it" Bucky told her with a grin as he took a sip of his champagne.

"I'm going to stick with the chicken" Ellie told him as she took her first sip, "Pretty good, tastes expensive"

"It's over $100 a bottle, better be" Bucky told her.

Ellie coughed as she inhaled some champagne, "What?"

"We have all this money and it's just sitting there. I wanted to take you somewhere because you deserve it" Bucky told her as he took her hand across the table, "I want you to be able to come here… after… and enjoy yourself and have good memories of it. Bring Steve… or maybe someone else"

Ellie narrowed her eyes at him as she set down her glass, "James Buchanan, if this dinner was to bring me here and to tell me that it is okay to move on… I refuse. You are it for me, you got that"

"I know but if the right person comes around El… don't be afraid to take that leap" Bucky told her honestly.

Ellie felt a tear slide down her face, "I couldn't betray you like that. Buck, you are the ONLY man that I have ever thought about or wanted to be with. It doesn't matter what is going to happen, that isn't going to change anything. Even if Sebastian Stan comes along"

The waiter walked over and looked at them, "Do you need a moment?" He asked setting their salads in front of them.

Ellie cleared her throat, "No sir… I'm fine. I know what I want" She said with a fake smile.

* * *

"Where are we going?" Ellie asked as Bucky told her to turn left at the next road to get off the NY-9A.

"Patience" Bucky said as he looked at her phone as she turned and merged onto W 57th St, "It says to turn left in a quarter of a mile"

Ellie slowed down as traffic slowed, "Where are you taking us?"

"I can't believe you don't remember" Bucky said as he saw 10th Ave, "Turn left on 10th"

Ellie signaled then turned when traffic cleared.

"Go down five blocks and make a left" Bucky told her.

"Wait… Mt. Sinai… Lincoln Center? We are going to Lincoln Center?" Ellie asked as she glanced over at him.

"According to the internet there is a parking garage off of 62nd" Bucky told her.

Ellie turned down 62nd and saw the parking deck so she pulled into it. After finding a spot and parking, they climbed out of the car.

"Ready?" Bucky asked.

"For?" Ellie asked.

Bucky took her hand, "Just wait and see"

* * *

Ellie laughed as Bucky spun her around as they entered the Avengers compound.

"Have fun?"

Ellie stumbled as she looked at Rhodey, "Hi Rhodey, yes we had a blast. How is Grant?"

"Not that I sleep around but… your kid is the best form of birth control. Super soldier babies" Rhodey said shaking his head, "We couldn't even touch him after he woke up. We didn't want to worry you guys so Tony took the Iron Man suit over to get Pepper and made her come home. I got him to let me hold him but before she came home, he puked on me and peed on me"

Bucky bit his lip trying not to laugh, "He puked? Did you not burp him?"

"No, and I was bouncing him like you see on TV-" Rhodey said as Ellie laughed as she picked up her shoes and carried them towards the living quarters.

Bucky shook his head, "Now you know… burp first, bounce second or else he is like a grenade. Sometimes it's a dud, and then sometimes he explodes" Bucky laughed, "Thanks Rhodey"

Bucky walked down to their room and walked in the open door to see Tony asleep on the bed with Grant on his chest as Pepper folded laundry, while talking to Ellie, "Did Grant break him?"

Pepper looked at him and laughed, "Grant wouldn't let him or Rhodey touch them so he ended up getting me using one of his suits so that it would be faster"

"Sorry that you had to cut your night short" Ellie told her.

"It's alright" Pepper said as she looked at Tony on the bed, "I don't mind watching him one bit"

Ellie grinned, "Pepper do you have baby fever?"

"So bad" Pepper sighed, "We can't have a kid yet though. Our lives are too crazy"

"When it's your time… it will be your time" Ellie told her.

Tony's eyes opened and he looked around, "Oh my god… thank god you are back"

Ellie laughed as she took Grant from him, "Thank you Tony. We appreciate it. You could have called us"

"I could have handled it without the baby force field" Tony told her as he stood up and stretched.

Ellie looked down at Grant, "I wish we knew more about it"

"If Bruce was here... he might be able to figure it out but… we have no clue where he is" Tony said.

"Bruce is the Hulk right?" Ellie asked.

"Yes, he got on a jet when we were in Sokovia and we haven't seen him since. We have no clue where he is. The plane was stealth. He has never contacted any of us since" Tony told them.

"Where do you think me might have gone?" Ellie asked sitting on the bed.

"Not a clue. Bruce didn't really want to be the Hulk anymore. He just wanted to be Bruce so I could see him taking off somewhere and living under another identity" Tony told them, "When he is ready to come back, he will. Hopefully if something happens and we need him… he will hear about it and come. Thankfully since Sokovia, we really haven't had the need for the Hulk"

"I was in Romania when Sokovia happened" Bucky said and everyone looked at him, "The dust was in the air even that far away"

"Remind me what happened in Sokovia?" Ellie asked.

Tony sighed, "I created a murder bot… totally by accident. Using Thor's brother Loki's staff that had the mind stone within it. Bruce and I realized that the stone was smart, it could think. So we put the… basically computer code of the stone with my AI Jarvis to try to create Vision… or a form of Vision called Ultron. The stone by itself was hostile. It hijacked my mainframe, took over the internet and waged a war of destruction. I nearly killed the world. My fault"

Pepper put her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm okay Pep. Thor had a vision of… Vision and the mind stone. We had Vision's body back from Ultron and Bruce and I were trying to put Jarvis by himself into the body, then we had the stone… honestly that was when and I first had our disagreement. He has never really trusted Vision after Ultron. With Ultron and the fact I made him without telling the team" Tony trailed off, "Anyways, Ultron was mad that I stole the body that he made-"

"Wait Ultron made Vision's body?" Ellie asked.

"Well… yeah" Tony said as he sighed, "He went to Sokovia and put stolen Vibranium throughout the city and literally broke the city in half, half of the city went flying in the air. If it fell… it would have been like the asteroid that hit the Earth and killed the dinosaurs, but we stopped him in time as a team, with Vision's help. But Bruce was the Hulk and jumped onto the jet Ultron had stole from us, threw him out of the jet and to our knowledge, he never landed it"

"Wow" Ellie said as she looked at Bucky, "And the smoke was seen all the way down in Romania?"

"Shield saved all the people on the floating part of the city; we tried to evacuate all the people on the ground. When Ultron sent the city falling, I had to blow the city up. It is a giant crater now there" Tony told her.

"This is definitely not World War Two" Ellie said looking at Bucky.

Tony shook his head, "So did you guys have fun?"

"Bucky took me dancing at Lincoln Center. I forgot how much I missed it" Ellie said with a smile.

Bucky laughed, "They asked us to teach a class"

"Just what we need on our plate. Superheroes by day, dance instructors by night" Ellie said.

"Well we will see you both tomorrow" Pepper told them, "Any plans tomorrow?"

"Actually I was thinking of going to our cabin. Can I borrow the car tomorrow?" Ellie asked.

"It's yours for as long as you need it" Pepper told her as she and Tony walked out of the room, "Goodnight"

Bucky looked at her, "So we are going to the cabin?"

"It has heat and electricity. Plus… it was always my dream to raise our baby there. Even if it's not forever, we can stay there for a few days" Ellie told him as he sat next to her and she leaned against him.

Bucky pulled her and Grant to him, "Did I ever tell you that I stayed there one night?"

Ellie looked up at him, "No, when?"

"After the whole Avengers battle, before Wakanda… Steve stopped there to drop Wanda off. I told him I wanted to stay there in our home for one night, in our bed. I barely slept because I was in so much pain but I was in our bed" Bucky told her as he kissed her.

Ellie got up and placed Grant in his bassinet then walked over to him. She pulled up her dress and straddled his waist, "I can't wait to make love with you in our house"

Bucky grinned as he pulled her down onto the bed then kissed her, "Let's practice"

Ellie giggled as he flipped her onto her back, "Sounds great to me"

* * *

 ***~*~* January 11, 2018 ~ New York *~*~***

Ellie pulled off the highway on the exit for their cabin house and pulled into the first parking lot she saw.

"What are you doing?" Bucky asked confused.

"You are going to drive us home" Ellie said as she got out.

Bucky unfastened and opened the car door, "This isn't a good idea. I have never driven a car and it's snowy"

"The street is clear. If we get closer and it's not, pull over and I'll drive. We only have like five more miles until we are there" Ellie told him as she took his hands, "Between here and there is mostly the National Park. Cars are much easier now that they are automatic. You can drive a motorcycle and a plane… you can drive a car"

"What if I-"

"I believe in you" Ellie told him.

Bucky sighed and walked around to the driver's seat. Climbing in, he adjusted the seat as he had seen Ellie do.

"Turn signal is here, dashboard shows you all that you need to know" Ellie said as she got in and fastened her seatbelt, "Just don't squeeze the wheel and break it"

"I still owe Sam a car" Bucky said as he sighed.

"He told me all about it. Hydra owes him one but when he gets back to the United States we can get him one. Ready?" Ellie asked.

"Not really… want to have sex in the backseat one last time in case I crash and we all die?" Bucky asked her.

"We don't crash or else I would have never visited from the past. I have complete trust in you" Ellie told him.

Bucky took a breath as he put his foot on the brake then put it into drive.

"Just slowly take your foot off the brake then try the gas slowly. Just drive around this parking lot for a bit until you get the hang of the pedal" Ellie told him.

Bucky eased his foot off the brake and tested the gas pedal. After some trial and error, he felt comfortable to try the road after five minutes of practice.

"Just ease out onto the road" Ellie told him.

Bucky looked to see no one was coming so he turned out onto the road.

"If I remember right, we just keep going down this road then our street is to the left off this one" Ellie told him as he drove a little slower than speed limit which was thankfully only 30 down the road and she looked around as they passed a McDonalds, a Family Dollar, something called Save A Lot.

"You are having me drive past the police department?!" Bucky asked as he saw the sign.

"You are fine" Ellie told him.

"Fuck Ellie, my heart is beating so fast I feel like I'm going to be sick" Bucky said as he glanced over at her, "How are you so calm?"

"Because I trust you" Ellie told him, "Plus we are almost there"

Bucky drove a little further then started to see houses, "How close?"

"Um… up there, turn left down Tupper Lake Drive" Ellie told him.

Bucky slowed down then signaled to turn, then slowly made the turn.

"Good job. Drive to the end of the street. When the houses start spreading out, slow down. You can barely see the driveway" Ellie told him.

Bucky slowly drove down the street.

"Shit, they've built more houses" Ellie said as she saw a familiar sign that said 'Rogers' that was fading and the paint was peeling, "Up there, turn right"

"Rogers?" Bucky asked.

"When I woke up in 87, Peggy had the name Rogers attached to the house" Ellie told him as he turned into the driveway, "She had the house registered under Elizabeth Rogers I think"

Bucky drove down the driveway and slammed on the brakes, the back nearly sliding as they encountered a tree down in the driveway.

"You guys stopping in was probably the last time someone was here" Ellie said as she got out, effortlessly picked the tree up and threw it out of the way.

Bucky looked at her as she got back in the car, "Shit El"

"What?" Ellie said, "It was a little heavy but not too bad"

"You just threw a fucking tree like it was a stick" Bucky said shaking his head.

"Buck… I really don't know how much I can lift. Steve has lifted cars before" Ellie told him as Bucky continued down the driveway and pulled to a stop in front of the house.

"See, you did just fine" Ellie told him as she looked up at the house, "God… it looks just the same"

"Steve changed the inside a bit. Our room, he was using as his. Then the room off to the right upstairs, Peggy used with her husband" Bucky told her.

"Shit… we don't have a key" Ellie said.

Bucky turned the car off, "Hold on"

Ellie watched as he climbed out of the car and walked up to the house. She watched him clear snow off the front step and get down on the ground as if he was searching for something. He picked something up then walked back over to the car then got back inside holding up a key.

"It's been your brother's house" Bucky told her as she laughed, "Super Soldier or not, Steve always forgets his key"

Ellie climbed out of the car then pulled Grant out of the car, "Grant, this was your first home. Mommy lived here when you were first in my belly. Mind you it was only for about a week"

Bucky grabbed their bags then led her up to the house. He unlocked the door and Ellie looked around as she looked inside.

"Someone rearranged" Ellie noticed as she walked into the kitchen, "Appliances are updated. That was probably Peggy"

"Furnace is working. At least it's warm in here" Bucky said as he set their bags on the table.

Ellie walked over to refrigerator and opened it, "Yeah it's empty. Steve had to be the last one here"

"Well it was Peggy's vacation house, a Shield safe house then Steve's house" Bucky told her.

"I want to see our bedroom" Ellie said as she carried Grant to the stairs then walked up them.

Bucky followed then stood back as Ellie opened the door.

"Wow" Ellie said as she saw the new bed.

"Steve built the bed" Bucky told her.

"Wait… Natasha said that Steve brought her here before" Ellie said.

"You know they didn't have sex until Wakanda. Plus I'm the last person to sleep on this bed" Bucky told her as he laid down then patted the bed.

Ellie set Grant's carrier down, which he was still asleep in, and laid down next to him.

She sighed as she laid her head on his chest, "I never thought this would happen"

"Us being together here? I know… I laid in this bed the night before we left for Wakanda and just imagined what it would be like… us here together in this bed" Bucky told her as he smiled at her, "Better than I ever imagined"

Ellie kissed him then sat up, "I better unpack all the food we brought. It's been unrefrigerated for over two hours"

Bucky jumped up, "I'll get the rest of the stuff out of the car"

* * *

 ***~*~* January 12, 2018 ~ New York *~*~***

Ellie sat in the house, curled up under a blanket on the couch with a cup of tea in her hand as she watched the snow fall outside.

Bucky walked down the stairs and she glanced up at him, "Grant is asleep"

"Good" Ellie said as she lifted up the blanket and he got underneath of it, lying down against her chest as she levitated the tea to the table.

Bucky looked at the cup, "Only a little splashed out. That was good"

"I was aiming for a little farther over but that worked" Ellie said as she held him to her.

Bucky sighed as he closed his eyes and listened to her own heartbeat. Ellie ran her fingers through his hair.

Bucky looked up at her, "Let's go outside"

"And do what?" Ellie asked.

"Snowball fight, make a snowman… just have some fun" Bucky said as he got up and held his hands out.

Ellie pouted, "I was comfortable"

"We can come back inside, have hot chocolate then cuddle on the couch watching movies or TV" Bucky told her.

Ellie rolled her eyes then let him pull her up, "Fine"

* * *

Ellie laughed as she threw a snowball in Bucky's direction and he hid behind a tree, "Not fair!"

Bucky smacked her with another snowball laughing, "You are the one that married a sniper sweetheart"

Ellie grabbed more snow then tossed it at him with a little zap.

Bucky squealed, "God El, that grazed my dick"

"I'm sorry!" Ellie yelled, "You okay?"

"Just stung" Bucky said as she walked over to him.

Ellie put her arms around his neck, "I'm sorry baby"

Bucky kissed her, "its okay"

Behind his back, Ellie tried to levitate some snow so that it went down his back and instead it landed on their heads.

Bucky laughed, "Didn't work how you think it would?"

Ellie wiped the snow from her eyes, "Nope"

"You are so beautiful you know that?" Bucky told her as he gazed at her with snow hanging from her lashes.

"I'm nothing special. Have you seen the movie stars these days?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah, they have nothing on you" Bucky said as he kissed her.

"Hmmm" Ellie said as she pushed him back into the snow.

Bucky looked up at her, "You know what? I hate the snow… let's go inside and warm up"

Ellie stood up and helped him up, "I'm so cold… I think we need a little skin to skin"

Bucky laughed as he picked her up, "I like how you think"

* * *

 ***~*~* January 12, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

Natasha walked out of their apartment and walked into the common area to silence. Wanda was out running around. Sam was holed up in his bedroom. Steve was somewhere talking to T'Challa about a mission.

Natasha sat down on the couch and turned the television on. Days like this, Wakanda felt more like the Avengers compound then it felt like their new home here.

Steve entered the apartments and walked over to her, "Hey, how are you feeling?"

"Huge… nothing new" Natasha said as he sat down next to her.

They sat there in the silence for a few minutes before Natasha broke the silence, "It is weird without them here… or is it just me?"

"It is" Steve agreed as he pulled her to him, "But I'm glad we have this time together too"

Natasha sighed as she moved into his side, "Can you believe in less than two months… we are going to be parents?"

"I never thought it would ever happen so no… I can't believe it" Steve told her shaking his head, "It seems like a dream honestly. Sometimes I wonder if I never really woke up from the ice… that I am still in the Valkyrie and I'm hallucinating as I'm freezing to death. I saw Bucky right next to me as if he was an angel when I crashed… so I could be hallucinating"

Natasha flipped herself around onto his lap and smiled at him.

"What are you smiling about?" Steve asked as he ran his hands up her back.

"I'm not smiling about anything" She said as she ran her finger down his chest then she took her hands to the bottom of her shirt and pulled it over her head, tossing it aside.

Steve glanced back towards the apartments, "Sam is still here and Wanda could come back"

Natasha grinned, "Why not a little adventure? I miss the thrill" She said as she took his hands and put them on her sports bra covered breasts.

Steve licked his lips and Natasha grinned wider, "You know you want it"

Steve pulled her down so that he could kiss her hard, hot and demanding. One hand grabbed her hair, while the other gripped her hip hard enough that it may bruise.

Breathless, Natasha pulled back and looked at him as their daughter kicked between them and started to get up, "Sorry that's not sexy"

Steve pulled her back onto his lap so that she could feel how she was affecting him, "Do you know how amazing it is to me? That we made a child together in our world of craziness?" He asked her as he ran his hand over her bare stomach.

Natasha put his hand over hers, "None of this would be possible without you Steve"

He looked into her eyes, "I love you Nat"

"WE love you too" She told him as one of his hands ran down her belly into her shorts and slid into her panties making her gasp, "Steve"

He pushed down her shorts and underwear as he kissed her neck, his fingers dancing across her clit.

Natasha pushed his shorts down enough then moved so that he could push inside her, "Thank god" She moaned as she started moving over him.

Just as quick as it started Natasha felt the familiar tingling taking over her body and she threw her head back as she shook and she fell forward against him. Steve grabbed her hips with a couple of quick thrusts, he spilt inside her.

Natasha moaned then groaned as he pulled her off his lap, onto the couch next to him.

"Seriously?! My god!"

"Fuck" Natasha said as she grabbed her shorts, "Were you watching Sam?"

"God no, I thought when Ellie and Bucky left it would be safe to come in here again without checking!" Sam said exasperated as he left the room.

Steve pulled his shorts up as Natasha sat back next to him after putting her clothes back on.

"So worth it" Natasha told him with a grin as she looked over at him.

* * *

 ***~*~* January 13, 2018 ~ New York*~*~***

Ellie sighed as she looked out the window at the snow that was falling heavily.

"What's wrong?" Bucky asked as he walked down the stairs with Grant in his arms then set him on the floor.

"It's really snowing Buck. The car is completely covered" Ellie told him as she rested her tea on her knee.

"Well we can just stay here another day or so. We will have to go to the store when the weather breaks. We have enough food to last us until probably tomorrow night" Bucky told her, "We have the pasta and some of the non-perishable stuff that Steve had before he left. It should still be good. We have electric and heat… we are-" Bucky said as they heard a crack in the distance then the lights went out.

Ellie looked at him, "Seriously Bucky?"

Bucky sighed, "Well we have the wood burner. We can heat the house that way. Let me get some wood from the back porch. If we get it going early, hopefully we can keep it heated until the electricity come back on"

"Who do we report that to?" Ellie wondered.

"Well hopefully our neighbors also lost power and they know" Bucky told her as he went out the back door.

Ellie looked at Grant as he babbled, lifting his head and chest as if he was doing little pushups, "Look at you little man… getting stronger"

Bucky walked in, "Its even coming in heavy onto the porch" Bucky said shaking the snow out of his hair as he loaded the wood into the burner, "Good thing all this wood was cut"

Ellie smiled as she watched Bucky working on the heater, stacking the wood and Grant doing tummy time. Bucky glanced back at Grant after he lit a piece of paper trying to catch the logs, "Look at you buddy"

Grant plopped onto his belly then threw his legs to the side closest to Bucky and rolled onto his back.

"Aww shit" Bucky said wide-eyed as he looked at Ellie.

Grant giggled as he realized what he did.

"We're screwed" Ellie said as Grant reached his hands up towards Bucky and squealed, "He's going look Daddy what I did… screw you Mommy that you are about to cry"

Bucky picked him up then sat down next to Ellie as they watched the wood heater slowly start to glow more.

Ellie reached over and tickled Grant's sock covered toes, "Way to go Little Man"

Bucky moved closer and laid his head on her chest so that she could put her arm around him and play with his hair then moved Grant onto the couch in front of him.

Ellie cherished the quietness for a few minutes then bit her lip, "Have I visited since last week?"

"No" Bucky told her.

"Maybe they figured something out?" Ellie said hopefully.

"Let's hope but… between running part of Stark Industries to taking care of Grant… you probably are busy" Bucky told her, "You said you'd visit once a month"

"I seem to be picking out days that seem to stick out… that I enjoy" Ellie said with a sigh, "Moments like this"

Bucky looked up at her.

Ellie smiled down at him, "Still just me, I still wish I could figure out how exactly to do it. I said I did it soon the first time right?"

"Yeah Grant was wearing three-month old clothes… he is wearing them now" Bucky said.

"Starting to get too long from some of the onesies too. The ones that fit a little more snug. I refuse to buy him 6month old onesies yet" Ellie told him.

"God no" Bucky said shaking his head, "Not at 7 weeks. It's not like he's outgrown them. Some of them are just getting a little short in length"

Ellie frowned as her phone rang somewhere in the house, "Crap"

"I don't want to move" Bucky sighed.

"I don't even know where it is… if I did I'd try to bring it to me, but then I'd probably short it out" Ellie told him as the phone stopped ringing, "They will call back if it's… important" Ellie said as it rang again.

Bucky sighed and put his hand on Grant as he stood up then searched for the sound of the phone. He finally found it when it stopped ringing, "It was Sam"

Ellie picked Grant up and walked over to him, "I didn't even realize he had my number. I hope nothing is wrong" Ellie said rocking Grant as Bucky called him back.

"Dude you have corrupted Cap. Thanks a lot" Sam answered.

Bucky laughed, "What do you mean?"

"If it's not you two having sex on the couch, it's them! I can't sit anywhere and I can't eat anywhere… every surface is… covered in super soldier sweat" Sam groaned.

"We need to find you someone" Ellie said.

"When are you two coming back?" Sam asked, "At least I expected it with you two"

Ellie laughed, "Soon… if we can get out of here eventually"

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"We are snowed in here at our cabin" Bucky told him as he looked out the window, "There is a good six inches if not more on the car"

"I mean I could probably drive in it but I don't want to chance it" Ellie told him.

"I miss snow" Sam said.

"Maybe we will bring you some, there is enough of it here" Bucky told him.

"Well I'll let you two go… I just had to tell you how you are turning Steve into another you old man" Sam said.

"Shut it about the old crap, you are technically older than me" Bucky grinned as he looked at Ellie.

Sam hung up and Bucky laughed, "He knows I'm right"

* * *

a/n3: So this weekend isn't too bad so I got the chapter out, next weekend is a little iffy but should be manageable but the 14th will be chapter free. I will be out of town to see the Backstreet Boys! Thank you to all of those who read the chapter last week! Now to the reviews:

 **PrettyRecklessLaura: Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

 **Gingin1975: I cannot wait for you guys to see what is in store! Lots of big things coming up pre-Infinity War!**

 **Tuckerjnp1: Thank you! Have a good Labor Day!**

* * *

 ** _Preview of Chapter 64: Fly Me to the Moon_**

"Ellie!" Bucky yelled.

Ellie walked over to the window and saw Bucky on the ground with red in the snow next to him, "Oh god, Pepper I gotta go." She threw the phone down on the countertop and ran out the back door. She ran through the snow and fell to her knees next to him as he held his leg. Blood flowing from between his fingers, "How bad is it?"


	64. Chapter 64 - Fly Me to the Moon

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: Thank you to the new followers: abby vengeance, sir murda, Victorie the Posh Totty and Okaloosa! This story is now at 166 reviews and 180 followers. I thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for reading the ramblings from my head!**

* * *

'Fill my heart with song  
Let me sing for ever more  
You are all I long for  
All I worship and adore  
In other words, please be true  
In other words, in other words  
I love you.

~ Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra

* * *

 ***~*~* January 14, 2018 ~ New York *~*~***

Ellie looked up from her spot at the stove as the backdoor opened. Bucky walked into the sitting room and set the wood he was carrying in the bin next to the heater, "This is the last of the wood"

"Shit really?" Ellie asked as she stopped stirring the soup she was making for lunch and looked at him.

"I'm going to get in the shed and see if there is an axe then I'll cut down one of the trees on the edge of the tree line" Bucky told her as he walked over and pulled her in for a kiss.

"Be careful" Ellie told him as she ran her thumb over his cheek.

"I'll be fine. I'll be back in here before the soup is done" Bucky said as he kissed her again then went out the back door.

Ellie turned the heat down on the burner to simmer and walked over to the bookcase to look for a new book when her cell phone rang.

Walking over to the counter, she saw it was Pepper, "Hey Pepper" She answered as she went back over to the shelf.

"Hey, I thought it was just going to be a quick visit to the cabin" Pepper said.

She selected 'Tale of Two Cities' a classic she read when she was in school, and checked on the soup, then turned the heat off.

"That was the plan but it has snowed almost a foot here" Ellie told her as she glanced out to see Bucky had found an axe in the shed, "The car is buried and the electric is out. We have to get out no matter what tomorrow. We will be out of food by then. Bucky is chopping wood right now to keep the wood heater going. We've used all the wood that Steve or whoever had cut"

Ellie walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out two bottles of water.

"How is Grant doing with it?" Pepper asked.

"Good, he didn't like the darkness last night though. There aren't many candles, so it is a little dark here at night. Just moonlight off the lake and that is about it" Ellie told her as she sat at the kitchen bar to wait for Bucky.

She glanced at the phone as it beeped to see it blinking low battery.

"So are you guys staying a few more days?" Pepper asked.

"Probably not" Ellie told her as she put the phone back to her ear, "We will probably head to the store and restock the house with non-perishables then head back. I think we are planning on going back to Wakanda until Natasha has the-"

"Ellie!" Bucky yelled.

Ellie walked over to the window and saw Bucky on the ground with red in the snow next to him, "Oh god, Pepper I gotta go." She threw the phone down on the countertop and ran out the back door. She ran through the snow and fell to her knees next to him as he held his leg. Blood flowing from between his fingers, "How bad is it?"

"Hurts like a son of a bitch" Bucky said grimacing as he held his leg.

"Do you think you can make it back to the house?" Ellie asked watching more blood cover the snow as he removed his hand.

Bucky stood up and limped a few steps. As he walked the snow beneath him instantly turned scarlet.

"Hold on, grab onto me from behind" Ellie told him as she got in front of him.

Bucky put his arms around her neck and Ellie held her hands out, floating in the air and over to the back door faster.

She helped him into the house and sat him on a chair, "Take off your pants"

"Fuck, these are my favorites" Bucky said as he unfastened his belt and slid them down.

"God Buck… its bad" Ellie said as more blood flowed out of the deep cut he had made in his leg onto the floor below, "How did you miss that bad? Put your hand on it and hold it together as tight as you can"

Bucky watched as she left the room and he held his leg, "A deer came over and scared the shit out of me mid-swing. I missed the log and the axe just went right into the outside of my calf. I think it's just muscle mostly"

"It's deep Buck" Ellie said as she came back in with towels and a bottle of alcohol, "I think it's too deep and I'm worried you hit an artery or something" Ellie walked over to the sink and wet the towel then walked over and wiped away the dried caking blood, "Your leg was just bleeding severely. Shit, the blood flow has really slowed down"

"I heal pretty fast" Bucky told her as he looked at her, "They'd purposely cut into me to test my healing abilities… never this deep though"

Ellie sighed as she looked at him, "I want to pour some alcohol on it, but it's going to hurt"

Bucky held onto the chair, "Do it"

Ellie poured it onto his leg and Bucky growled as all his muscles tensed causing the blood to start flowing again.

"Cauterize it, we are going to have to cauterize it. It's just going to keep opening back up" Bucky told her as he closed his eyes gritting his teeth.

Ellie shook her head, "No, if I do that the skin could die" Ellie told him as she noticed one vein that was bleeding profusely still, "Shit I think I have to with this one" She swallowed hard as she watched it pulse with his heartbeat as more blood escaped.

"Just do it, I trust you" Bucky told her as he grabbed a towel and put it into his mouth.

Ellie ran over to the sink and grabbed a butter knife that she had just put away. Then with shaking hands, she put it into her hand and used her powers to heat it up, "Shit there is no electricity here Bucky… it's not getting hot enough. Wait"

Ellie ran out the backdoor and tested her theory that she had been thinking about for some time as the sun hit her, she closed her eyes and tried to draw energy from it. Slowly the knife in her hand heated up. She tested it on her arm as it slightly started to glow red and it left behind a small burn. She ran back into the house, "Okay are you ready?"

Bucky nodded and she placed it into his wound, holding it in the spots that looked like it was needed for short amounts of time until the blood stopped, "I think that was the only part that was still bleeding. Your accelerated healing helped the rest"

Bucky took the towel out of his mouth, "Shit… I didn't get much firewood cut. Probably about enough to last us until tonight"

"It doesn't matter Buck. I'll go clear the car off and head to the store, get some food and first aid supplies. Hopefully they have some firewood" Ellie told him as she got up, "You stay here with it propped up. I'll go wash up"

Ellie helped him over to the couch then washed up in the sink. She grabbed Grant's bassinet from upstairs then brought it over to him, "Do not walk on it. Here is a bottle if he needs it"

"Be careful" Bucky told her taking her hand in his dried bloody one, "Take it easy driving"

"I'll be fine" Ellie said grabbing her purse.

She ran out front and put her hands in front of her drawing more energy from the sun, melting the snow off the car. She unlocked the car and threw her purse into the passenger's seat.

* * *

Ellie ran into the store and purposely ignored the group of young girls at the front of the store. She walked down the food aisle and found a few things she could put in the cabinet once they left. Then she went down the first aid aisle and grabbed all the supplies that she might need. After filling up her shopping basket, she went over to the register to pay.

Leaving the store, the young girls at the front stopped her.

"Would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies?"

"Oh" Ellie said as she finally noticed the boxes, "What kinds are there?"

"Tagalongs, Savannah Smiles, Lemons and Thin Mints are what we have left" The leader said.

"Wait, Thin Mints? Are those the Chocolate Mint cookies?" Ellie asked.

The leader nodded, "Yes ma'am"

"I'll take three Thin-Mints and one Tagalong" She said when she saw the Tagalongs had peanut butter in them.

"$20 please" One of the girls said.

Ellie's jaw almost hit the floor, "Excuse me can you say that again?"

"They are $5 a box" The girl explained.

Ellie handed her a twenty from her purse.

"Thank you for supporting the girl scouts!"

* * *

Ellie walked into the house tapping her shoes together to get some of the snow off, "How are you doing?"

"It's not bleeding anymore. It doesn't even hurt" Bucky told her as he saw the boxes in her arms, "What do you have?"

"Chocolate Mints… they are still a thing. They are just called Thin Mints" Ellie said as she threw him a box and he caught it.

"God I will finish this box with no issue" Bucky said as he took a sleeve out and opened it up then took a bite, "Fuckkk these are so good. Better than I remember"

"The last ones we had were made with mostly flour and whatever they called chocolate at the time" Ellie said as she sat down next to him with the supplies that she had purchased and untied the towel she had placed around his leg, "I got some antibacterial crème stuff to put on it. Let's see how bad it looks"

Ellie pulled the towel off, "Well it's…Bucky… it's closed up. I mean not totally but the muscle is literally building up the scar tissue and closing the wound" Ellie opened up the crème and squeezed some down onto his leg into the opening of the cut. She grabbed the medical tape that she purchased and taped it from one side of his leg to the other to hold the wound together again. Then she smeared more of the crème on it. Grabbing the gauze, she wrapped it around his leg then taped it down before putting a compression bandage on it.

"After I was shot and you had to take the bullets out of my leg in Austria, never thought you'd have to fix me up like this again" Bucky told her.

"I hoped that I wouldn't have to. The roads past the house are clear now. We can head back to the compound" Ellie told him as she cleaned up all the materials she had used.

"You don't want to sleep here anymore?" Bucky asked sitting up.

"Until the electric is back? No" Ellie said shaking her head, "We need heat and electric" Ellie told him as she looked at his leg, "In fact I bought all non-perishables. I'm going to put them away and then I'm going to go check to make sure everything is off for when the electric comes back on. Then I think it's time to go. It's getting really cold"

Grant started fussing and Ellie sighed, "Feed him first then do all that"

Bucky grabbed her hand as she went to walk past him, "I'm okay El"

Ellie burst into tears, "First thing I thought when it happened… we have been thinking its some alien or something that kills you but what if it's an infection?"

"Oh Angel, come here" Bucky said as he held his arms out and she collapsed into his arms, careful not to get on his leg, "I am okay… some little cut isn't what is going to take me down. It's going to be some big giant green alien that has thick scaly skin or something. It's gotta have some big as teeth and wait until you see its talons… it won't have claws they will be some big ass talons"

"I hate this" Ellie sobbed into his shoulder, "I know people go through this all the time. They get a diagnosis saying they have three months to live but there are no guarantees you know? Unless we somehow drastically change the future in some miraculous way… in about five months… that is it. You and Wanda are gone"

"We need to get back to Wakanda" Bucky told her rubbing her back, "Between Sarah's birth and spending as much time with them… we need to go back"

Ellie nodded as she wiped her tears, "Let's go back to the compound for a day, and leave tomorrow so we can be back in Wakanda tomorrow sometime"

"Sounds good" Bucky told her.

* * *

 ***~*~* January 14, 2018 ~ New York *~*~***

Ellie pulled the car into the Avengers compound garage and parked it in the same spot that she had taken it from. She looked over at Bucky, "You stay here. I don't want you putting weight on that leg. I'll take Grant inside"

Bucky nodded.

Ellie climbed out of the car and unlocked Grant's carrier from the base as she heard heels against the garage's floor and she looked up to see Pepper, "Thank goodness, Pepper can you take him?"

"Sure" Pepper said as she took the carrier, "Gladly"

Ellie walked around the car then squatted down next to Bucky, "Get on"

"El, I don't think that is really necessary" Bucky told her rolling his eyes.

"Humor me" Ellie told him.

Bucky sighed as he got onto her back and she stood up so that she could carry him into the compound on piggy back.

"What's wrong?" Pepper asked concerned.

"Bucky accidentally chopped into his leg this morning. It was pretty bad" Ellie told her as they walked into the living quarters of the compound.

Ellie sat him on the couch then helped him rest his leg on the couch, "It's already starting to heal but I don't want it to reopen"

"How bad is it?" Pepper asked rocking Grant as he fussed a little bit.

"I was chopping wood with an axe" Bucky told her flinching as the muscle pulled.

"My God" Pepper said as she set Grant down, "Be right back"

Ellie sat on the couch next to him, "Does it hurt still?"

"I've had worse" Bucky told her as he reached over and grabbed her chin, "Don't do it"

"Don't do what?" Ellie asked confused.

"Don't fight that smile" Bucky grinned at her.

Ellie shook her head and couldn't help but smile back, "Damn you… I want to be moody"

"I would rather see you smile" Bucky said as he pulled her over to him and kissed her.

"So I hear there was a pretty bad injury" Tony said as he walked into the room.

Ellie sat up, "Yeah he was cutting wood with an axe and sliced into his leg"

"And you didn't think of going to the Emergency room? He's free now" Tony said.

"Like they will really know how to deal with a super soldier, plus I am not a fan of doctors" Bucky told him shaking his head, "I have a pretty good record of now visiting a Doctor. Last doctor I did visit other than Ksie… we didn't get along very well"

"Let me see it" Tony said as he sat on the coffee table.

Ellie gently pulled Bucky's pant leg up and took off the pressure bandage then slowly removed the gauze.

Bucky's skin was red and it was obvious that it had been bleeding recently.

"Oh that is perfect" Tony said as he looked at it.

Ellie looked at him shocked, "What the hell Tony?"

"Sorry, I have been working on a new suit and it has healing nano-tech but I haven't wanted to injure myself to test it" Tony told them as he looked at Pepper, "Don't think Pep would be okay with it. Are you okay with me trying it?"

"As long as they are better than Howard's stitches that he created. Go for it" Bucky said steeling himself.

"I haven't heard about that one" Tony said as he tapped a glowing thing on his chest and before their eyes the Iron Man armor appeared on his body.

"Now that is cool" Ellie said staring at it as it covered his body.

"Thanks Agent Gorgeous, your hubby has actually helped me a little with the mobility of it" Tony said as he rotated his arm.

"See much more movement capabilities that way" Bucky told him.

"So Dad made stitches?" Tony asked as his suit changed at his hand and sprayed Bucky's leg making him hiss.

"That is cold" Bucky said grabbing the couch, "He tried using metal to make stitches but they caused infection because of the chemical used to stretch out the metal into a fine string"

"How does it feel?" Tony asked Bucky after he was finished.

Bucky stretched his leg and noted the lack of pain, "Actually not too bad. What is that?"

"Nano-tech combined with Dr. Helen Cho's regeneration technology" Tony told him, "It basically reprograms the cells to heal themselves. Combined with your healing abilities if you are anything like Steve…you should be good to go by tomorrow. I'll treat it tonight and in the morning again but it should just be another scar by the morning"

"So cool Mr. Stark"

Everyone looked over at the young voice.

A young boy stood by the couch rocking back and forth on his feet, "Wait, you are the metal arm man aren't you?" The young boy asked.

Bucky looked at Tony in shock as he recognized the voice, "Spiderman is a kid?! What the hell Tony?"

"I'm not a kid" The boy defended.

"Yes you are" Tony said pointing at the kid, "You hit 18 and I will stop calling you kid"

"Come on Mr. Stark that is only a little over a year away" The kid whined

"Well until then you are kid" Tony told him as he looked at Ellie and Bucky with a sigh, "Agent Gorgeous, Manchurian Candidate, this is Peter"

Peter walked over closer to them and looked at Ellie wide-eyed, "Whoa, your name is Agent Gorgeous? I can see it" Peter said as he stumbled over his feet, "Hi I'm Peter Parker"

Ellie crossed her arms over her chest, "Actually Peter my name is Ellie" Ellie told him with a smile, "It's a pleasure to meet you"

"Wait… you are Captain America's sister!" Peter said surprised, "Wow… you look good for…" He said as he looked her over.

Ellie shook her head with a smile, "Being so old, we are" Ellie told him, "How old are you?"

"I am 16" He told her as he stood proudly with his chest puffed out.

Bucky looked at Tony in disbelief, "He was 15 years old when you brought him to Berlin? Are you crazy? I tried to punch him and Steve dropped a fucking bridge on him!"

"Actually I was 14" Peter told him as Bucky looked at Tony with his jaw dropped.

"My God Tony, have you lost it?" Bucky asked.

Ellie sighed, "The past is the past Bucky. He doesn't seem like a typical 16 year old" Ellie told him.

"Yeah I have super strength and I heal faster" Peter told them proudly.

Bucky looked at Peter, "How'd you get these powers?"

"I got bit by a spider then I got sick, I woke up and suddenly I was sticking to everything" Peter told them.

"What kind of spider would do that?" Ellie wondered as Grant made noises from his carrier, "Someone is up"

Peter watched her as she got up and picked Grant up, "That's a baby" Peter stated.

Ellie walked over to him, "Peter Parker, I would like you to meet my son Grant" Ellie introduced holding Grant up.

"Whoa… you two had a baby at that old?!" Peter asked surprised.

Pepper sighed as she put her hand to her face, "Peter"

"Sorry" Peter apologized sheepishly

"It is okay" Ellie told him with a smile, "Don't worry I'm not really old yet. I am only 98"

"Captain America and Black Widow are having a baby too" Tony told him with a grin.

"Seriously? Wow" Peter said surprised.

"Peter, I think it's time for you to go back home" Pepper told him.

"Come on Miss Potts, it's so much cooler here" Peter told her with a frown.

"We are calling Happy and you are going home. You don't want to get in trouble with Aunt May" Tony told him as Pepper called someone on her phone.

* * *

"Thanks for dinner Tony" Ellie said as she helped Bucky sit down at the table.

"It's just Chinese" Tony told her as he put some Lo Mein on his plate.

"What is good?" Ellie asked looking at the various containers scattered in the middle of the table.

Tony stared at them, "You didn't have Chinese food back then? Wasn't New York where everyone came in?"

"No. Out west maybe but there wasn't a large Chinese population in New York back then" Ellie said as she picked out a container and opened it.

"That's Sweet and Sour chicken. It's really good" Bucky told her as he helped her put some on her plate.

"Oh thank god, you know Chinese food" Tony said looking at Bucky.

"I escaped Hydra and was on the run after Shield fell. I experienced a lot of foods" Bucky told him as he put some Chicken Lo Mein on his own.

"How did you get to Romania from Washington DC anyways?" Tony wondered.

Bucky set his fork down then folded his hands on front of him resting his chin on them, "I trekked to New York from DC, trying to make sense of my past. After Steve and I… battled, I went to the Smithsonian museum and saw the exhibit on him" Bucky told them, "I saw my memorial and suddenly I realized Steve was right, I was who he thought I was and it mentioned we were from New York so I the mysteries of my life might be solved there. I didn't get any answers there but I remembered the docks. So I started working there"

Bucky shook his head, "But I didn't go into Brooklyn, just Manhattan. So, nothing ever looked familiar, because it wasn't. We really didn't go into Manhattan because it was for the privileged. I made enough money to feel comfortable with traveling, so I stashed food in my backpack and water, the snuck on one of the boats traveling overseas"

"And they don't check boats as often" Tony stated.

Bucky shook his head, "So I was able to sneak into Belgium. We landed and the customs people over there started searching the boat but I was able to sneak out before they discovered me and started literally backpacking from there" Bucky told him.

"How many days did it take to make it to Belgium?" Tony asked.

"13 miserable days" Bucky told him, "Took me three months to make it to Romania by foot, mostly by night"

He looked over at Ellie, who was chewing her food and smiled, "But Romania was calling to me, I didn't know why at the time but I had to go there"

Ellie smiled as she took his hand.

"So you backpacked through Belgium, where else?" Pepper asked.

"Germany, Czechia, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary all before Romania" Bucky told them, "I stayed to the smaller cities where I could but went through Budapest, got close to Vienna but not any of the large cities. I stayed in Hostels where there were any. Mostly camped. I just knew I was searching for something but I didn't know what for"

"What were you looking for?" Pepper asked.

"Me" Ellie said as she kissed Bucky's cheek.

* * *

 ***~*~* January 15, 2018 ~ New York *~*~***

Bucky rolled over during the middle of the night to find an empty bed. Glancing over at the bassinet, he saw that Grant was still in it. So he pushed himself up and tested out his leg to find out that it tugged slightly but there was no pain.

He left their bedroom and walked through the living quarters to the common area to see Ellie sitting at the bar with Vision sitting next to her.

"The gravity of our choices is a responsibility that is hard to handle at times" Vision told her, "I regret many things. I am the reason Colonel Rhodes is a paraplegic. I became distracted"

Ellie shook her head as she took a drink of whatever was in her glass, "I just wish I could go back in the past and change things"

"If you could change one thing, what would you change?" Vision asked.

Bucky heard her sniff then clear her throat, "My number one regret, and that…I had intelligence… that there was a man with a metal arm in the Soviet Union. He ambushed American soldiers in Germany, but he spoke English and the description… was Bucky. To our knowledge, he was gone but they never found his body. No one should have been able to survive that fall. But he did. Then he was sent to kill a family but he left the daughter… her name was Elizabeth" Ellie told him shaking her head, "If I looked into it back then…" She took a shaky breath, "I could have saved him so much pain"

Bucky was about to step forward when Vision spoke, "But if you would have stepped in back then and saved him. Would you have your son?"

"No" Ellie said with a sigh, "I wouldn't and I can't imagine life without him now"

"There is a saying that I recall. Life has a funny way of working out, just when you start to believe it never will. I think that is the correct one. No… I'm a very strong believer that whoever is meant to be in your life will always gravitate back towards you, regardless how far they wander. I am not sure of either of the authors. Another is 'Sometimes you have to let go of the picture of what you thought life would be like and learn to find joy in the story that you are actually living.' That is closer to what I was looking for. I hope I helped you in some way" Vision told her.

"You did, thank you" Ellie told him.

Vision stood up, "I am going to go call Wanda, and I am here if you need to talk"

"Thank you Vision" Ellie said as Vision glanced at Bucky before leaving.

Bucky walked over to her and sat down making her jump.

"Shit Bucky, you scared me. What did you hear?" Ellie asked glancing back in the direction Vision went.

"Enough" Bucky said as he kissed her cheek.

Ellie sighed.

"I don't want you to blame yourself El, there is nothing you could have done to change what they did to me" Bucky told her.

Ellie shook her head, "You fell from a train… and lived. They tortured you and you lived. You can heal… at an alarming rate" Ellie told him as she bit her lip, "If I had just followed up on that tip-"

"They put this shit into me before Steve even found me Angel. Nothing you could have done would have changed anything. We would have just had more time together but at the same time, we wouldn't have had Grant. Plus heaven forbid you would have encountered me and I wouldn't have recognized you and I could have hurt you" Bucky told her.

Ellie shook her head, "You wouldn't have done anything to me" Ellie told him.

"We don't know that" Bucky told her as he kissed her hand, "There is a reason for everything. I have a lot of reasons not to believe in God but I still do on some level. He has a bigger plan for us"

"I just wish I knew… it you know" Ellie said as she took a big breath then let it out slowly, "I know, I know… no one knows how the future will go but knowing that I have the power to do that now… is just torture"

Bucky squeezed her hand, "You can always visit me whenever you need it after I am gone. You probably visited in our past too and we didn't know" Bucky told her.

"I wish it was more than mentally time traveling… like physically traveling" Ellie told him with a sad smile.

Bucky shook his head, "Your powers have developed more. You couldn't time travel at first, now you can. Maybe eventually you can physically do it"

Ellie turned around and looked towards the sitting area, "Okay then, if my powers develop more and I can physically time travel I will travel to this moment right here"

Bucky turned and watched, "Guess not"

"God was I really this oblivious?"

Ellie gasped as she turned and looked at the kitchen, "Holy shit"

Bucky looked at the version of her standing in the kitchen and the her sitting next to him, "How…"

"Time travel is real. That is all I will say" The older Ellie said as she walked over and kissed him then looked at herself, "What you are waiting for will happen sooner than you think. Just be patient"

"Wait I have questions" Ellie said as she took in her own appearance.

The older her had long hair that was pulled back in a braid. Her clothing was nicer than she had ever worn and her appearance was tired.

"You know I can't answer them. I wish I could spend more time here but they will be pulling me back soon. Enjoy your time together" She told them as she looked at Bucky, "I love you"

"I love you too" Bucky said as they watched as instead of her Phoenix suit, a white suit came over her body then a helmet flipped on her head and disappeared, "Holy shit"

"My God I time travel!" Ellie said in shock.

"See we can go back and visit, in fact I think I remember you doing it in the past. Remember your cousin Belle?" Bucky asked.

Ellie close her eyes and shook her head as she smiled, "Really… Belle… I couldn't think of something different?"

Bucky just laughed.

Ellie's kimoyo beads made the noise they make when a call is coming through so Ellie held her hand out and answered it. Steve appeared in her hand, "Morning Steve"

"Did I wake you two up?" Steve asked as he saw Bucky next to her.

"No, we were already awake. How are you?" Ellie asked.

"When are you coming back here?" Steve asked.

"Actually we are leaving early morning… well in about…7 hours" Ellie said as she looked at the clock on the stove, "Why? Something the matter?"

"Fury called, there is something big going down in Syria. He needs me, Sam and Wanda. They think more alien tech was bought by someone in Syria in ISIS. There was a heavy assault there the other day and several buildings and people were taken hostage" Steve told them, "Fury wants us to check it out because it sounds suspicious but I don't want to leave Nat"

"We will come be there with her" Ellie told him, "We will leave as soon as Tony does the last treatment on Bucky's leg in the morning"

"Wait what?" Steve asked, "What happened to Bucky's leg?"

"I was chopping wood at the cabin" Bucky told him, "A deer distracted me and I chopped my leg"

"My God Buck, are you alright?" Steve asked worried.

"Between the super healing, Ellie's quick thinking and once we got back here, Tony's healing spray stuff. It's just tugging now, just not hurting" Bucky told him, "I'm okay Steve"

"We will be home by tomorrow… well tonight, possibly really late" Ellie told Steve.

"Be careful coming in" Steve told them.

"We will. Love you Steve" Ellie told him.

"Love you guys too" Steve said as he disconnected the call.

Bucky took her hand, "Come on… let's go back to bed"

* * *

Bucky groaned as he opened his eyes.

"Good morning sleepy head" Ellie said as she leaned on her elbow as she looked at him on her side, "How's the leg feeling?"

Bucky looked at Ellie and noticed her eyes sparkling, "Hello beautiful. Where are you visiting from?"

"May 1st 2019… it's been over a year since you've been gone now. I'm actually in Washington DC" Ellie told him, "The President, the new President Hixson invited me, Steve and Nat, Pepper and Tony to have dinner with him to open the new memorial for those who were… fallen. Nat stayed behind with the kids, and Tony and Pepper don't do public appearances anymore, so it is just me and Steve here at the hotel. It's nice but… too big. Hopefully he doesn't wake up and can't wake me up. I freaked you out once doing that" She told him with a smile.

"You and Steve are sharing a room?" Bucky asked with a grin.

"Why waste money with two rooms. I'm working for Stark Industries and Steve is going to college to become a counselor and is counseling survivors. The Avengers never really were paid after Shield's collapse. Tony just provided everything to the compound after. Oh and royalties for merchandise" Ellie told him as she shook her head against his chest, "Do you know how weird it is that… I walked down the street the other day and ran into a couple. The girl had a shirt on with Steve's shield… and my face was on her boyfriend's shirt. Of course, he didn't recognize me in real life"

"Wait, you are a superhero now?" Bucky asked.

"After the Accords fell, so many… super people went public but… I had to use my powers to stop this attempted robbery and I didn't have my suit on. People suddenly knew what I could do" Ellie told him with a laugh, "I kind of wish that the new President would lose my phone number honestly. He calls me and Steve a lot. Tony just puts him on hold and never answers"

Bucky laughed.

Ellie rolled onto him, "I miss you so much. It doesn't seem right without you here"

"You need to do something fun Angel" Bucky told her.

"I don't have time for fun Buck" Ellie told him shaking her head, "Being with you is the only fun I get time to have. I love him dearly but Grant is a handful. When he gets mad he gets in his little shield bubble and throws toys just I can't get into the bubble unless he lets me"

Bucky shook his head, "I'm sorry. I wish I knew what to tell you"

"He's essentially going through his terrible twos. He is a year and a half but developmentally he is two" Ellie told him as she looked up at him, "Pepper and Tony are about to find that out the hard way… sans powers that is"

"Nooo, there is going to be a mini-Tony?" Bucky asked with a laugh.

"Yep, she is due in October" Ellie told him as she kissed his shoulder.

Bucky laced his fingers in hers, "How long do you have? I mean, before Steve might wake up"

Ellie grinned, "Enough time"

Bucky rolled her onto her back, "Good"

* * *

 ***~*~* January 16, 2018 ~ Over Africa *~*~***

"How far to go?" Ellie asked as she walked up to the cockpit.

"About ten minutes, you okay?" Bucky asked looking at her.

Ellie sat down next to him, "Yeah… I just… the visit this morning, felt… weird. I was trying to wake up and I couldn't… so I figured future me was taking over my body but…I couldn't go into the future. It was like the connection was severed" Ellie told him sadly, "So I was just… stuck"

"Or, it's because you were blocked by yourself. You keep telling me, that I shouldn't know too much about the future… you don't need to know too much about your own. You could accidentally change something that shouldn't be changed" Bucky said as he flicked some switches, "Strap in, we are getting close"

Ellie walked over to the seat and made sure Grant was secure then fastened herself in.

Bucky entered the Wakandan airspace and Ellie felt the familiar tingle from the power that was all around the city. It literally made her body hum for the first few hours until her body became used to it.

"My internal clock is going to be so confused for a few days. We left New York at 9am… what should have been an 8 hour flight instead became a 16 hour flight and we are getting here at 1am" Ellie told him as she yawned, "I shouldn't be tired"

Bucky flew over to the palace and landed on the pad then powered the aircraft down looking at her, "Well if you would have just gone back to sleep when you woke up"

"She got to make love with you… I love morning sex" Ellie told him with a grin.

"Are you jealous of yourself Angel?" Bucky teased.

"Hell yeah, but I wouldn't share you with anyone else" Ellie said as she stuck her tongue out at him.

Bucky shook his head as he picked some of their bags up.

"Take it easy" Ellie told him.

"It feels fine now" Bucky told her as he kissed her, "Don't worry"

Ellie sighed, "That's my job though" She told them as she picked up Grant's carrier in one hand and the special package they brought back in the other.

They walked down the ramp and Bucky held up his arm so that the door would unlock to let them inside.

"This is weird, no one really moving about" Ellie whispered as they walked down the hallway to the apartments.

She unlocked the door and they walked inside. Steve was standing in the kitchen with Sam and looked up as he heard them, "Hey!"

"Good you are still up, Merry Christmas" Ellie said handing the package to Sam.

Sam looked at her confused, "What is this?"

"Open it up" Ellie told him.

Sam took a knife and cut the tape, then opened up the lid, "Dry ice?"

"There is another cooler inside that cooler" Ellie told him.

Sam reached in and pulled it out then opened the second cooler and looked at her, "Seriously?"

"You said you'd love some" Ellie told him with a grin.

Sam reached in and manipulated some of the contents then threw it at Steve, who ducked out of the way in time that he was only hit in the ear.

Sam laughed as Steve wiped the cold wet snow away from his ear; "Thank you Ellie" Sam said as he hugged her, "You are awesome. I'm going to show Wanda"

Steve shook his head as Sam ran off with the cooler, "How's the leg?"

"Tight but no pain" Bucky told him as he pulled his pant leg up to show him.

"Need help unloading?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, thanks bud" Bucky said patting Steve on the shoulder.

Ellie sighed as she smiled looking around the common area as they left, "Welcome back home Grant"

* * *

a/n3: So no chapter next week guaranteed. I will be traveling so I won't be near a computer to post. Chapter 65 may be posted Friday instead of Saturday in two weeks. I have some trainings I have to go to. So keep an eye open. Thank you as always for reading and reviewing! Oh and hello Peter!

Now to the reviews!

 **Tuckerjnp1: LMAO Yes, it would be hard to say no… and a twist… she meets Sebastian in the future. Dun dun dun**

 **Gingin1975: Hmm who would be Sam's significant other? Interesting thought!**

* * *

Preview of Chapter 65- Love of a Lifetime:

"No... No I didn't" Ellie said as Bucky walked in, "Shit Buck, I think I figured out where the time travel power comes from"

Bucky sat next to her on her other side, "Where?"

"The chip. Vibranium is an alien metal right? No one really knows the true properties of it. The thing that controls my powers is giving me one" Ellie said as she stood up and paced, "I didn't even have an inkling of time traveling before I got here to Wakanda… it fits"


	65. Chapter 65 - Love of a Lifetime

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: Thank you to everyone who waited around for two weeks. On the plus side in my two week hiatus I was able to write a new chapter. I have not been in a mood to write mentally. I was given a promotion and trying to "catch up" has been overwhelming. But after taking time off last weekend to go to the concert and I had a blast. I took an extended weekend this week to go see Sebastian Stan's newest movie Last Full Measure. When it comes out in January, you must go see it. There wasn't a dry eye in the theater at the end and he was magnificent. Let me just say between I'm Not Here and Last Full Measure… he will be an amazing father. Anyways, here is Love of a Lifetime. Next week's chapter may come later in the afternoon on Saturday similar to today. I am running a 5K on Saturday morning. Enjoy!**

 **Thank you to all the new followers over the last two weeks: ToddJ27, lynnenikko666, MissBBarnes, and Zexional**

* * *

With every kiss, our love is like brand-new  
And every star up in the sky  
Was made for me and you  
Still we both know that the road is long  
We know that we will be together  
Because our love is strong

~ Love of a Lifetime by Firehouse

* * *

 ***~*~* January 19, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

Natasha woke up early in the morning of her 35th week of pregnancy and looked over to see Steve was already out of bed. She ran her hand over her belly, "Okay baby girl, this is Momma talking. Wait a couple more weeks and come out. We are almost ready for you but not yet"

She closed her eyes and relaxed for a moment before she heard voices coming from the next room.

"You missed a spot"

"Shut the fuck up Buck" She heard Steve reply.

Bucky laughed, "I just wanted you to say that"

"Asshole" Steve replied, "Get to working, we need to finish this before she is born. Has Ellie mentioned when she is coming by the way?"

"Nope" Bucky said, "Only that… nevermind"

Natasha sat up and leaned back against the headboard suddenly interested in their conversation.

"Only what?" Steve asked.

"Nothing" Bucky said quickly.

"No, tell me, what has she said?" Steve pressed.

"Well she is born happy and healthy" Bucky told him.

Natasha shook her head knowing if she was in there she would push them for the whole details.

"No, that isn't just what you meant" Steve told him, "Tell me"

"Have you two came up with a name yet?" Bucky asked starting to give in.

"Yeah…why?" Steve asked.

"What did you decide on?" Bucky asked.

"Wait you know… because she told you" Steve said.

"All she did was tell me that she and Grant were with her… when whatever happens, happens" Bucky told him, "What name have you picked?"

"Sarah after Mom" Steve told him.

"Well you stick with it" Bucky told him.

Natasha smiled as she rubbed her belly, "Hey Sarah, looks like that is your name for sure Маленький"

Under her hands, her little girl kicked.

"I hope you grow up realizing how much of a miracle and a gift you are to us Маленький" Natasha told her.

* * *

Shuri walked into the kitchen to see Ellie eating breakfast as she watched Grant on the floor, "He is getting stronger"

Ellie nodded, "It's kind of scary how strong he is getting. He has figured out how to roll over now" Ellie told her as she watched him push himself up.

"When do they leave for the mission?" Shuri asked.

"At 11" Ellie told her as she got up to wash her bowl, "Why?"

"Well I got the next round of Disney movies and among those are my favorites, Aladdin and Toy Story" Shuri told her, "We can always do a Disney marathon the next few days. You guys aren't leaving to go anywhere with Natasha, if we start these 10 movies, they are about 13 hours all together without breaks. We can watch them all today"

"I'll mention it to Nat, when she is up, and Bucky too" Ellie told her as she put her clean bowl into the drainer as Grant flipped onto his back and cooed.

Shuri shook her head as she looked around the room, "We are going to have to be careful soon and baby proof this place" Shuri told her.

Ellie looked at Shuri, "You know Shuri… sometimes I forget that you are only 17 years old"

"Maybe physically but mentally I am probably 40" Shuri told her with a grin.

"I am 98 but I feel every bit of that 98 sometimes even though I'm physically more 31" Ellie told her as she ran her hand over her face.

Shuri put her hand on her arm, "Neither of you deserved to be manipulated the way you were. You have lived the life that no one should have to live and you both deserve to live the rest of your years in peace"

Ellie wiped away her tears then looked at Shuri, "If I tell you a secret, can you swear… not to tell a soul?"

"Of course" Shuri told her.

"I have time travel abilities" Ellie told her as Shuri looked at her wide-eyed, "Well not yet, but future me comes to visit Bucky. I can only mentally time travel but… eventually I can physically do it"

"Oh Ellie, that has to be so cool" Shuri told her excited.

Ellie closed her eyes and gnawed on her lip, "Not when you know… people are going to die and you can't stop it" Ellie told her sadly.

"What?" Shuri asked surprised.

"I'm cursed with the knowledge that something big is coming… before May… and a lot of people die because of it" Ellie said sadly, "Bucky included"

Shuri pulled her into a hug, "There is no way to stop it?"

Ellie shook her head, "I have told Bucky multiple times… it's bigger than just us, that there is nothing we can do. I don't even give details because future me is worried we will try to fix it-"

"And we will screw things up worse" Shuri finished.

"Yeah" Ellie said, "So all I know is that Grant, me, Nat and Steve along with their kid… all live. Bucky dies and so does Wanda"

"Shit" Shuri said shocked.

"When I figure out how to do it… will you… test me and try to figure out how I do it?" Ellie asked.

"Of course" Shuri told her.

* * *

Bucky looked at Ellie during the second movie in their Disney Marathon that they had started after seeing Steve, Sam and Wanda off, "You okay?"

"Hm?" Ellie said looking at him.

"You okay? You've seemed… off all morning" Bucky said as he pulled her to him.

"Just… having a little case of the blues, that's all" Ellie told him as she snuggled up into his side and continued to watch The Little Mermaid, "I like this one"

"She reminds me of you growing up. You were so fascinated by all new things when you were little" Bucky told her.

"You make it sound like there were a lot of years between us" Ellie said as she poked his side.

"Sorry you just seemed so little when I first met you" Bucky told her as he pulled her closer.

"You two are making me sick" Natasha told them as she groaned, "She just head butted my bladder"

Ellie watched as Natasha got up gracefully and walked to the bathroom, "Gosh I wish I was that graceful at the end"

"You were" Bucky said rubbing her arm.

Ellie laughed, "No I wasn't. I was clumsy"

"Adorably clumsy" Bucky said as he kissed her neck.

"Hmmm Buck… Nat is going to come back" Ellie told him as her eyes fluttered shut.

"Shit" Bucky said as he pulled away from her.

"Next movie… we go 'check on Grant' and we can sneak away for a few minutes" Ellie said looking into his eyes.

Bucky gave her a quick kiss, "I like how you think"

Ellie settled back into his side as they heard the bathroom door open.

"I know she needs to stay in as long as possible but I am so ready" Natasha told them as she sat back down in the recliner.

"The last month is the worst" Ellie told her, "But you are doing awesome with it. You are still moving around pretty good. I was majorly waddling at this point"

"I don't feel like I am doing good" Natasha said with a sigh as she rubbed her belly, "Then she goes all Alien on me"

"Alien?" Ellie asked with a laugh.

"Her foot, I can literally see the outline of it through my shirt" Natasha told them as she traced it and it disappeared, "Do you think she can feel that?"

"If she did she will be extremely ticklish. Of course Steve was too" Ellie told her with a smile, "I used to torture him"

Bucky laughed, "I could see that"

* * *

After watching The Little Mermaid, Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King, they were now watching Pocahontas.

Natasha was asleep in the recliner and Ellie had drifted off multiple times herself.

"Just take a nap… its 5 o'clock; I'll wake you up when this one is over" Bucky told her.

"I like this one though" Ellie told him as she snuggled closer to his chest.

"Shuri owns it, we can rewatch it" Bucky told her.

Ellie frowned then smiled, "Okay"

Ellie closed her eyes and relaxed.

She inhaled deeply and opened her eyes.

"That's not trying to take a nap" Bucky told her.

Ellie looked up at him with sparkling eyes, "It's me"

"Oh" Bucky said as he looked over at the sleeping Natasha, "Hey baby"

She laid back against his chest, "God I wish I could just sleep here… with you" Ellie told him as she closed her eyes, "But I'll wake up there, not here. All I want is one good night's rest in your arms"

"You okay?" Bucky asked, "When is it now?"

"I'm exhausted Buck" Ellie told him shaking her head, "There isn't enough of me to go around. I can't run a billion dollar tech company and raise kids and stay sane… I just can't. It's July 2019 now"

"Steve is there right?" Bucky asked.

"Yeah, he watches Grant when he can for me. Between the two of us and Nat, someone is always available for the kids, but it sucks because it shouldn't be this hard" Ellie told him, "I sold our cabin… I have yet to be to it since everything happened. Pepper and Tony bought it"

"At least someone we know will get it" Bucky told her rubbing her back.

"Tony has big plans for it already" Ellie said shaking her head, "Pepper just wants it as a place for them to retire and get a break"

Bucky frowned, "Is Tony retired?"

"Yeah… they all are basically. Natasha is running the Avengers but there have thankfully been no more alien events or no need for assistance anywhere. The whole world is still trying to find their footing after everything. Crime was pretty high right after because people were looting but… for the most part, everyone was pretty civil and helping the survivors" Ellie told him, "Pepper is trying to lead the Stark Relief Foundation but it's so much bigger than all of us"

Bucky frowned, "El… was this a global attack?" Bucky asked.

Ellie sat up and glanced at Natasha, who was thankfully still asleep, "Buck… it was a galaxy wide attack. Not just our planet was affected, it was… everywhere"

"Shit" Bucky said in shock as Natasha opened her eyes, "Nat"

Ellie smiled at her, "Hey Nat, have a good nap?"

"I heard everything" Natasha told her.

Ellie sighed, "I figured. Look all we can do is our best and pray to God that somehow you guys can change things, but I can't tell you how everything goes down. I wish I could but… things could go majorly wrong and more people could die"

"There is nowhere to escape is there?" Natasha asked.

"No, there isn't" Ellie told her, "But Sarah is beautiful. You are teaching her some ballet already, it's adorable"

Natasha smiled as she rubbed her belly, "Things go well?"

"Well you get the traditional birth in a hospital, so I was a little jealous of that" Ellie told her as Bucky put his arm around her, "But overall things go really well. Nalia actually gets to deliver her, no disease outbreaks. You are fine and she is fine"

Natasha sighed in relief, "Steve and I have been really worried. So I am glad to hear that"

"Oh and just warning you… Steve is Mr. Overprotective" Ellie said with a grin, "For both of you. I think you ended up threatening to shoot him at one point because he wouldn't leave you alone once you were released"

"I could see Steve being that way" Natasha said with a smile.

Ellie looked at Bucky sadly, "I better go… poor Steve can't handle all the kids at once"

Natasha frowned, "Where am I?"

Ellie looked at her, "Chasing down a lead to something. A lot has changed Nat"

Bucky took her hand, "Come visit for your birthday and leave a note before you do. I'll talk to… you about a longer visit"

"I love you" Ellie told him as she kissed him.

Bucky smiled against her lips, "I love you too"

She laid back down against him and he held her until her body relaxed.

Bucky looked at Natasha, "She's asleep… and gone"

"God… isn't that weird?" Natasha asked.

Bucky sighed, "Yeah but… she needs it and I want to give her that comfort. She seems so lost"

"But Bucky, what are you guys going to do when… whatever happens… happens? Has she visited from way in the future?" Natasha asked.

"No, in fact… it's almost like a chronological order. Her first visit from this last one, from before the battle to July of 2018. It's never been past 2019" Bucky told her as he looked down at Ellie, "Hopefully it's because you eventually figure something out and everyone really didn't die"

"Let's hope so" Natasha said.

* * *

 ***~*~* January 20, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie walked into the common area with a basket of clothes to see Natasha, "Morning Nat"

"You seem full of energy this morning" Natasha told her as she took a bite of toast.

"Grant slept completely through the night last night… well he woke up at 2 to be fed but that's it" Ellie told her with a smile, "I feel great"

"Gives me hope… I don't remember the last time I slept through the night" Natasha told her.

Ellie sat down on the couch and pulled the coffee table closer to her then started folding Grant's onesies.

"Where is Grant?" Natasha asked.

"Bucky took the stroller and took him running" Ellie told her as she put another pile of socks in the basket and sighed, "I can't spend all my time with him. He needs some alone time with Grant too. I just hope that Grant remembers…him a little"

Natasha pushed herself up and sat next to her, placing her hand on Ellie's arm, "We are going to change things Ellie. We have to"

"I hope… I don't want Grant to grow up not knowing his father" Ellie told her.

"You know we won't let that happen" Natasha told her, "We will tell him all about your goof ball of a husband and how sappy he really is for being some international assassin. Honestly, no one would truly believe he was the Winter Soldier anymore. He is more on a teddy bear"

Ellie shook her head as she put her head into her hands, "How am I going to live without him Nat?"

"Don't even worry about that right now because it's not going to happen" Natasha told her, "We are going to change things… we have to"

* * *

Ellie walked into the common room after talking to Shuri and froze. On the couch was Bucky lying down, with Grant on his chest, both asleep as Bucky held him.

She pulled her phone out and snapped a picture. Looking through the content on her phone, she smiled at all the pictures she had been taking of him and Grant. Sighing, she went over to the sliding balcony door and opened it. She closed it behind her and sat down on the swing.

She closed her eyes and listened to the birds around her and the gentle humming of the town in the distance. She tried the relaxation techniques that Wanda said had helped her.

'Hi Ellie' She heard her own voice in her head, 'You are getting closer but not there yet. You have to access a part of your brain and think hard about your destination'

"This is so frustrating" Ellie mumbled.

'Just relax. You are doing great you just have to-'

She jumped startled as the screen door opened, "Shit Nat you scared the shit out of me"

"Sorry. You looked so relaxed I thought I'd join you" Natasha told her.

"You are welcome to. I was just trying to figure out the time travel thing" Ellie told her as she closed her eyes and tried to hear the voice with no avail as Natasha sat down next to her, "How is my niece today?"

"Cranky. She is flipping around like crazy" Natasha told her as she rubbed her belly, "She better not be like Steve. I am ready for her to come out" Natasha looked at her belly, "Yes I am talking to you"

Ellie smiled, "She probably has super hearing. Grant seemed to understand me too"

"I am honestly scared to death of being a Mom" Natasha told her.

"Why? You have me, Steve… Bucky as support. Plus Laura and Clint are always a phone call away. Hell Nat, 90% of this is just winging it" Ellie explained as she sighed looking out at the skyline thinking of the twins she had seen in the future, "I have a feeling you will love being a Mom more than you think"

Natasha pushed off so that they started swinging, "It's not that I don't think I will like being a mom, it's just that I don't know how to be one. What I do remember of her, I don't remember much. I don't even remember my father at all"

"I have no worries Nat" Ellie told her with a smile, "This is going to be my niece, trust me she will be fine"

* * *

Ellie sat on the floor with Grant as they watched Fantasia 2000, the latest in their Disney Marathon. Ellie sat him up and held his arms. Grant looked around as he saw the world in a new perspective. He wobbled a little bit as he tried to figure out his balance.

"Use those muscles Little Bud" Bucky said as he started doing some sit ups and Grant watched him and gurgled noises.

He tried to pull away from Ellie and throw himself backwards.

"Bucky! He is trying to copy you" Ellie admonished, "I don't want him to throw his head back and hit it"

Bucky sat up and looked at Grant, "Bud, you are too little for sit-ups"

Bucky flipped over and started doing pushups.

Natasha looked at Ellie, "He actually works out?"

"Doesn't Steve? I know Steve likes to run" Ellie said as she laid Grant back and he tried to roll over and grunted when he couldn't.

"No, nothing really strength wise" Natasha said as she grinned as she watched Bucky do pushups then pushed herself up and walked over to him, "Hold it right there"

"What?" Bucky asked as he held the top position of his pushup.

Natasha sat on his back, "Thought you needed a challenge"

"Thanks" Bucky said as he continued, "That actually helps. In T'Challa's gym I lift 350 pounds so a little added resistance to my pushups helps"

Natasha pinched his side and he nearly dumped her.

"What was that for!?" Bucky asked.

"Are you saying I am 350 pounds?" Natasha asked.

"Hell no, if you are even 200 I'd be shocked" Bucky told her.

"That's better" Natasha told him, "Continue"

Ellie's phone went off a few minutes later and she put Grant onto the ground, "Hey Steve"

"Hey, how are things there?" Steve asked.

Ellie paused the TV then sent the call to it so Steve could see them all.

Steve laughed as he saw Natasha as she sat on Bucky's back as he did pushups.

Natasha looked up at him, "Hey Steve"

Bucky stopped midpushup, "everything alright?"

"Just finished my check in with Fury" Steve told him and looked at Nat, "Why don't you do that with me?"

"When do you do pushups?" Natasha asked.

"Well… not much" Steve said.

"Exactly" Natasha told him as she tapped Bucky's side, "Okay I'm done. I gotta pee. Let me off horsey"

Bucky collapsed to the ground laughing and she climbed off. He sat up and looked at Steve, "Done with the missions?"

"Yep, we will be home tomorrow" Steve told them.

"Good, you deserve some peace and quiet for once" Bucky told him, "We all do"

* * *

 ***~*~* January 22, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

Natasha looked out the window, "Why aren't they back yet?"

"Steve said the mission extraction was delayed. They are alright" Ellie said as she made dinner, "Dinner should be done in three minutes. Just simple spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread tonight"

"Sounds good" Natasha said as she saw something in the distance, "Is that… I think that is them"

"Sam coming home in time for dinner, wouldn't doubt it" Ellie told her, "Bucky! Dinner is ready!"

Bucky walked into the room carrying Grant, "Grant just wait until you can eat spaghetti. It's amazing stuff"

"Yeah he's a little too young" Ellie said as she took Grant so he could get a plate of food, "I'm going to go feed him"

"No babe, eat first" Bucky told her.

"I smell pasta" Sam's voice boomed through the common area as he appeared with Wanda and Steve behind him, "Oh thank god, I'm starving"

Natasha walked over to Steve and hugged him.

"Hey Nat, I'm okay… I'm home now" Steve said as he kissed the top of her head.

"You aren't leaving for at least two months, got it?" Natasha told him.

"I already told Fury that if he needed me I was out of the office" Steve told her, "My priority is you and her right now"

Ellie frowned as the apartment door opened, "Did you pick someone else up?"

Shuri walked in holding a cake, "Good everyone made it back in time"

"What's the cake for?" Wanda asked as she saw a two on it.

"Oh Shuri, he's only two months. That's silly" Ellie told her.

"It was actually Natasha's idea" Shuri told her as she set it on the table.

Bucky walked over and kissed Ellie's shoulder.

"He is a little too young to eat it" Ellie said sadly.

Bucky leaned down, "Hopefully there is some left for tonight" He whispered in her ear.

Ellie looked up at him, "What is tonight?"

"Icing.. cake…you… me" Bucky whispered as he bit her ear.

"Disgusting!"

Bucky looked up at Steve, "Can't you turn your super hearing off for one minute?"

"I don't know if I can eat this now" Steve said shaking his head as Sam laughed.

* * *

 ***~*~* January 23, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

Wanda walked into the common area early in the morning to see Ellie sitting on the couch with her eyes closed. Ellie opened them and looked at her, "Morning"

Ellie sighed as she uncrossed her legs, "Morning"

"Still trying?" Wanda asked.

"Yes, just frustrated that it's not happening. I should have been able to do it by now" Ellie told her.

"You are putting too much pressure on yourself" Wanda told her.

Ellie shook her head, "I can do it, I know I can it's just figuring out how. Most frustrating thing is somehow I mentally told myself that I was close, but that was all. Was it real or literally in my head?"

"What did it feel like when you did it accidentally?" Wanda asked sitting next to her.

Ellie bit her lip, "Like my brain was on fire. Like the chip in my brain was a red hot poker"

Wanda looked at her confused, "The chip in your brain?"

Ellie nodded, "When I was woken up here in Wakanda... my powers were still unstable, so Shuri and the doctors put a Vibranium chip in my brain to concentrate them so I could control them" She looked at Wanda as it dawned on her, "Do you think the chip gave me these powers?"

"You didn't have them before did you?" Wanda asked.

"No... No I didn't" Ellie said as Bucky walked in, "Shit Buck, I think I figured out where the time travel power comes from"

Bucky sat next to her on her other side, "Where?"

"The chip. Vibranium is an alien metal right? No one really knows the true properties of it. The thing that controls my powers is giving me one" Ellie said as she stood up and paced, "I didn't even have an inkling of time traveling before I got here to Wakanda… it fits"

"Vibranium is everywhere here, why doesn't anyone else have it?" Bucky asked.

"Because it's not in their brain? I don't know. I'll have to have Shuri look into it" Ellie told him, "But it all fits"

"But you still haven't actually done it right?" Bucky asked.

Ellie sat back down next to him then put her back against the couch as she looked over at Bucky, "I think I know what to do. Don't touch me when I do it okay, if I slump over or something. I'm fine"

"When are you going to try for?" Bucky asked as he moved away from her onto the coffee table in front of her.

Ellie smiled, "I know because I've already done it"

"Lake Victoria" Bucky said as she nodded.

Ellie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She concentrated to bring forth her energy and felt her body heating up then focused the energy to her brain. Suddenly it felt as if it had sparked similar to a spark plug when an engine gets moving and she felt the energy as if it were tickling her brain. She opened her eyes for a moment and smiled as she looked at Bucky, "see you in a minute"

She closed her eyes and focused on the memory from when they went to Lake Victoria while she was pregnant.

When Ellie reopened her eyes, she looked around as she gasped.

'Shit I did it' Ellie thought as she saw the empty pool in front of her then Bucky next to her.

She cleared her throat, "Bucky"

Bucky looked over at her, "What? Can't fall asleep?"

Ellie grinned as she looked at her hands then at her body, "It worked" she said as she wiggled her toes to make sure she had full use of her past body.

Bucky froze and looked at her wide-eyed, "Am I talking to a different Ellie?"

She grinned as she took in his slightly shorter hair, "Not that far from now but yeah… so far it only works when I'm asleep… this is the first time I've actually got it to work"

"When… how far into the future are you from?" Bucky asked as he sat up to look at her.

Ellie sat up and groaned as she turned to put her feet on the ground, "Didn't miss this heaviness… Grant is two months old now"

"Everything is okay?" Bucky asked glancing around.

Ellie nodded, "He… is growing so fast that we can't believe it. Make sure I buy some more 3 month old clothes, he needed them at 1 month"

"Lord… but everything went fine with the delivery?" Bucky asked.

'Give him hope…he needs hope that things will be well' Ellie thought to herself.

Ellie chuckled happily, "So well that we've already started talking about possibly having another. I worried about the delivery for no reason at all. It was literally so fast… so easy. Also, you have been an amazing father" She said with a smile.

"Really?" Bucky asked.

Ellie nodded, "In fact, if I weren't the one with the breasts, he'd want you to do everything for him. He calms down immediately in your arms and you are amazing with him… of course the first couple weeks were tough getting used to being parents but we got through them"

"Is Steve and Nat's baby here yet? There I mean?" Bucky asked taking her hands.

"No, not yet. Also… make sure we don't name Grant, Grant Howard" Ellie told him as she bit her lip.

"Shit… he was involved wasn't he?" Bucky asked squeezing her hands.

"Not in the Hydra stuff but he purposely experimented on me with the Tesseract's power without knowing the effects or asking me. Fury will tell us soon" Ellie told him as she yawned suddenly feeling very tired, "Okay… I'm getting tired and can't hold this much longer"

"Thanks for the visit" Bucky said with a grin.

"Anytime babe" Ellie said with a groan as she laid back, "Next one better not be so front heavy"

Bucky laughed as she laid back and closed her eyes, "Bye Angel"

Ellie relaxed and thought of her body on the couch and Bucky. When she opened her eyes, Bucky was staring at her, "Hey"

"How'd it go?" Bucky asked.

Ellie smiled, "I did it"

"You did, just looked like you were asleep on this end" Bucky told her, "All I did was help you lay down"

"How long was I out?" Ellie asked stretching.

"Ten minutes give or take" Bucky said as he sat next to her and she curled up into his side.

"Where did Wanda go?" Ellie asked.

"Vision called probably. She said come to her room if I needed her" Bucky said as he put his arm around her and laid his hand on her head as he kissed her forehead.

Ellie sighed as she smiled, "God it's like a relief off my shoulders... I can do it"

"I knew you would be able to. You just had to believe in yourself. You don't give yourself enough credit" Bucky told her.

Ellie gave him a sad smile, "At least I know that I will always be able to see you"

Bucky pulled her closer, "so where to next?"

Ellie thought about it, "Mom... I want to see Mom but not yet. I at least know that I can do it... But I don't want to abuse it. I am afraid to change something on accident"

Bucky nodded, "Probably a good idea"

Ellie yawned as she closed her eyes, "plus... It's exhausting"

Bucky smoothed her hair back, "Take a nap Angel... You deserve it"

* * *

 ***~*~* January 24, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

"Let's try again" Wanda said.

Bucky stood in front of her as she sent her red energy to flow around his head. As if there was a bubble around his head, her energy could not penetrate.

"Focus on driving the shield away" Wanda told him.

Bucky concentrated but the mental bubble remained.

"Stop, stop… you are bleeding" Wanda told him as she got a tissue for him.

"Shit" Bucky said as he sat on the couch holding the tissue to his nose.

"That is enough" Wanda said as she went into the kitchen and poured a glass of water for him then brought it to him.

"I am actually fucking bleeding" Bucky said.

Ellie walked into the room and frowned, "Are you bleeding?"

"Yes" Bucky said as she walked over to him, "Wanda was testing out the mental shield and from trying to figure out everything it gave me a nose bleed"

Ellie took the tissue away, "It's already drying up"

"Take it easy Bucky. I'll be in my room" Wanda told them.

Ellie watched her walk away, "She didn't get it to drop at all?"

"Nope. Couldn't hear a thing and I couldn't hear her" Bucky told her.

Ellie put her hands on his head and looked at him, 'Only right that I'm the only one that can work on your mind'

"Not fair and you know that" Bucky said tapping her nose as she laughed, "We don't know if that's because it's… you or if it's because they made your powers that way"

Ellie sighed as she sat back and looked at him, "After Paris… I am going to go talk to Howard. I need answers, not sure I want them but I need answers"

"Well we go have fun in Paris… then you can decide" Bucky told her.

Ellie lay down with her head in his lap, "We get to finally have our Paris honeymoon"

Bucky laughed, "Just a bit overdue"

"75 years later" Ellie said, "God Buck… that was really 75 years ago"

"You still look the same to me" Bucky teased.

"Hey it's been 3 years pal, I better still look the same" Ellie told him with a sigh, "I better go finish packing"

"I'll come help" Bucky said as she helped him up after she stood up.

* * *

 ***~*~* January 25, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

"If you need anything at all, call us" Ellie said as they stood outside of their car shortly after midnight.

"I know, but we won't. This is good practice for us" Steve told her, "You and Buck just enjoy yourselves. You are finally getting to Paris"

Ellie sighed, "All the milk is in our fridge-"

"If we start running low mix in some of the formula… I know. You already told us this many times El" Steve told her as he glanced at Bucky, "Get her out of here. Your flight is in three hours"

"I'm trying" Bucky said with a laugh, "Come on Angel, he is in safe hands"

Ellie turned towards the car and Shuri was standing next to it with her arms crossed over her chest, "I don't understand why you won't fly one of the Royal-"

"Shuri… this is our honeymoon… that we never got before. I want to do it the right way. As real tourists, flying in and landing in Paris the first time" Ellie told her with a smile, "Thanks to you I can without shorting out the plane. So I want to travel like a normal person for once and act like… just for a week that I'm not… super"

"You have all your documents?" Shuri asked.

"Yes Shuri, don't worry so much… you will start to look older than me" Ellie told her as she hugged her.

"I still would feel better… but I will stop" Shuri said as she punched Bucky's shoulder, "Take care of her brother"

"Of course, although she is completely able to take care of herself" Bucky said as he hugged her.

"You better get out of here. There shouldn't be traffic but just in case. Don't want you to miss your flight" Shuri told them, "What time are you landing in Paris?"

"If all goes to plan by 2pm we will be in Paris" Bucky told her as Ellie hugged Steve again, "Come on El"

The driver opened the door for her.

"I know, I know… bye guys" Ellie said as she climbed into the car.

Bucky walked around the car and got on the other side.

Ellie sighed as they drove off, "I know we are supposed to have fun but that was hard"

Bucky took her hand and kissed it, "You did great"

"I don't know if I can do this Buck… be without him for a week. Why did we pick a week?" Ellie asked panicking.

"Angel breathe" Bucky said, "Steve and Nat need the practice and Grant loves them. We can call him whenever we want. It's going to be okay"

"I am going insane. Of course he will be okay" Ellie sighed, "Nat has basically been there for every day of his life"

"You are not going insane, you are a new Mom… of course you will worry" Bucky told her as he put his arm around her, "We have 30 minutes until we will be there… rest your eyes"

Ellie nodded as she closed her eyes, "Sounds good"

The car pulled up to the airport and the driver put the car into park.

"Do you need assistance to get your bags inside?" He asked.

"We have it but thank you" Bucky said as he got their suitcases out of the trunk.

Ellie took hers and wheeled it behind her, "Thank you sir"

"Have a safe trip" He told them as he got back in the car and left.

Bucky took her hand and they walked into the airport.

"Have you ever flown commercial?" Ellie asked.

"Nope but Steve said you have to look for your airline first and check the suitcases… AirFrance is ours" Bucky said as he looked around, "It's down there"

Ellie put her traveling bag over her neck as a cross bag then followed Bucky down to AirFrance.

"Traveling AirFrance?" A lady asked as they approached.

"Yes, to Paris" Ellie told her.

"Layover in Istanbul?" She checked.

"Yes" Bucky told her.

"Perfect. Do you have your tickets?" She asked.

Ellie handed them to her and she scanned them. A piece of paper printed out and then a second. She put one of the papers onto Bucky's bag and then the other on Ellie's, "Here are your claim tickets" Ellie took the paper from her.

"Just set the bag on the scale here" She said pointing to the area.

Bucky set his bag first, once it passed she instructed him to place Ellie's bag on the scale.

"You are all set" She said as she had Bucky put their bags on a conveyor belt and they disappeared, "Here are your boarding passes, just head on though security and AirFrance is in terminal B"

"Thank you" Ellie said.

"Have a great flight and thank you for flying with AirFrance"

Ellie took Bucky's hand, "Security next"

"Let's hope these pass things work that T'Challa got us" Bucky said.

They walked over to security and got into line.

"You have to take your shoes off?" Ellie wondered as she read the sign, "Phone out too"

"I left mine at the apartment" Bucky told her.

"Really Bucky? What if they need to contact us?" Ellie asked him.

"Your phone, or the Kimoyo beads" Bucky told her as he took his boots off.

"One at a time please" The security person said when it was their turn.

Bucky told Ellie to go first and she handed the lady her boarding pass.

"Passport and ID please"

"Oh sorry, this is my first time flying in awhile" Ellie told her as she pulled the papers out of her bag then turned to Bucky, "Here Buck, here is your stuff"

Bucky took it from her.

"Says here you have a metal implant?" She asked looking over her paperwork.

"Yes, my doctor isn't sure it will set off your metal detectors but she suggested that I got that pass" Ellie told her.

"Why did you get this?" She asked.

Ellie cleared her throat, "War injury"

"Bag in this bin please"

Ellie put her carry on, phone and shoes in the bin and it went through an X-Ray machine.

"We will avoid the X-Ray machine; I'll just run this over your body"

Ellie held her arms out and the lady used a handheld scanner over her then as she waved it over Ellie's head the scanner beeped.

"Go ahead through"

Ellie took her documents back, "Thank you"

She walked through then watched Bucky.

"Where are you traveling Mr…Barnes. Wait… you two are the Barnes" She said as she looked at Ellie who nodded.

"We are just traveling to Paris for our LONG awaited honeymoon" Bucky explained.

"Will your arm set off the detector?" She asked.

"Princess Shuri gave me this medical pass" Bucky said as he handed his passport, medical pass and his boarding pass.

"I'll wand you too" She told him, "Put your bag in the bin and your boots"

Bucky threw them into a bin then held his hands out. The machine beeped as it went over his arm but not over the rest of his body.

"You are clear. Have a safe trip"

"Thank you" Bucky said as he joined Ellie as she slipped her shoes back on.

Bucky grabbed his shoes and his bag after he was cleared to take it.

He put his arm around Ellie as they walked out of security.

"Did you bring anything?" Ellie asked.

"It's in the suitcase. Only a knife and a small pistol" Bucky told her.

Ellie shook her head.

"Come on, you didn't bring anything?" Bucky asked.

Ellie grinned as she walked in front of him and turned around. Hitting her fists together as they glowed, "No caused I am the weapon"

Bucky chased after her as she laughed.

* * *

Ellie snuggled into Bucky's side as he napped while they waited at their gate for the plane. When they arrived, an hour and a half before their flight… not a single person was at the gate waiting. Bucky dozed while Ellie kept watch on their stuff.

An older in appearance couple sat down in front of them and Ellie smiled at them then went back to listening and counting Bucky's heartbeat.

"I'm going to use the bathroom" The man said.

"Tim, you just went!"

Ellie tried not to laugh.

"Well sorry, my bladder ain't what it used to be, dear"

"Don't you start" She said as he walked off and looked back at Ellie, "How long have you two been married?"

"Three years" Ellie told her.

"I'm Heather" She said, "You two are so cute that I could have sworn that you were newlyweds"

"Well thank you. It feels that way sometimes. The years just seem like a blur" Ellie told her as she phone rang, "Excuse me"

She pulled it out of her bag and Bucky woke up, "Oh god it's Nat"

"Nat, what's wrong?" Ellie answered.

"Its me, nothing is wrong. Just wanted to make sure your guys got through security okay" Steve said as Tim returned.

"Damnit Steve, I thought something was wrong with Grant. We had no issues with security. Go to sleep. He wakes up at 5am" Ellie told him.

"Shit really? Yeah night" Steve said as he hung up.

Ellie shook her head, "Sorry that I woke you up"

"No its fine. Everything okay?" Bucky asked.

Ellie nodded, "Grant is fine. Steve just wanted to make sure we made it through security okay"

Bucky took her hand and kissed it, "See I told you he would be fine"

"How old is your son?" Heather asked.

"Two months old" Ellie told her.

"Oh, no wonder you are afraid to leave him. The first time is hardest" Heather told them, "No offense sir but men don't get it"

"Hey! I didn't like leaving Jacob any more than you in the beginning" Tim said.

Heather looked at them, "Straight out of World War Two, things were bad and there was something called shell shock. We didn't know what that really meant back then"

Ellie bit her lip, "We know exactly how it is. Bucky served in the Army"

"Really? What squadron?" Tim asked.

"107th Infantry Regiment out of New York" Bucky said.

Tim stared at him, "My God… you are the famous Bucky Barnes… aren't you?"

"I don't know about famous" Bucky said uncomfortably.

Tim looked at his wife, "This man was part of the Howling Commandoes and save so many people. That makes you Ellie"

Ellie nodded.

"You said you have been married 3 years though" Heather said.

"We married in 1943, Bucky "died" in 1945. Then I was woken up this year. We have led a weird life" Ellie told them, "A beautifully tragic one but weirdly beautiful"

Bucky smiled, "It might be nearly 75 years later but we are finally getting our honeymoon"

* * *

a/n3: Hope this chapter was worth the wait! Now to the reviews:

 **Tuckerjnp1: Thank you for reviewing!**

 **Gingin1975: That is an idea! We had a blast! Thank you!**

 **PRettyRecklessLaura: Hope you enjoyed it!**

* * *

 _ **Preview of Chapter 66- I'm in Paris with you:**_

"Talk to me" Steve said as he got onto the train and took a seat.

"Steve, it's me. How close are you?" Natasha asked.

"I just got on the train to head back so about 45 minutes, why?" Steve asked.

"Because I think I am having contractions. Wanda is watching Grant for me but… they are inconsistent right now" Natasha told him.

"Shit, I don't think I can beat the train even if I run back at full speed" Steve told her as he looked out the window.


	66. Chapter 66 - I'm in Paris with you

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: Surprise! Here is a chapter a day early! I apologize for the French if it is wrong, I don't speak it! Thank you to the new follower: ! Remember don't forget to check out Instagram where I post story inspired pictures! Find it on Instagram by searching for PrincessCaptainWinter!**

* * *

Don't talk to me of love. Let's talk of Paris.  
I'm in Paris with the slightest thing you do.  
I'm in Paris with your eyes, your mouth,  
I'm in Paris with... all points south.  
Am I embarrassing you?  
I'm in Paris with you.

 _ **~I'm in Paris with You by James Fenton**_

* * *

 ***~*~* January 25, 2018 ~ France *~*~***

"Welcome to Paris, France! Bienvenue en France, the time is 12:34 in the afternoon and it is…"

Bucky stretched is arm hitting the overhead bins above him, as he looked over at Ellie, "You okay?"

Ellie looked at him with narrowed eyes, 'What do you think genius?' She sent him mentally.

"I don't like commercial travel much" Ellie told him as everyone started getting up to get their bags and the man next to her, that had snored the whole flight, elbowed her hard in the head, "Seriously?!"

"Oh sorry" He said as he grabbed his bag hitting her on top of the head with his bag.

Ellie looked at Bucky and suddenly he heard in his head, 'I should zap his ass inconsiderate asshole'

Bucky tried not to laugh, "Chill out, we don't want thrown out of Paris before we even actually get into it"

Ellie shrugged nonchalantly, "It will just added to the places in the world that won't let us in" Ellie told him as she rolled her eyes, "But I will wait until after we leave, I've been waiting too long for this"

The man next to them glanced back at them then without waiting his turn, hurried up the aisle.

Ellie watched him glance back their way and push past someone and laughed, "Oh my god, I actually scared him"

"Well… if he only knew" Bucky told her as she elbowed him and he laughed.

They grabbed their carry ons and got off the plane following the other people on their plane through the hallway into the airport.

Ellie stopped and looked around at the signs that were in both French and English.

"From what I researched, we need to take a shuttle to the main terminal then we need to go through immigration then get our bags and go to customs" Ellie told him as she saw the sign, "Come on, sign says this way"

Bucky took her hand and followed her.

* * *

"Next"

Bucky let her go forward and she walked up to the window and handed her documents to the man at immigration and customs.

"Thank you Mrs. Barnes, how long will you be with us?"

"For a week" Ellie told him, "It's our honeymoon"

"Return flight is February 1st? What are your plans here in France?" The customs agent asked.

"Sightseeing" Ellie told him.

"Do you know where you are staying?" He asked.

"Hotel San Regis" Ellie told him.

He slowly looked up at her, "Hotel San Regis?"

"Yes sir" Ellie said with a nod.

"It says here you are from Wakanda?"

"Yes sir, we live in Wakanda" Ellie told him.

He stamped her passport, "Go ahead and head through"

Ellie walked over to the hallway towards baggage claim and waited for Bucky.

After Bucky was done, he walked over to her and took her hand, "I'm glad that T'Challa put Prince on there"

Ellie laughed, "It was a little overkill honestly"

"Well Mother did adopt me" Bucky said with a grin as he kissed her.

Ellie rolled her eyes, "I guess that makes me a princess then?"

"I'm sure she'd be fine with that" Bucky told her.

Ellie looked at the board, "our flight has… luggage in baggage 6. Get a cart"

Bucky grabbed a luggage cart and they walked over to the conveyor belt as bags started coming out of baggage 6.

"There is mine" Ellie said as she grabbed it and threw it onto the cart.

They waited a few minutes and Bucky's came down the line. He grabbed it then off to customs they went to find the train to take them to Terminal 3 for their shuttle.

After getting into their shuttle, Ellie sat back and smiled as it started moving.

"What?" Bucky asked.

Ellie bit her lip, "We are in Paris Buck"

Bucky kissed her hand, "Yes we are Angel"

"I'm going to call Steve and check in" Ellie told him as she pulled her phone out and called Steve.

"Hey sis, you guys finally make it to Paris?" Steve asked.

"Yep, we are on the shuttle to the hotel right now. How are things?" Ellie asked resting her head on Bucky's shoulder.

"He is napping right now but everything is going great" Steve told her, "Don't worry. We have it under control"

Ellie sighed, "I know"

"Have you seen the Eiffel Tower yet?" Steve asked.

"No, the airport is a half hour out of town" Ellie told him looking at France passing out the window.

"Well enjoy yourselves and have fun" Steve told her, "Can I talk to Bucky?"

"Sure" Ellie said as she handed the phone off to him.

"Hey Steve" Bucky said.

"I have a quick question; do I actually have to take care of the goats?" Steve asked, "This morning one bit me in the ass"

Bucky laughed, "That has to be Sam, the tan one?"

"Yes… wait, you named it after Sam?" Steve asked.

"Named what after me?" Sam asked in the background.

"Yes because he was a pain in my ass. All you have to do is feed them in the morning Steve. The other farmers do the rest. They harvest and take care of the crops during the day so I feed my goats" Bucky told him.

"Fine, have fun… but not too much fun" Steve told him.

"Thanks Steve" Bucky said as he hung up, "Worrying must be a Rogers trait"

Ellie laughed, "What do you expect, I grew up with Steve"

* * *

Ellie yawned as they drove through city streets, "You think we are getting close?"

"There is a lot of traffic… so I'd think so" Bucky said looking out his window as they turned on to another street.

"It makes you wonder how old these buildings are" Ellie said as they drove down the crowded street.

Bucky looked out the front window, "Wait… is that it?"

Ellie looked between the seats to see the tiniest peek of the Eiffel Tower, "Oh my god, it's beautiful" Ellie said as the road they were on curved, "it's just right over there!"

"I wonder how close this hotel Tony found for us is to it. He said it was close" Bucky told her as they turned down the road to the tower and turned right before the tower.

Ellie looked out the back window and frowned as she lost site of the tower in the trees as they turned, "At least we will be sort of close"

They drove a very short way and saw the tower again and the van stopped.

"You are here" The driver told them.

"Wait, we are this close?" Ellie asked him.

"Oui" He told her.

Ellie unfastened then climbed out of the car, looking up at the tower only a few blocks away, "Oh Buck"

Bucky shut his door and walked over to her and placed his arms around her waist, "Was it worth the wait?"

"I can't wait to see it at night. Shit its cold here" Ellie said as she shivered, "Let's go inside"

"Here is your room, if you need anything dial 1" The bellhop told them.

"Thank you" Ellie said as Bucky unlocked the door and she went to step in.

"Wait" Bucky said as he picked her up and carried her into their room, "Only right since it's our honeymoon"

Ellie laughed as he set her down, "Wow this is beautiful"

Bucky pushed their bags into the room on a cart as Ellie walked over to the balcony door and slid it open, and gasped, "Buck, come here"

Bucky walked out onto the balcony, "Wow… we need to call Tony"

Ellie laid back against his chest as he put his arms around her, "I cannot wait to see it tonight at night"

"I have an idea" Bucky told her.

"Hmm?" Ellie asked as she turned around in his arms and put hers around his neck.

"We aren't Bucky and Ellie this week" Bucky suggested.

Ellie frowned, "What do you mean?"

"We are 1943 James and Elizabeth, who somehow got transported to 2018. We have no special powers, no super strength… the war, the superhero life… doesn't exist yet. We are us" Bucky said as he pushed a piece of hair behind her ear, "What do you think?"

Ellie grinned, "I love it" She told him as she got up onto her toes and kissed him.

Bucky turned his left hand over and pulled his sleeve up. He pushed the button on his arm and the skin appearance appeared.

Ellie smiled as he laced his fingers in hers and she looked at his left hand in hers, "I have an idea"

* * *

Ellie held Bucky's hand as they walked leisurely from their hotel to the Eiffel Tower as the sun got lower on the horizon.

"So are you ever going to tell me your idea?" Bucky asked interested.

Ellie looked at him as she grinned, "You'll find out soon enough"

Bucky shook his head, "You are up to something aren't you?"

"Maybe" Ellie said as she brought her phone up, "It's up here on the right in only 200 meters"

They walked the remaining distance and stopped at a shop that was nearly at the feet of the Eiffel Tower.

Ellie opened the door and led Bucky into the shop.

"Bonjoir!" The man announced, "Bienvenue à Trocaderos Eiffel International, comment puis-je vous aider? (Welcome to Trocaderos, how many I help you?)"

Ellie glanced at Bucky then at the man, "Monsieur, où sont vos bagues pour les hommes? Mon mari a perdu sa (Sir, where are your rings for men? My husband has lost his)"

"Droit comme ça madame (Right this way madam)" He said as he led her in the direction of the rings, "Êtes-vous américain? Je suis impressionné par votre utilisation de la langue française (Are you American? I am impressed by your use of the French language)"

"Oui monsieur, j'ai dû apprendre le français pour le travail. Je suis content que cela soit satisfaisant (Yes sir, I had to learn French for work. I am glad it is satisfactory)" Ellie told him as she followed him as Bucky looked around.

"Je pense que votre mari sera très impressionné par ces bagues (I think your husband will be most impressed with these rings)" He told her as he showed her the showcase.

Ellie looked at them, "James come here"

Bucky frowned a bit then walked over to her and looked in the case.

"Pick one" Ellie told him.

"A new ring?" Bucky asked surprised.

Ellie bit her lip, "I know it's not the original but… I think it's time to replace it"

Bucky nodded as he looked at the case, "I'm not sure what size my finger is even more"

"Well then let's find out" The man said to Bucky in English.

* * *

Ellie took Bucky's hand then looked at her phone, "We have to hurry if we are going to make it"

"What time are our tickets for?" Bucky asked as they hurried their steps.

"5:00" Ellie told him as they hurried to the entrance of the tower, "Its 4:30 now"

They made it to the entrance and got in line. After a ten minute wait, they made it to the agent, who scanned their tickets.

"Go ahead, south end is the stairs" The agent told them.

They hurried over to the stairs and there was no one in line.

"Ready?" Bucky asked.

"Let's do it" Ellie said as they hurried up the stairs and for the first time she was grateful for the strength she did have, because there were a lot of stairs and a typical person would have a lot more trouble than they were having as they effortlessly climbed up to the first floor.

Bucky pulled her to the entrance to the second floor and they hurried up the stairs, passing a few people that stared at them in disbelief.

"Shit" Ellie said as they made it to the second floor platform, "I think I counted like 660 steps but I think I missed a few"

"Okay… even I am winded. Shit what did they do before elevators?" Bucky said as he stood against the wall to catch his breath.

"Well we have to take the elevator to the summit according to Tony" Ellie told him as they walked over to the summit elevator and a small line was there.

They showed their ticket then got onto the elevator then looked out the windows as it started to climb to the top.

Bucky put his arms around her as they watched the buildings get even smaller beneath them, "We did it… we made it here to Paris"

Ellie smiled as they stopped.

"Come on" Bucky said as he took her hand and led her off the elevator.

They navigated through the crowds and found an empty spot at the fence.

"Oh Buck… its beautiful and just the perfect time. The sky is magnificent" Ellie said as she took in the sunset over Paris beneath them.

She couldn't help but have a few tears come to her eyes as she realized that she was in fact on top of the Eiffel Tower with Bucky on their honeymoon that she never thought that they would have.

"Would you like a picture?"

Ellie looked over at the woman standing next to them, "Sorry?"

"Would you like me to take your picture of the two of you with Paris and the sunset in the background?" She asked.

"That would be amazing thank you" Ellie said as she handed her phone over to the lady after turning the camera on.

Bucky put his arm around her and pulled her to his side.

"Okay… 1…2…3 cheese" She told them, "Beautiful"

"Actually, could you do me a big favor?" Bucky asked her, "Stand there for a second"

The woman looked at him and Ellie stared at him, "What are you doing?"

"I know your engagement ring means a lot to you because it was your Mom's ring but I have been helping T'Challa and… I bought you a ring that I thought you deserved of your very own. The diamond is a family diamond and the metal is… specially made" Bucky told her as he pulled it out of his jacket and got down onto one knee again, "Elizabeth… will you marry me all over again?"

Ellie burst into tears as she saw the beautiful diamond ring in the box in his hands, "Of course"

Bucky stood up and kissed her.

"Shit I'm sorry" Ellie said as she looked at the woman.

"I got pictures of it. Congratulations" She told them as she handed the phone back.

"Thank you!" Ellie said as she walked off, "Oh Buck. I didn't need another ring"

"I know but… after you woke up… it has gotten more tarnished. It's your choice whether you want to wear it or not" Bucky told her.

Ellie reached up and unfastened the Phoenix necklace then took her ring off her finger. She slid her mother's engagement ring onto the chain then fastened it back around her neck.

Bucky took the ring out of the box and slid it onto her finger on top of her wedding ring, "Good it fits perfectly"

"It's beautiful. So this is a Wakandan diamond?" Ellie asked gazing at it.

"Yep and Vibranium band" Bucky told her.

"I love it" Ellie said as she looked up at him, "But not as much as I love you. Come here"

Bucky leaned down and kissed her.

* * *

 ***~*~* January 25, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

Steve had just finished visiting Bucky's farm to give them some more food for the night as was requested by one of the elders, and was running back to the train station when his phone rang.

"Talk to me" Steve said as he got onto the train and took a seat.

"Steve, it's me. How close are you?" Natasha asked.

Steve frowned at the tone of her voice, "I just got on the train to head back so about 45 minutes, why?" Steve asked.

"Because I think I am having contractions. Wanda is watching Grant for me but… they are inconsistent right now" Natasha told him.

"Shit, I don't think I can beat the train even if I run back at full speed" Steve told her as he looked out the window as it started to move.

"They might just be really bad Braxton hick's contractions. Ellie said they got bad around this time" Natasha told him.

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Keep me updated" Steve told her, "Want me to stay on the phone with you?"

"No, no… I'm going to go try to rest and see if that helps" Natasha told him.

"Call me the minute anything changes" Steve told her as she hung up.

* * *

 ***~*~* January 25, 2018 ~ France *~*~***

Bucky and Ellie held hands as they walked along the road leading to the Trocadero Gardens at the feet of the Eiffel Tower.

They stopped at the intersection and Ellie laughed.

"What?" Bucky asked looking over at her in the twilight.

"The road we are crossing… look" Ellie said pointing at the sign.

"Avenue de New York… we can't escape it" Bucky told her as she laughed.

"We have only really been here for a few hours but… it's been so beautiful" Ellie told him as they reached the gardens and looked back at the Eiffel Tower lit up and towering over them.

Bucky pulled her over to a bench and they sat down looking up at the tower. Ellie put her legs over his and turned towards him. She smiled as she placed her hand on his face, "I love you"

"Not as much as I love you" Bucky told her as he placed his hand over hers.

"How did I get so lucky?" Ellie asked.

"I ask myself that every morning when I wake up and look over at you" Bucky told her as he leaned in to kiss her.

A flash made them look over.

"Je suis désolé. Je devais juste avoir une photo (I am sorry. I just had to have a picture)" The man said as he hurried away.

Ellie giggled as she laid her head on Bucky's chest.

"God… I feel like I don't have a care in the world other than making sure your lips stay warm Angel" Bucky told her as he kissed her.

"Mmm… I think I need a full body warm-up" Ellie told him as moved to straddle his lap.

Bucky kissed her hard, "Let's get out of here"

Ellie stood up and grabbed his hand, "Let's get back then"

* * *

 ***~*~* January 25, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

Steve ran through the doors and saw Sam in the kitchen, "Sam where-"

"You betta check your girl. She rancid" Sam said wrinkling his nose, "I wouldn't go in there"

Steve looked at him confused as he went into the common area, "Nat, are you okay?"

Natasha looked at him sheepishly, "Its not labor Steve… just really bad gas"

Steve sighed in relief as he sat down and looked at Grant, who was on his back on the floor, "How's he doing so far?"

"A little cranky" Natasha told him, "He isn't really happy to take the bottle. Sam ran out of here because between me and Grant… it was stinky in here"

Steve looked at her with a grin, "Well when you are used to a pair of boobs-"

"Steven Rogers don't you even finish that sentence" Natasha told him as he laughed.

Steve yawned as he grabbed Grant and pulled him up on his lap, resting his feet on the coffee table so Grant could be inclined, "I'm so glad I don't raise goats"

Natasha grinned as she shook her head, "Harder than you thought?"

"The one goat is evil. He nearly knocked me down three times as I was bent over feeding the others" Steve told her as Grant clapped in his face, "Do you think that's funny?"

"Yes, yes I do" Natasha said with a grin.

Steve glared at her, "Wait until he is asleep"

"Is that a threat Mr. Rogers?" Natasha asked.

"Oh just wait" Steve said as he got up and kissed her hard then carried Grant with him into the kitchen.

"That better be a promise!" Natasha yelled after him.

* * *

 ***~*~* January 25, 2018 ~ Paris *~*~***

After ordering their dinner from room service, Bucky walked into the bathroom to see that Ellie was in the tub, which was filled with bubbles as the tops of her breasts and the tips of her toes were all that were visible above the bubbles.

Her head was back against the wall behind her and her damp hair was pulled up on top of her head. The little bit of makeup that she had worn around town today had been washed away. Bucky smiled as he leaned against the door frame taking in the natural beauty that was Ellie.

"I ordered our food" Bucky told her softly as he knelt down next to the tub.

Ellie's brilliant blue eyes opened, "Hmmm today was such an amazing day already. I am glad we are doing this. I miss Grant, don't get me wrong… it's just…" She said as she sighed, "This is nice"

Bucky moved to sit on the edge of the tub and she reached up to grab his hand. Running her fingers over his new wedding ring, she smiled, "I know it's not the old one but I am glad you have one again"

"Me too" Bucky told her, "When we get back I am going to talk to Shuri about getting it soldered on"

"How is the movement in your hand with it?" She asked running her fingers over the Vibranium.

Bucky wiggled his fingers, "Catches a little on that point but nothing that would hinder anything"

Ellie took his hand tighter in hers and pulled, pulling him fully clothed into the tub.

Water sloshed out onto the ground as he stared down at her.

"Hi" Ellie said with a grin.

"If you wanted me in the tub honey, all you had to do was ask" Bucky told her as he kissed her.

"You have too many clothes on" Ellie said as she tried to pull his wet shirt over his head.

They were trying to work his pants off when there was a knock on the door.

"Shit! Dinner" Bucky said as he stood up and tried to work the wet jeans off his legs, "Fuck"

Ellie laughed as he struggled and nearly tripped. She stood up and grabbed her robe slipping it on, "I got it"

Grabbing a towel, she wiped the water from her face then pulled the robe tighter as she answered the door.

"Madame Barnes, voice votre commande de room service (Madam Barnes, here is your room service order"

Ellie took the cart from him, "Merci beaucoup monsieur (Thank you so much sir)"

"Lorsque vous avez termine avex le panier, laissez-le ici dans le hall (When you are done with the cart, just leave it out here in the hall)" He told her.

"Merci" Ellie said as she shut the door, "Bucky, dinner is here. Did you get your pants off yet?"

"Finally" He said as he walked out of the bathroom naked.

Ellie grinned, "That you did"

* * *

 ***~*~* January 26, 2018 ~ Paris *~*~***

Ellie rolled over during the night and reached over to feel an empty bed next to her. Pulling the sheet to her chest, she sat up and looked around to see the balcony door slightly open.

Getting out of bed, she slid her robe on and walked over to the balcony to see Bucky reclined on a lounger on the balcony, the pale street lights casting an eerie glow on him. Pulling her robe closer, she stepped out on the cold balcony and shivered.

"What are you still doing up?" Ellie asked folding her arms over her chest.

Bucky opened his eyes and looked over at her, "They had a light show at midnight at the tower, and the lights woke me up. Go back inside, it's cold. I know you can't catch a cold but I still don't want to chance it"

"Why are you still out here?" Ellie asked him as she felt his cheek that was cold despite the warmer temperature that his body runs.

Bucky inhaled and bit his lip, "It reminds me of Brooklyn"

Ellie nodded as she looked around then grinned, "You know something I always wanted to do at the Brooklyn apartment?"

"What?" Bucky asked grabbing her hand.

Ellie walked over and straddled his lap then leaned down to kiss him, "I always wanted to have sex on the fire escape"

Bucky laughed, "That fire escape would have collapsed with our combined weights and movement"

"Well" Ellie said as she looked up at him innocently through her eye lashes, "We can pretend that we are back in Brooklyn"

Bucky looked at her shocked, "There are people walking around down there still"

"Buck across the street is just a soccer field and no one has ears like us to hear us… live a little baby" Ellie said as she rubbed against him in his thin jogging pants causing him to grab her hips as she felt him swell under her, "I can tell you are turned on by the idea"

"Fuck" Bucky said as he pulled her down for a hard kiss, "Woman I'd do anything for you"

Ellie moaned as he kissed her neck then took her ear lobe between his lips and pulled on it then lightly bit down. She gasped as he slid his hand between her legs and grazed his thumb over her clit. Putting up no protest, she gasped as he slid one of his fingers inside her.

He caught the sigh that escaped her lips as he kissed her as he began to thrust first one finger then a second inside her. She slid her arms around his neck and leaned back to give him more room as he put one of his arms under her knee as he slid a third fingers inside her.

Ellie gasped as she tangled her fingers in the back of his hair.

"Feel good?" Bucky asked.

"God yes" Ellie said as he withdrew his hand and she groaned, "What you do that for?"

Bucky grinned as he reached down and pulled his pants down to his knees to pull himself free. She reached down and gave him a few strokes then positioned him as she slid down onto him.

Ellie moaned loudly as she grasped his shoulders causing him to groan, "I thought you were afraid someone would hear us"

"Fuck them, then they shouldn't be listening" Bucky said as they found their familiar rhythm as he rolled his hips into hers as she clenched her legs as she rode him.

He drowned her moan with a kiss as he grasped her hips to help her move faster.

Despite the chill in the air around them, he couldn't help but gaze at her as she bit her lip holding back the noises he knew she wanted to make as he thrust harder into her. He took a moment to take in her beauty in the throes of passion as her eyes were squeezed shut and her mouth open in ecstasy.

She clenched her legs tighter around him as he felt her muscles tensing up as she reached closer to her release. He could tell when she was nearly there and pulled her down for a hard kiss as she hit her peak with a gasp.

Grasping her hips, he moved her over him faster and with one final thrust, sent himself over the edge. Ellie collapsed onto his shoulder.

"Fuck… that was amazing" Ellie mumbled into his neck.

Bucky laughed as he felt the sweat that had happened, already cooling and the chill setting back in.

"Shit… we didn't use a condom" Ellie said as she sat up.

Bucky tried not to groan out loud as he brought this hand up to cup her cheek, "We will be fine"

Ellie laid a light kiss on his nose and looked behind her as she saw lights flickering, "Shit did I short out the tower?"

Bucky laughed, "No, it's the twinkling of the light show"

Ellie climbed off him then turned to sit sideways in his lap so she could see the tower, "God Buck… we just had sex in the view of the Eiffel Tower"

Bucky chuckled as he kissed her shoulder, "Yes we did… let's get to bed. I'm starting to get cold. This cold lounger on my bare ass is too cold for me"

* * *

After breakfast in bed, Ellie and Bucky walked hand in hand down Avenue de Suffen towards the bus stop that Ellie's phone said they needed to take to get to the Louvre Museum.

Ellie looked over at the small patio restaurant that they passed, "You know what this reminds me a lot of?"

"Hm?" Bucky asked.

"Manhattan that we used to know. The little bistros and the people walking around" Ellie told him with a smile.

"It does" Bucky told her as he saw a drug store, "Oh good… we are going to need more condoms"

Ellie gasped as she looked at him and remembered, "Oh god, we didn't use anything last night"

"I'm sure we are fine El. You have never mentioned anything to me when you visited. Only about Grant" Bucky told her.

Ellie nodded, "True. We just need to be extra careful"

Bucky led her over to the intersection and they crossed with a large group of people.

"It says that the bus stop should be down here just a short way at the end of Champ de Mars" Ellie said glancing at her phone.

"There is a bunch of buses. Here we go Champ de Mars. What one do we need?" Bucky asked looking around.

"The 69 Gambetta Mairie de 20e" Ellie told him.

Bucky sat down on the bench and pulled her onto his lap, "We are good for about five minutes"

"Yep" Ellie said as she moved her head back and gave him a kiss, "Mmm your lips are cold"

"You better warm them up then" Bucky told her as he kissed her harder.

"Oh Michele, ne sont-ils pas adorables? (Oh Michele, aren't they adorable?)" They heard a woman say.

"De toute, evidence, ils sont maries, continuez a avancer (Obviously they are newlyweds, keep moving)" The man replied.

Ellie snorted as she laid her head back on his shoulder as he rubbed her belly under his hands.

"Do you miss the Brooklyn life?" Bucky asked as he kissed her shoulder.

"A bit" Ellie told him, "But if it meant giving up this life? I would never go back" Ellie told him, "I love my life. I love you and Grant and I don't want to give that up"

"Even if, whatever happens… happens?" Bucky asked as she put her hands on his.

"I wouldn't abandon Grant for the world. Plus I can always come back to visit you. You'll be so annoyed with me. You know, now that I think of it… I wonder if I went back to visit the past us before we knew" Ellie wondered.

"Oh I can guarantee it" Bucky told her, "I have proof too… at least in one circumstance"

"What is that?" Ellie asked as she turned in his lap.

"Your ring… you were wearing it at the hospital… well when Belle was wearing it" Bucky told her.

Ellie looked at her hand then at him, "Wow so I travel back to see Mom" Ellie said as she laughed, "Then I kissed you… of course I did. So did you pick it out because Belle was wearing it or because you liked it?"

Bucky laughed, "I didn't even remember it until Wanda helped me revisit the memory"

"Wait" Ellie said shocked, "She got into your brain?"

"I got a fuckin nosebleed after it but yeah… just for a short time though. So far you are the only one that can get in to the memories about you for very long" Bucky told her with a smile.

Ellie cleared her throat and shook her head, "Just the sheer… possibility that you have powers to shield your brain and that Hydra tried to take all the memories from you but the ones you chose to protect were me" Ellie kissed him, "I can't believe it"

"Believe it Angel because I will protect you to the end of the line" Bucky said as a bus with a 69 on it stopped in front of them, "Let's go see the Louvre"

* * *

Ellie stepped off the bus with Bucky behind her and looked up at the building in front of them, "Wow it's much bigger than I thought"

"That's what she said" Bucky said with a grin.

"Oh God, that is a Sam comment, are you actually saying stuff Sam is saying now?" Ellie asked as she stepped over a puddle.

"Just thought it was funny" Bucky said as he looked up at the sky, "Looks like it's going to rain"

"I guess it rained for a week. The Seine River cruise might be canceled because of it" Ellie told him as she saw the river in the distance, "See look, it's up on top of that bridge"

"Wow" Bucky said as they walked to the entrance.

After paying for admission, they looked at the map.

"This is much bigger than I thought" Ellie said looking at it, "Well we definitely want to see Mona Lisa"

"Where is that?" Bucky asked.

"First floor. Let's go through the lower floor, ground floor then we can visit the 1st floor" Ellie told him as she started to walk towards the escalator, "I want to at least see Mona Lisa at the very least"

"How about we get some lunch? There is a coffee place upstairs according to-"

"No, let's keep going. We can get lunch after we see the Mona Lisa" Ellie told him as they reached the Greek portion, "Oh look Buck"

Bucky smiled as she smiled and pulled his hand towards the sculpture.

"It's the Venus de Milo" Ellie said amazed as she took her phone out and took a picture, "Steve is going to be so jealous"

Bucky laughed, "Sorry never heard of it"

"Its one of the most famous sculptures of all time. It was found on the island of Milos buried in ancient city ruins. There were remains of an arm and part of a hand with an apple but as she is… this is her now. We don't know what she used to look like but it's believed to be Aphrodite the Greek goddess of love" Ellie told him in awe.

Bucky smiled as he watched her amazed.

Ellie looked at him, "Do you remember when Steve had that sculpture class and it was to finish this how they think it should have looked?"

"Honestly no" Bucky told her.

"I did that assignment" Ellie told him as she gazed back at the sculpture, "I didn't realize it was even here"

Ellie looked at her phone, "Shit… come on, we need to get moving"

"Why?" Bucky asked as she moved quickly through the room without looking at anything else, "We aren't on a time frame are we?"

"I just… I really want to see Mona Lisa" Ellie told him.

"Where is it?" Ellie asked as they walked to room 13 of the Italian Paintings of the 17th-18th centuries.

"Could it be over there?" Bucky asked pointing at a large crowd.

"Shit" Ellie said as she led him over towards it to try to make their way through the crowd.

They finally made it to the railing in front of the painting and Ellie stared at it amazed.

"As good as you thought it would be?" Bucky asked as he put his hands on her shoulders.

"Look how beautiful she is" Ellie said amazed.

"Not as beautiful as you by any means" Bucky told her as he kissed her shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah… kiss up" Ellie said.

"I never realized that you were into art too" Bucky told her, "I learn something new about you every day"

"Well Steve read so many art books to me growing up. Certain ones stuck" Ellie told him as she bit her lip and sighed, "I guess we can go get food now. I am getting hungry"

She took a quick picture of the painting then they walked down the 16th century Italian paintings wing and through the Italian drawings to visit a Starbucks.

She snorted, "Starbucks… now I get why Natasha called it Starbuckys"

"Oh God, now I can't look at one of these places the same way" Bucky told her as they looked at the menu, "For a little coffee place they sure have a lot"

They ordered their drinks and a sandwich each then sat down at a table.

"Slow down" Bucky told her as she quickly ate her sandwich.

"Sorry just… really hungry" Ellie told him as she finished it.

"I'd say so" Bucky said.

Ellie smiled at him and took his hand, "I love you"

"I love you too" Bucky said confused as she laid her head down on her arms, "Are you taking a nap?"

"Yep" Ellie said as she closed her eyes.

She opened them back up and looked at him.

Bucky shook his head, "Let me guess, you left a note without me knowing"

"Yeah I visited last night and the only note in reply I saw when I came back to check to see if you knew was, to just let me see the Mona Lisa" Ellie said with a laugh, "Which is the last thing I remembered anyways. I couldn't take that away from… myself so I had to let her"

Bucky leaned over and kissed her, "Hi Angel"

"Hi handsome. So it might not be my birthday now, but in my time it's my birthday so we are going to have some fun. We are going to go see the Crown diamonds" Ellie told him, "So finish up"

Bucky laughed, "You are way too excited"

Ellie smiled sadly, "I don't have a ton of excitement in my life…" She rolled her eyes, "well I am kinda in Brazil right now"

"Brazil?" Bucky asked shocked.

"Yeah, Steve and I went to Brazil to knock another location off our travel list" Ellie told him, "Christ the Redeemer is amazing, then we went to the Parque das Aves zoo and the Iguacu Waterfalls. We are staying in Copacabana on the beach for a few days then heading to the Ariau Towers to tour the Amazon… what is left anyway. It's currently burning, like big time burning. We want to try to get close but… I am not sure we can"

Bucky bit his lip, "What have you been up to since I last saw you in June of your time?"

"Well just working and helping Pepper. Keeping up with Grant. He's 2 years old in development now and doesn't want to wear a diaper anymore" Ellie told him as she rolled her eyes, "Problem is he pees everywhere and he can run… nearly as fast as us"

Bucky laughed imagining his son running around the house naked peeing everywhere.

"Oh and Aladdin came out, it was really good" Ellie told him, "They kept with the original story line for a lot of it but the genie had a bigger part. Saw Toy Story 4 also, I was the oldest person in the theater… even in appearance and I cried"

"Oh Angel" Bucky said taking her hand.

"It was just really emotional" Ellie said blinking back the tears, "Lion King came out too but… it wasn't as good really as I would have thought with the new animation but it wasn't horrible either. I got to go to the world premiere of that one actually. Pays to know Tony"

She cleared her throat, "Anyways are you done? I want to finish the museum and then we can walked along the Seine and see the flooding and I'm not sure how long I can stay, I'm going to see how long I can. It's flooded right?"

Bucky nodded as he finished his sandwich.

"Let's go" Ellie said taking his hand.

"So is this you… my you… in the future or asleep?" Bucky asked quietly as they walked to see more art.

"Asleep" Ellie told him with a laugh, "Oh she tried but… she can't know too much about her…our future Buck" She said as she squeezed his hand, "Some small things have already been changed, no… nothing Earth shattering but things only I know that have changed. Like I made the mistake of telling Steve that he and Nat were together but not engaged when I visited the past. Steve never proposed. Originally… he did before Sarah was born… I ruined that" Ellie told him, "But I'm the only one that remembers that. When I went back... they weren't engaged"

"Do they ever get engaged?" Bucky asked.

Ellie sighed, "Don't tell him okay? He has to decide it on his own but yes… but they've never set anything official"

Bucky frowned.

"What?" Ellie asked him.

"I just… I don't know, I just always thought if he actually did get married… I'd be in the wedding you know?" Bucky said sadly.

"If there is a way, I will do it when the time comes Buck" Ellie said as she kissed him.

* * *

"Wait, let's go here" Ellie said stopping as they went to walk past a shop.

"An underwear store?!" Bucky asked looking at the advertising on the front, "Really?"

"Come on Bucky… live a little. Then we can do back to the hotel and I can model it for you" Ellie told him.

"Well shit, okay" Bucky said, "But I thought we were going to see Notre Dame today"

Ellie looked at him out of the corner of her eye, "We are… and I am going to change into one of our purchases before hand and you'll have to wait and see which one until after"

"Fuck, you are going to kill me" Bucky said as he kissed her hard.

They walked over to one of the racks and Ellie started looking through the garments.

Bucky saw a pregnant woman standing across the store and looked at Ellie, "Angel… I have a question"

"What is that?" Ellie asked as she held up a bra to her.

"We didn't use anything last night on the balcony-"

"That was some great sex" Ellie told him with a smile, "Hoping tonight tops it though from what I remember waking up to"

"Anyways, nothing…comes of it right?" Bucky asked.

Ellie paused and slowly looked at him as she put the bra back, "No Buck, nothing happened because of last night"

Bucky sighed, "Thank God, I just… I don't want to leave you with two kids all on your own"

Ellie shook her head sadly, "No Buck, I didn't get pregnant last night"

"So what are you looking for exactly?" Bucky asked as he saw a simple bra and panties set, "How about this?"

Ellie laughed, "Oh honey… no. Just wait"

* * *

a/n3: So I got another chapter written! Hoping that I can keep it up. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Now to the reviews!

 **Cystal-Wolf-Guardian967: Thanks for reading and reviewing as always. I appreciate it!**

 **Gingin1975: I was going to do more "alone time" but I didn't want the chapter to be too long. But they have all vacation!**

 **tuckerjnp1: Between Nat and Bucky I would imagine various weapons scattered everywhere lol**

 **Guest: Thanks for reading and reviewing! Hope you stick around! Much more planned!**

* * *

 ** _Preview of Chapter 67: Powerful-_**

Ellie stood up from under the table and Bucky tried not to smile at how good she looked in the uniform Shuri made. She started walking towards the robber.

"Ellie no!" Bucky hissed as the robber nearest to them caught sight of her and turned his gun towards her.

"Are you crazy woman?" He asked.

"You are going to put your gun down now and get to the ground" Ellie told him.


	67. Chapter 67 - Powerful

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: So the last two chapters have been low in readership and reviews. I am hoping getting back to the Saturday schedule will help but please remember to read and review so I know people are actually reading this! Don't forget to check our my Instagram and Facebook pages. Information is at the bottom of the chapter!  
**

 **Thank you to the new followers: Emily01111 and AlyssaMcGrath!**

* * *

 **There's an energy  
When you hold me  
When you touch me  
It's so powerful  
I can feel it  
When you hold me  
When you touch me  
It's so powerful**

 **~ Powerful by Major Lazer ft. Ellie Goulding & Tarrus Riley**

* * *

 ***~*~* January 27, 2018 ~ Paris *~*~***

Ellie yawned as she woke up in bed and tried to move her arm, but instead was slapped in the face by Bucky's hand. She looked at it as she felt something around her wrist and saw that it was handcuffed to Bucky, "What the hell?"

Looking around the room, she saw various pieces of underwear scattered around the room and two bottles of empty wine. Her breasts hurt and she looked down at them, to see barely there basically non-existing lingerie that was completely see-thru on her body.

Ellie hit Bucky, "Wake up"

Bucky's eyes flew open, "Which one am I talking to?"

"It's me, me, what the hell happened here?" Ellie asked in disbelief.

"Well you saw a lingerie store and we went in. You bought some underwear and we came back after Notre Dame and you modeled it all for me" Bucky told her.

"And these handcuffs?" Ellie asked holding up their hands.

"Yeah you found those and wanted to try them. The key is over there so I can't reach it" Bucky said as he moved his other arm, the metal one, to show it was handcuffed to the frame, "I don't want to pay for a bed if I possibly break it"

"What the hell happened to me?" Ellie asked in disbelief as she got up and stretched to get the key.

"What do you mean?" Bucky asked as she unlocked her wrist from Bucky's then unlocked his handcuff to the bed.

"I don't do stuff like this" Ellie said looking around at all the underwear across the floor, "We don't use toys or handcuffs or-"

Bucky walked over and grabbed her shoulders, "Look at me"

Ellie looked at him with tears in her eyes, "I can't do this Bucky"

Bucky pulled her into his arms and she sobbed, "You can, you are stronger than you know. No matter what happens, you will always know that I loved you… I love you so much and I couldn't bear the thought of you going before me. Life isn't fair to know that, you have to lose me twice… if I could stop it, I would"

"I know" Ellie said as she wiped her eyes.

"If it makes it any better, I asked… you, about the balcony. It doesn't lead to anything" Bucky said as he picked her up and carried her back to the bed.

Ellie snuggled into his chest, "We just need to be more careful. I…I love Grant but I couldn't imagine raising two kids on my own without you"

Bucky kissed her forehead, "How about we just lay in for a bit today? Take it easy today. We were going to see that La Concorde today, right? Then just sight see?"

Ellie nodded.

"Then let's just wait until noon, lie in… then go see the La Concorde place thing, the other place then.. that other place too" Bucky told her as she laughed, "What?"

"Place de La Concorde, Champ Elysees and Arc de Triomphe" Ellie told him with a grin to his chest.

"Yeah whatever you said" Bucky said with a grin.

Ellie shook her head as she listened to his heartbeat, "I'm going to lose it Bucky"

"If you do, I'm here for you and it's completely understandable. No one is going to fault you for it" Bucky said holding her close as he felt the tears on his chest.

* * *

 ***~*~* January 27, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

Steve walked into the apartments and kicked his muddy shoes off at the door. Looking into the common room, no one was in there. So he walked to Ellie and Bucky's apartment and unlocked it, "Nat?"

She didn't answer so he checked the next place that she might be and walked back to their apartment.

He smiled as he heard her melodic voice as it carried through the apartment.

"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can" Natasha read as he walked over to the door and leaned on the door frame of their bedroom, "Up, up, up, faster and faster and faster the little engine climbed, until at last they reached the top of the mountain. Down in the valley lay the city" Natasha read from the rocking chair as she looked up at him with Grant in her arms as he fought sleep.

"No, keep going" Steve told her.

"No, no… he needs to nap and he is paying more attention to me then napping" Natasha told him, "Can you put him in the bassinet?"

Steve walked over and took Grant, who snuggled into his chest, then laid him down in the bassinet. He smiled as he looked down at him, "God Nat… we are going to have one of these soon"

"The swelling I am feeling on my ankles makes me wish she comes sooner than later" Natasha told him as she hugged him from behind and he felt their daughter kicking his back.

Steve pulled her over to the bed and helped her to lie down, "I think you deserve a massage"

"Ooh a massage?" Natasha asked with a grin.

"Not that kind of massage with him right there" Steve told her.

Natasha pouted, "Too bad"

Steve looked at her, "Wait… are you… in the mood?"

"Well when you put it that way" Natasha said as she pushed herself up, "Never mind"

Steve sighed as she slammed the bathroom door, "I can't win"

Natasha stood with her hands on the sink trying to calm down when her phone rang. She answered it before the second ring, without looking at the ID, "What?"

"I just got away from Bucky for a bit so I don't have long. I am freaking out Nat"

"Ellie? What's wrong?" Natasha asked as she sat on the toilet seat.

"I woke up this morning, handcuffed to Bucky and he was handcuffed to the bed" Ellie told her.

Natasha tried not to laugh, "That doesn't sound like something I would freak out about. That sounds like you had a fun night"

"But it wasn't me that did it. It was HER" Ellie said affronted.

"Wait… are you jealous of… yourself?" Natasha asked trying not to laugh.

"Well… yeah, never have I thought of stuff like… that. God Nat, it was like I was wearing air. It was completely see through. And the handcuffs, God Nat" Ellie said working herself up.

"But did he seem to enjoy it?" Natasha asked.

"I don't know I wasn't awake at the time!" Ellie snapped.

"But when you woke up… he was still handcuffed to you?" Natasha asked.

"Because he couldn't reach the key" Ellie defended.

"Please, if Bucky Barnes and his bionic arm wanted to break loose from a pair of lingerie store handcuffs, he would" Natasha told her, "Just talk to him Ellie"

She looked at the phone as it beeped that Ellie had ended the call and shook her head as she got up and opened the door to see Steve had fell asleep fully clothed on the bed.

* * *

 ***~*~* January 27, 2018 ~ Paris *~*~***

Bucky came back to their small table with two coffees to see Ellie with her head in her hands, "Everything okay?"

Ellie looked up at him, "Am I enough for you?"

"What the hell?" Bucky asked as he sat down, "What are you talking about, are you enough?"

"Last night-"

"Shit Ellie are you still worked up about last night?" Bucky asked.

"Of course I am Bucky" Ellie said as she threw her hands up in the air then crossed them over her chest, "God… do you know what it was like to not know what was going on when I woke up? And how I woke up?" Ellie asked, "We don't do stuff like that, so to know that… I am okay with it in the future?"

Bucky sighed, "Natasha took you to a romance party that one of her former Shield friends threw and you wanted to buy stuff but… obviously you didn't because you can't bring them with you. So you wanted to be a little… adventurous when you saw the store when we were walking by it"

Ellie looked at him, "But you liked it?"

"It was different… but yeah I liked it, the lingerie part… not a huge fan of the handcuffs" Bucky told her, "But I could have gotten out of them easy"

Ellie sighed, "I know"

"What is this really about?" Bucky asked grabbing her hand.

"I might be a little jealous" Ellie mumbled.

"What?" Bucky asked confused.

"I might be a little jealous okay?" Ellie told him as she pulled her hand away from him and looked at the table, "I would never even have thought of stuff like that and obviously you like it so that fact that…she did it first"

Bucky laughed, "You are seriously jealous of… yourself?"

"Don't laugh at me" Ellie pouted.

Bucky pulled his chair over to her, "We can relive it tonight if you want"

Ellie bit her lip, "Really?"

"I would absolutely be happy to relive it" Bucky told her with a grin.

Ellie shook her head, "But first… a movie and dinner"

"We better go back to the room so you can get ready" Bucky told her as he stood up.

"We haven't even drank our coffees yet. Sit" Ellie told him trying not to laugh.

"Oh yeah" Bucky said as he sat back down.

* * *

The cab pulled up to Restaurant Lasserre and Bucky got out then held his hand out to her. Ellie took it and looked up at the restaurant.

"I haven't told you enough... you look amazing" Bucky said as he kissed her hand.

"It looks like it could be someone's house" Ellie told him looking at the restaurant.

"Tony recommended it" Bucky said as he held the door open for her and they walked in.

"Bonjoir" The maitre d said.

"Bonjoir, um... reservations for Barnes" Bucky said.

"Yes Mr. Barnes, this way. Maria!" She yelled.

A waitress came over, "This way"

Bucky held out his arm and led her through the restaurant.

"Here you are" Maria said as Bucky pulled out Ellie's chair and then sat down.

"I am Maria… if you need anything I will be your server" She said, "Here are your menus, I will be back with waters while you decide"

"Thank you" Bucky said as she left.

Ellie opened her menu, "Wow this place is fancy and pricy"

"Don't even worry about prices" Bucky told her.

"I will have a salad and the duck I think" Ellie said.

"The lobster" Bucky told her, "I don't understand French when it's written. I should have took those lessons from Jones and Dernier"

"Dernier wasn't a great teacher but Jones was" Ellie said as the waitress came back and they ordered a bottle of champagne along with their food.

"So everything going okay with Grant when you talked to Natasha earlier?" Bucky asked.

"I didn't tell you that I… you heard" Ellie said with a sigh.

Bucky nodded.

"I am guessing yes but I didn't ask" Ellie said as Maria brought their wine over and caviar, "Thank you"

Bucky looked at the caviar as Ellie drank her first glass, "Go for it"

"Nope, those are all for you. That just doesn't sound good" Ellie told him as she finished off her first glass, "This is good"

"Save room for food" Bucky said as he grabbed the bottle.

Ellie laughed as Bucky poured her more wine, "Is it bad of me that… I miss Grant I really do but… we needed this?"

"Not at all" Bucky said as he leaned across the table and kissed her.

Ellie grinned against his lips then frowned as she heard a woman scream.

Bucky pulled away and looked in the direction that he had heard the same scream.

"Put it all in the bag!"

"Shit" Ellie said as she looked at Bucky, "What do we do?"

"Stay here; I'll go-" Bucky said as masked men came into the restaurant pointing a gun around, "Shit"

"Listen up!" The man yelled in English as the people in the restaurant screamed, "Quiet! All you have jewelry and money, you are going to hand it over when we come by. Rings, necklaces, all of it"

'Bucky'

Bucky looked at her as he heard her in his head.

Ellie touched her necklace to show him that she had her Phoenix on.

"No" Bucky said shaking his head.

"Trust me" Ellie whispered as she slid under the table then suddenly the electricity went out.

"What the hell!" One of the robbers yelled from somewhere in the darkness.

Ellie stood up from under the table and Bucky tried not to smile at how good she looked in the uniform Shuri made. She started walking towards the robber.

"Ellie no!" Bucky hissed as the robber nearest to them caught sight of her and turned his gun towards her.

"Are you crazy woman?" He asked.

"You are going to put your gun down now and get to the ground" Ellie told him.

He placed his gun to the ground and knelt down on the ground.

"What the fuck are you doing?" The lead robber said as he pointed his gun at Ellie, "What the hell are you? Are you one of those freaks?"

Ellie channeled her energy and floated up into the air, "You are all going to put your weapons down, the money and jewelry that you stole and get to the ground"

Bucky stared at her in awe as she glowed all over in the dark restaurant.

One of the robbers fired off his gun and she reflected it with a burst of fire. The bullet fell to the ground in a puddle.

"I will say it again, put the guns down" Ellie screamed.

The robbers all got to the ground and placed their guns on the ground. Watching as their guns flew away from them under her feet. She summoned three aprons to her and bound them around the robbers then took multiple chairs and welded them together around them as a cage.

People started running for it, as sirens were heard in the distance.

Ellie turned towards Bucky, "We have to go. Out the back"

As soon as her feet hit the ground, she grabbed her shoes and they started running out the back through the kitchen until they got to a dead end, "Shit" Ellie said looking for a door or an exit.

Bucky tried a door, "Locked"

"Come here" Ellie said as he walked over to her, "Put your arms around me tight"

Bucky held onto her and she flew up into the air and over the building then into a small patio area. They took off running until they met a high gate, Bucky easily scaled it and Ellie flew over it and as soon as they were over it, they took off running west.

They kept running as far as they could until the sirens got quieter when they reached the park before the Seine and could see the Eiffel Tower lit up in the distance.

"Shit…" Ellie groaned rolling her neck as she rested against a tree, "that was exhausting"

"My God… that's what you are" Bucky said amazed as her hair finally stopped sparkling.

"What?" Ellie asked looking over her body, "Different than before?"

"You glowed all over" Bucky said amazed, "And you had control of who you were persuading and the chairs… they just melted and stuck together"

"Cover me for a second" Ellie said as she looked around.

Bucky stood in front of her as the suit went back into the necklace and her dress felt back into place, "Well at least I didn't get blood on my dress" Ellie said looking down at it as she slipped back into her shoes, "Last time I was in something like this I did. London was-"

"Shit El" Bucky said as he ran his hands through his hair as more sirens came and he grabbed her hand so they could take off again across the Pont de l'Alma bridge.

After crossing the Quai Branly they slowed to a slow walk as they walked down avenue Rapp.

"Shit why did I do that? Anyone could have gotten a picture of me" Ellie told him shaking her head.

Bucky took her hand, "I think they were all more concerned with the fact that people were robbing them"

Ellie sighed as they walked past a restaurant Trattoria Dell Angelo, "Want dinner?"

Bucky walked over to the door and opened it for her, "Let's eat"

* * *

After eating their dinner of Spaghetti alla Bolognese and Risotto with champagne, they shared a bowl of chocolat Gelatti.

"I'm so tired" Ellie said as she lazily took a bite.

Bucky frowned, "Do you think you depleted your energy?"

Ellie nodded as she yawned, "I feel… human again"

Bucky looked around and saw their waiter, "Check please!"

He nodded and went to the computer.

After paying for their food, Bucky helped Ellie out of her seat and led her out of the restaurant. She stumbled walking over the front step.

"Are you going to be able to make it?" Bucky asked as she nodded.

"The cold air helps. Let's just take it slow" Ellie told him as he put his arm around her and they started walking back following the signs for the Eiffel Tower, "Where are we?"

"Not really sure" Bucky said as she pulled her cell phone out of her bra.

"Shit… I think I fried it" Ellie said as she tried to turn it on, "I hope Shuri can save it. I have a lot of pictures of Grant on here"

She stumbled again as they walked past the feet of the Eiffel tower. Bucky put his arm around her and held her up against him, "We are almost there Angel. About another 1000 yards"

"You might have to carry me" Ellie mumbled sagging against him, "I think I might pass out"

Bucky caught her in time then picked her up in his arms, "Are you sure you are alright?"

"Just tired" Ellie mumbled as he crossed the street and walked through the doors to the lobby of the hotel.

The receptionist looked up and looked at him alarmed, "Monsieur Barnes is Madame Barnes alright?"

Ellie lifted her head, "I'm just tired, too much fun in Paris"

He sighed in relief, "I will schedule your breakfast to be delivered an hour later in the morning. Is that okay?"

"Not until 8am please. We plan on sleeping in" Bucky told him.

"Will do Monsieur, have a restful night"

Bucky got into the elevator and set Ellie down so that he could hit the button for their floor, "You okay?"

"Just peachy" Ellie said as she groaned, "I feel like I did when I got drunk on that fruity shit Peter brought to the party when I was 16"

"Shit El, you were out for nearly a whole day back then" Bucky said as the elevator stopped at their floor and he helped her out.

"Where'd my shoe go?" Ellie wondered as she stumbled realizing she only had one heel on.

"I probably lost it walking here" Bucky told her supporting her, "I'll buy you new ones"

They finally made it to their room and Bucky reached for his wallet, "Can you stand on your own for a second?"

Ellie leaned against the wall as he got his wallet out and pulled their key out. He unlocked their door as she slid down the wall.

"Shit are you okay?" Bucky asked kneeling down in front of her.

"So tired" Ellie told him as she helped her up and carried her into their room.

Bucky sat her on their bed and helped her pull her dress over her head.

"Shit I wanted to recreate last night" Ellie pouted with her eyes closed as she laid back in the bed with just her red matching panty set and one heel.

Bucky smiled, "Tomorrow night"

"10-4" Ellie mumbled.

Bucky took her shoe off and helped her move up the bed, under the covers, "I am going to use the bathroom"

Ellie sighed and snuggled into her pillow, "Peanut butter"

Bucky tried not to laugh out loud as he walked into the bathroom. He came back out taking his dress shirt off and Ellie was already asleep. Stripping down to his boxers, he slid into bed next to her and she didn't budge. Grabbing the remote, he flipped through the channels on the TV and went back a channel.

"Shit" Bucky mumbled as he looked over at Ellie as a picture of her was on the screen.

Thankfully her face was not able to be seen as the light she gave off had overwhelmed the camera but it was definitely her. What he could understand of the broadcast, they were wondering who the new superhero that saved everyone was.

Climbing out of bed, he went out onto the balcony and shivered as the cold air hit his body then called Steve. When Steve didn't answer, he knew he wasn't wearing his Kimoyo beads as he frequently forgot to do. So he called Natasha.

"What's up Buckycup" Natasha answered as she projected into his palm.

"Really?" Bucky asked.

"Ummm Bucky are you shirtless?" Natasha asked.

"I was trying to get a hold of Steve but he isn't picking up. Ellie fried her phone" Bucky told her as Steve appeared next to her.

"She fried her phone? She has been doing so good" Steve said.

Bucky bit his lip, "I saw the Phoenix today"

Steve looked at him wide-eyed, "What happened?"

"We went to dinner and robbers tried to rob the place. The cash wasn't enough for them because it was an upscale place; everyone had to be using credit cards… so they held everyone at gunpoint and told us all that cash, jewelry and valuables needed to go into the bags. Ellie stopped them. I didn't even have a chance" Bucky told him shaking his head, "She was wearing the Phoenix necklace, went under the table, got it on then turned the electricity off. Persuaded them to put their guns down after melting a bullet aimed at her then basically welded chairs together around them in a cage until the cops got there but we were gone by then out the back"

"Shit… did anyone see her face?" Steve asked.

"There are pictures but what they are showing on TV… her light she was giving off was so bright that you can't see her face though" Bucky told him.

"Let's hope no one got a better picture" Steve said as he sighed, "But you guys are okay?"

"Yeah, she's wiped though. The light she was giving off Steve… it was almost like wings protecting everyone" Bucky told him.

Steve sighed, "Just let her sleep as long as she can. What are your plans for tomorrow?"

"Something about Napoleon, a church and Moulin Rouge" Bucky told him, "Mostly shopping in the Latin Quarter"

"Just go by her and how she is feeling" Natasha told him.

Bucky sighed, "How is Grant?"

"Asleep, he was a little grumpy this morning but was fine after that. He laughed at Sam earlier when he face planted into the glass door to the balcony. It was hilarious" Natasha told him.

"How are you feeling Nat?" Bucky asked.

"Pregnant and bloated and gross but that nothing new" Natasha told him.

"My balls are freezing, I'm going to head in and get back in bed with Ellie so I can keep an eye on her" Bucky told them.

"Night Buck" Steve said as Natasha ended the call.

Bucky looked out at the Eiffel Tower and ran his hand over his face. He sighed as he walked back inside and listened to the TV for a few minutes then turned it off. Climbing into bed with Ellie, snuggling up against her.

* * *

 ***~*~* January 28, 2018 ~ Paris *~*~***

Heels clicking on the pavement echoed behind her as she walked into the brightly colorful building in front of her.

"Identification s'il vous plaît" The man said as she handed him her ticket.

She flashed her ID and walked into the bar once she was allowed in.

A man walked over and took her hand, "Madame, de cette facon. Vous etes tres belle. Quel est votre nom beaut? (Madam, this way. You are very beautiful. What is your name beautiful?)"

"Aimee" She said with a smile.

"Beau nom pour une belle dame (Beautiful name for a beautiful lady)" He said as he kissed the back of her hand then led her to her table, "Voici votre table, si vous avex besoin quoi que ce soit, je suis Vincent (Here is your table, if you need anything at all, I am Vincent)"

Aimee sat down at her table, "Merci"

A waiter walked over and poured her a glass of wine, "Merci"

She sipped on her wine as she took in the tables around her and all the couples or groups waiting for dinner.

"May I have a seat?"

Aimee looked up to see a tall brunette gentleman, "Of course"

The man sat down at the table across from her, "Um… partly view Fransay?"

She tried not to laugh, "Yes but obviously you do not"

"Oh thank goodness. I can understand French but I suck at speaking it" He said.

She smiled at him as she sipped her drink.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Aimee, yours?" She asked looking at him over the top of her drink with a grin.

"Napoleon" He told her.

Aimee stared at him as she set her glass down, "Napoleon?"

"But… um my friends call me Leo" He told her.

"Well then… Leo, obviously you are from across the pond… what brought you here to Moulin Rouge?" Aimee asked.

He looked up at her with a grin then moved his chair closer to her, "Something was just calling me here tonight and I think it was fate. You in that sparkling party dress"

Aimee had just taken a drink as she felt a hand on her bare leg and looked at him above her glass, "A bit bold are we?"

"Only with women that I think are angels sent from heaven" Napoleon said.

Aimee snorted and champagne flew from her nose as she coughed and laughed at the same time.

Napoleon groaned, "That was lame"

"So lame, that is like the #1 pickup line ever. Man, you suck at this" She said with a grin.

He pouted, "I never really had to do this you know"

She looked at him suspiciously, "Really?"

"Well women used to love my tough boy, dirt under his nails but a major geek at the same time personality and they'd fall for me" He told her as he took her glass and took a drink.

She leaned on her elbow against the banister behind her and looked at him, "Really? They thought that was attractive? I thought you were the playboy"

"Well after I got the reputation, girls just flaunted to me but they all lost their appeal when I fell for my number one girl" Napoleon told her.

"Oh and what made this girl so special?" Aimee asked.

"Well I could be the major geek with her and I didn't have to fake it. Plus she was beautiful and amazing and I'd give up anything to be with her" Napoleon said as he leaned over and kissed her.

"Hmmm" She said against his lips, "She sounds like a lucky lady"

"I think I am more of the lucky guy that she ended up falling for me too" He told her as he kissed her neck.

She moaned, "Bucky"

"Shh Napoleon" He said.

She pulled back and looked at him, "You couldn't have thought of a better name?"

Bucky laughed, "It was the only thing that came to my mind other than James or Steve"

Ellie shook her head as she kissed him, "I won by the way"

"You are right, a taxi is faster than the bus" Bucky said as he ran his hand over her leg, "After the show I'll give you my prize"

Ellie smirked as she kissed him and ran her hand down and cupped him, "Better be worth it"

"Fuck, do we have to stay for this?" Bucky asked.

Ellie laughed, "I finally have my energy back buddy, I don't even remember the Tomb of Napoleon earlier, and we are watching the show. Think of it as… foreplay"

"Shit not going to be hard to do when you are dressed like that in this place. I love that dress by the way" Bucky said as he kissed her neck taking in the sequin covered form fitting dress, "Aren't you cold?"

"Mmm Nat picked it out" Ellie said as the music started, "Come on, show is starting. Stop"

* * *

Ellie held Bucky's hand as they walked out of Moulin Rouge, "I'm not ready for the night to end" Ellie told him, "God I miss my phone"

"I saw a place down the road called Dirty Dick" Bucky told her.

Ellie looked at him, "Seriously?"

Bucky nodded.

"I was thinking more of a dance club or jazz club" Ellie told him.

"That does sound like fun" Bucky said, "But can we stop at the Dirty Dick?"

Ellie rolled her eyes, "Fine come on, you just want to go in to tell Steve you went to a place called the Dirty Dick"

"Well… yeah. I'm going to call him and show him. He will think it's hilarious" Bucky said.

Ellie rolled her eyes.

* * *

"Well hello there"

Bucky looked up as a woman walked over to him and sat down in Ellie's recently unoccupied chair, "Excuse me that is my wife's chair"

"Oh… you are married… too bad you look like the type of man that can show a woman a good time. I saw you out on the floor out there" She flirted.

"Oh honey he is but he's all mine" Ellie told her as she walked up, "Get lost"

The woman huffed then stalked off.

"The nerve" Ellie said as she sat down, "See what did I say, Bucky Barnes, ladies man"

"Only one lady for me" Bucky said as he took a sip of his beer, "Not the same guy I was back in the 30s. Another drink?"

They had a few more drinks and a few dances. Ellie stood on the dance floor with her head resting on Bucky's chest as he hummed in her ear with a smile on his face.

"How far away is the hotel?" Bucky asked nipping at her neck.

"Too far. Let's go" Ellie said taking his hand, "I don't know how long the taxi will take"

* * *

"Um Monsieur, Madam?" The driver said.

Ellie pulled away from Bucky, "Sorry sir" She said once she realized they were back at their hotel.

She paid the driver and they climbed out of the cab.

"Monsieur and Madame Barnes… so glad to see you are feeling better tonight Madame Barnes… take it easy" The front desk clerk told them.

"Thank you" Ellie said as she pulled Bucky to the elevator and pushed him against the back of the elevator as soon as it opened.

"Mmm I like this" Bucky said as he kissed her shoulder as she grabbed his behind.

The elevator dinged as they reached their floor and Ellie pulled her key out. Once inside their room, she turned to face him then unzipped her dress letting it fall to the ground. Kissing her neck, she tilted her head to give him more access.

"Bed" She gasped out.

Picking her up, he carried her over to the bed and they tumbled to the covers. His hands felt as if they were on fire as they skimmed over her body as they kissed slow and passionately. He pulled back and shrugged out of his suit jacket and unbuckled his belt. He stood up letting his pants fall to the ground, so that he was only in a pair of boxers. He grabbed her legs and pulled her to the edge of the bed.

His blue eyes locked with hers as he kissed along her thighs and grabbed her panties with his teeth and pulled them down her legs. Grasping her legs, he put them over his shoulders and she moaned as her made his first slow lick across her.

Ellie grasped the covers under her as he grazed her with his teeth, "Fuck Bucky"

"In time" Bucky said as he sucked and had her spasming under him.

"God I am so close" Ellie gasped.

Bucky hummed against her and with a gasp, her back lifted off the bed as he sent her into an orgasm.

"Fuck" Ellie said as she gasped.

Bucky kissed up her body and kissed her lips.

"Shit Buck" Ellie said as he rested against her shoulder as she recovered.

Bucky helped her move up the bed so she was resting on the pillows.

"Where are the handcuffs?" Ellie asked.

Bucky looked at her, "What?"

"The handcuffs? What did you do with them?" Ellie asked.

Bucky got off the bed and took them out of his suitcase.

"Handcuff me to the bed" Ellie told him.

Bucky looked at her, "Are you sure?"

Ellie nodded.

Bucky gently put them around her wrist and she raised her hand up to the headboard then let him do the same thing with the other wrist.

"God you are so beautiful" Bucky said as he kissed her then rested his forehead against hers as he pushed into her slowly.

"Fuck" Ellie moaned as his slow steady thrusting as torture as she couldn't reach him, "This is torture. I want to touch you"

"Want me to take them off?" Bucky asked as he kissed her neck then moved to her shoulder.

"No" Ellie groaned, "God right there"

"You are so perfect" Bucky groaned into her neck, "I'm not going to last much longer"

"Almost there" Ellie told him, "Right there… oh god"

Ellie fell apart, sending him over the edge as he collapsed onto her.

"Fuck" Bucky said as he groaned rolling over onto his back, "We forgot a condom again"

"Honestly… if it's going to happen it will happen, I don't think it will. We do need to be more careful. Take these damn things off me. I want to touch you" Ellie told him.

Bucky unlocked them and Ellie pulled him into her arms.

Ellie sighed as she ran her fingers through his hair as he rested on her chest, "Today was a good day"

* * *

a/n3: Don't forget to check out my Instagram: PrincessCaptainWinter for a sneak peek on pictures from this weeks chapter! If you don't have Instagram you can also find them on Facebook by searching for Buck and Cap's Princess and PrincessWinter Author Page.

Next chapter they will be in the happiest place on Earth… or will it?

Now to the reviews:

 **Gingin975: Thank you. If you ever have watched This is Us the TV show, I got the idea of the model of this story from this. Present and future are getting closer to colliding.**

 **PrettyRecklessLaura: Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

* * *

 _ **Preview of Chapter 68:**_

Ellie shrugged, "I don't know we will have to wait…" She said as she gasped and he caught her as she fell.

"El!" Bucky said as he held her in his arms and people looked at them concerned.

She got rigid and gasped as her eyes flew open and she looked up at him terrified as her body went into convulsions, "Bucky help me!"

Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she went limp. Then slowly her eyes opened as she looked around confused, "What happened?"

"I don't know" Bucky said scared.


	68. Chapter 68 - I Wonder

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: So I mistakenly lied to you guys. The chapter preview I posted for last chapter was the chapter preview that was for the next chapter, so it was supposed to be attached to this chapter. My fault, I'm sorry, so you have to wait a week to see how things settle but in the mean time enjoy 'I Wonder'!**

 **Thank you to the new followers: AlejandraLora and littlejay2013**

* * *

 **I wonder, I wonder  
I wonder if my heart keeps singing  
Will my song go winging  
To someone, who'll find me  
And bring back a love song to me?**

 **~ I Wonder from Sleeping Beauty**

* * *

 ***~*~* January 29, 2018 ~ Paris *~*~***

Ellie sighed as she sat on the balcony of their hotel room as she held her cup of tea, looking down at the town below her.

Bucky walked up behind her and kissed her shoulder, "What are you thinking about?"

"It's our last day in town" Ellie said sadly.

"Yeah but tomorrow is Disneyland! We get to go to Disney baby" Bucky said excited.

Ellie laughed as she patted his hand, "Versailles was beautiful, and I am glad we are resting for the rest of the day so we can have the energy for Disney. I'm tired"

"Don't forget the show tonight though" Bucky told her as he stood up straight.

Ellie yawned, "I think we should skip it. Can't we just have a relaxing day here at the hotel?"

"Too bad there is no pool here" Bucky told her as he leaned on the railing.

"Good thing, because I didn't bring a bathing suit" Ellie told him as she finished her tea, "Let's just climb back into bed for a few hours, watch something on TV then go get something to eat"

"That sounds good too" Bucky said as he helped her up.

* * *

Bucky unlocked their hotel room door after they enjoyed lunch at the hotel restaurant, "Do you want to go to the Eiffel Tower again?"

"No, I just want a nap" Ellie told him as he held the door open and she held out her hand shielding him with a glowing wall, "Someone is here"

"Very astute of you" A man said as he stood up from a chair by the TV.

"Fury" Ellie said as she dropped the wall, "What the hell are you doing in our hotel room, completely uninvited?"

Fury looked at her, "I can go wherever I want"

"Except our PRIVATE hotel room" Ellie told him as she held the door open, "Goodbye, when you return I expect a phone call and an appointment"

Fury looked at her, "Really? You have no room to tell me what to do"

"I'm not one of your minions, you have no control over me or Bucky" Ellie told him looking him directly in the eyes, "Don't make me MAKE you leave"

"Obviously you don't work with us, since you didn't tell me about your powers" Fury fired back.

"Look in the records, they are all there under the Phoenix project" Ellie told him with a grin.

"Far greater now than they were back then" Fury retorted.

"Honestly that is none of your business" Ellie told him as she crossed her arms across her chest and stared him down, "Leave"

"I want your help" Fury told her, "I want to make you part of the Avengers"

"Not interested, and it's not your choice. They don't even exist anymore because of those damn accords" Ellie told him, "If Steve can't be an Avenger anymore then I won't either"

Fury looked at Bucky, "Does she talk for you too?"

Bucky held his hands up, "You didn't want me part of it until Ellie, so what she says goes"

"We will be in contact" Fury said as he left.

Ellie sighed as he shut the door behind him, "I won't do it" She said as she visibly wilted.

"It's your choice Ellie" Bucky told her pulling her into his arms, "I will respect whatever choice you make"

"When I signed up for… the super serum… I thought my life as I knew it was over. I had nothing to lose, but I have so much to lose now" Ellie told him snuggling into his chest, "I can't lose it"

She sighed and pulled away from him. Ellie looked around the hotel room then to Bucky, "Let's just check out early and call the Disneyland Hotel… the fact he got in here so easily bothers me"

Bucky nodded as he started checking the room for their belongings.

Ellie looked around the room then noticed the lamp was moved. She walked over to it and looked over it, "What the hell?"

Bucky looked at her, "What?"

Ellie pulled the bug off the bottom of the lamp.

"Are you kidding me?" Bucky asked shocked.

Ellie grinned, "You know what Bucky… I think we should just head back home to Wakanda"

Bucky looked at her confused, "Really? Skipping Disney?"

"Fury ruined my vacation, we can head over to Disney tonight for the night just so we can see it and I'll call Shuri to have her send one of the Talon Flyers to get us" Ellie told him, "Keep packing"

Ellie put the bug back then walked over to him and put her hands on his head, 'I am calling Shuri and telling her to send us a Talon Flyer but first I am going to try to communicate with her so she knows just to send our bathing suits by it' She sent him mentally.

Bucky laughed.

Ellie took her communication bead and thought of Shuri, 'Shuri it's Ellie, don't freak out I am trying to send you this message. Our hotel room was bugged. I am going to call you and ask you to send a Talon Flyer to come get us but all I want you to do is send our bathing suits in it. Unless you want to visit Disneyland Paris, then you can come with'

Ellie put her bead back in the Kimoyo bracelet then moved it to her palm.

Shuri appeared, "Hello sister. How are you today?"

"I have a proposal for you. We ran into some issues here on the last day of our stay and it's really ruined our vacation. Could you possibly send a Talon Flyer here to pick us up?" Ellie asked, "We are planning on going to Disneyland tonight to stay but whenever you send a flyer would be amazing"

Shuri grinned then winked, "Of course… I'll personally come myself. I'll see you two in the morning"

* * *

Ellie stared out the window as their taxi drove down the road to the outskirts of Paris.

"You okay?" Bucky asked taking her hand.

Ellie looked at him, "I don't get it"

"Don't get what?" Bucky asked.

"How the business Peggy created changed so much" Ellie told him shaking her head, "It just bothers me. She worked so hard and Howard too. The intelligence community that I helped to build even the fraction that I helped… changed"

"Well technically it no longer exists" Bucky told her.

"I guess… he is just operating on his own" Ellie said biting her lip as she looked out with window into the dusk sky, "Buck look"

Bucky looked between the front seats and smiled, "We are at Disneyland!"

Ellie grinned at his enthusiasm.

The taxi driver was let through the gates after they showed their travel information.

"Wow look at all this parking" Ellie said amazed.

"You never been to Disney before of any kind?" The taxi driver asked.

"No sir" Ellie told him.

"Oh this will be magical for you then" He told them as he drove up in front of a massive building.

Ellie climbed out of the taxi and gazed up at the hotel, "Toto we aren't in Kansas anymore"

Bucky gazed at the building in front of them and took in the relaxing fountain sounds around them, "Why didn't we stay here the entire time?"

Ellie laughed as a bell boy came over with a cart, "Just help get the bags"

After loading up their bags, they walked inside the automatic doors and marveled at the inside as much as the outside. There were chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, puppets and characters were displayed. The entire place had an old world charm.

"Is this what life would have been like for us if we had money back then?" Bucky asked as he spun around taking everything in.

"I don't know but damn, I might go back and help Mom win the lottery to see" Ellie said as she looked up at the ceiling above her marveling at the grand scale.

Bucky walked over to the check in desk, "Hello, we called ahead, reservations for Barnes"

"Yes Mr. Barnes, your room was available to check in early" The man said as he turned the paperwork to them, "Just sign here and here, we have your credit card on file"

Ellie frowned as she looked at Bucky, "What does he mean?"

"Tony, we are just paying him back the amount everything costs" Bucky said as he signed.

"Here is your key" He told them, "You can get your room by the elevator if you follow the cast member-"

Ellie bit her lip as she gazed at the stairs and Bucky laughed as he took his wallet out and handed money to the belly boy, "Could you take our bags up to our room? We will take the stairs"

"Yes sir" He said, "But you'll have to find the Castle Club. Follow the signs and I will be at the elevator waiting for you. Just go up to the 2nd floor and there is an elevator you have to take"

Ellie walked over to the stairs and started climbing them as Bucky laughed following behind her, "Don't laugh at me" Ellie said as she looked back at him.

"No I am just finding this adorable" Bucky told her.

"It feels like we are back home… just with money" Ellie said as he took her hand, "It's so classic in here. I wish I had one of my fancy dresses to wear… I should pinup my curls while we are here"

"It does feel that way doesn't it" Bucky told her.

"This is almost like the Titanic on land" Ellie told him amazed as they walked over the bridge to the 2nd floor and she looked out the window, "Is that the entrance to the park? I didn't realize it was that close"

Bucky looked at the map, "Come on, our room is this way according to the map"

They followed the sign to a special room where the bellboy was standing next to the elevator.

"Sorry, we were taking it all in" Bucky told him.

"Not a problem sir" He told them as he put their card in to the slot in the wall and the light turned green so he could hit the up button. Once the made it to their room after a short elevator ride and check in at another reception desk. They stood out in front of the Sleeping Beauty suite.

"Have a pleasant stay" He said with a tip of his hat, "Just leave the cart when you are done"

"Thank you" Bucky said as he inserted his card into the door and it opened. Bucky picked her up and she giggled as they entered the room.

"Wow" Ellie said as he set her down to bring the cart in the room.

She opened the additional door and her jaw dropped, "Bucky… are you sure this is our room?"

Bucky pushed the cart in behind her, "It looks like an apartment"

"There is a fucking piano!" Ellie said as she ran past the couch and chairs over to the piano to try it, "Its real!"

Bucky looked up at the domed ceiling, "Oh Tony… what did you get us into?"

"A fireplace… big screen TV" Ellie said as she opened the curtains, "Look at this view"

Bucky opened a door and walked out onto a small balcony, "We can see right to the entrance of the park… there is a castle"

"It's Sleeping Beauty's castle" Ellie said as she put her arms around him, "I wish we brought Grant"

"Baby he is too young still" Bucky said sadly.

"I know" Ellie said as she rested her head against his back, "Come on let's go explore the rest of the room"

They walked to the left to find a large dining room table meant for at least ten people and a large kitchen with a full sized refrigerator.

"Did Tony think we really needed all this?" Ellie asked.

"No but its nice. Come on I assume the room is on the other side of the main area" Bucky said as he took her hand and led her to the doors across the way.

A giant standing mirror and a large four poster bed were the first things that you saw when walking into the room. A large wardrobe painted with Sleeping Beauty scenes was at the foot of the bed, a small desk and a lounge chair were next to the small balcony off the room.

Bucky walked into the massive bathroom to see a large two person bath, a double sink, a private toilet and a closet shower.

"This place must cost a fortune Buck" Ellie told him concerned.

"We have it" Bucky said kissing the side of her head.

Distant noises made Ellie pull away and walk over to the balcony doors to open them, "Bucky!"

He walked over and saw fireworks in the distance surrounding the castle, "Wow"

Ellie turned around and smiled as she picked up the headbands with ears on them, "Look Mr. and Mrs. ears and…. awww little Minnie and Mickey dolls" Ellie said as she sat on the bed and picked them up.

Bucky picked up the box of chocolates on the table, "Chocolates and a bottle of cold champagne too" Bucky told her as he grabbed the rose out of the vase and brought it over to lay on the bed next to her, "A rose for my lady"

"So charming… my prince charming" Ellie said as she leaned down and kissed him.

Bucky grinned against her lips, "I think I am going to like this place"

Ellie yawned against his mouth, "I'm so sorry"

"You never did get your nap" Bucky said pushing a piece of hair behind her ear, "Come on, let's change and go to bed"

After changing into their pajamas, they crawled back into bed and Ellie quickly fell asleep in his arms. Not able to fall asleep, he slowly got out from under her and walked out onto the balcony. Bucky bit his lip as he gazed out at Disneyland, all lit up.

He smiled as he heard the door open, "Why is it whenever I feel worried or concerned about the future, you show up?"

"How'd you know it was me?" She asked as she put her arms around him and laid her head against his back.

"Because the current you is passed out cold. Between still recovering from the attempted robbery, to getting Fury to go away. You are out cold" Bucky told her, "How are you Angel?"

"Well not as tired as the current me. God Buck, you exhausted me during this trip but I loved every minute of it" Ellie told him as he turned around in her arms.

"Last visit was your birthday, so it's September?" Bucky asked pushing a piece of hair behind her ear.

"No, its October" Ellie told him with a small smile, "I miss you so much but life can't stop. I am crazy busy between Stark Industries and Grant. Steve is doing more work with the survivors, so I have all the kids sometimes. Nat keeps tracking down what she thinks might be leads to… whatever she thinks will help, Pepper and Tony are parents now-"

"Tony a Dad?" Bucky asked surprised, "Already?"

"Little Morgan Stark, cutest little girl that thankfully looks like Pepper" Ellie told him as she ran her hands up and felt the ripples on his abs, "So… from what I remember… I wasn't too jealous was I?"

Bucky laughed as he kissed her neck, "I had it handled"

Ellie grinned, "I still have the handcuffs… I am just waiting on you to come back"

"I am still holding onto hope. You've never visited me much older" Bucky told her, "I always hope that means that between Steve and Tony they figure things out"

"Same here… I have yet to go into the future, I don't think it's a possibility" Ellie said as she put her arms around him and laid her head on his chest, "Do we have condoms left?"

Bucky laughed, "Yes but only four"

"Shit, then let's go" Ellie said as she pulled him back into the hotel room, "I remember using at least two here"

* * *

 ***~*~* January 30, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

Steve came back from his morning run to hear humming.

"Why are you fighting sleep Grant?" Natasha asked.

Steve poked his head into their nursery and saw her rocking him in the rocking chair and smiled imagining that she was holding Sarah instead.

"What is with that face?"

Steve looked at her and their eyes met, "Just imagining she was here"

"I wish she would come" Natasha told him as she put Grant into the crib, "Go to sleep"

"He woke up early?" Steve asked grabbing the monitor so they could leave the room.

"Yep" Natasha said as he leaned down and kissed her, "Morning, look at you all hot and… not really sweaty this morning"

"It's cooler than normal outside" Steve said as he got into the refrigerator, "Want something?"

"Just toast, I'm not really hungry… don't really have the room in my stomach to be hungry" Natasha told him as she sat down groaning, "You know those women you hear about that have like 13 or more kids?"

Steve laughed as he popped some bread in the toaster, "Yeah?"

"They are some brave bitches that is all I'll say" Natasha said as she leaned back, "I couldn't imagine going through this 13 times"

Steve came over and sat next to her, "I wish I could take some of the pain and discomfort from you"

Natasha looked over at him and smiled, "I know you do but men just don't get it. Probably doesn't help that I didn't have a consistent period since I was a teenager so I didn't have to experience cramps"

Steve placed his hand on her belly and smiled when Sarah kicked, "One time I asked Ellie what cramps felt like"

Natasha laughed, "What did she do?"

"Punched me in the stomach and threatened to kick me where the sun doesn't shine" Steve told her.

Natasha snorted, "That's awesome"

Steve gasped then laughed, "Bucky laughed and she grabbed him and squeezed… should have known she wouldn't have done that unless she liked him"

"From stories you all have told me, I'm surprised they didn't get together sooner" Natasha told him.

"The neighborhood talked, thought it was unbecoming of her hanging out with us instead of being around girls. The things they said about her behind her back… then she knocked everyone out of their socks on her 18th birthday" Steve said, "Everyone realized that she was really a woman"

Natasha looked at him, "No one ever really interested you?"

Steve shook his head, "No, not until Peggy and Peggy saw me. Not the tiny man boy but the real me that couldn't talk to women"

Natasha grinned, "You really were never a charmer"

Steve frowned, "I am so… I could knock your socks off with romance"

"Really?" Natasha asked, "Why have I never seen it then?"

"Just wait until Valentine's Day" Steve told her as he gave her a kiss then got up, "You won't know what hit you"

"Better be amazing Rogers!" Natasha yelled back.

* * *

* **~*~* January 30, 2018 ~ Paris *~*~***

Ellie rolled over early the next morning and noticed that she was in a robe. Bucky was asleep on his belly next to her and was also in a robe. A note was on the bedside table, 'Hey Sister! Brother let me in last night. I am in the room next door, here is a new phone and your bathing suit is in your bag. You will probably not see me as I will partying it up on my own in Paris! Loves!'

Ellie smiled then got out of bed. Looking at the clock to see it was only 6am, she pulled the robe closer, she grabbed her new phone and walked out of the bedroom to the sitting area and sat on the couch turning on the TV.

'Welcome Barnes family' came up on the TV and she turned the volume down as she turned to a regular channel.

Ellie brought up Steve's number and put the phone to her ear.

"Hey sis" Steve answered.

"I was going to say did I wake you but it's more like did I interrupt your run?" Ellie asked.

"Nah, I already finished it and made Nat some breakfast-"

"Burnt my toast!"

"It wasn't burn just extra toasted" Steve defended.

Ellie smiled, "How's my baby?"

"Asleep after his 5am bottle. He is doing fine though" Steve told her, "I am glad that you did this though. We needed the practice. When Sarah comes we will be fine"

"Good" Ellie said as she yawned, "So… have you heard from him?"

"Heard from who?" Steve asked, "Bucky?"

"Fury" Ellie said.

"Fury? Why would we hear from Fury?" Steve asked.

"He was in our hotel room when we got back last night and not so nicely told me I was to be an Avenger" Ellie told him, "I'm surprised Shuri didn't tell you"

"How did he know you were there?" Steve asked.

"It's Fury… he has eyes everywhere" Natasha said, "What did you say?"

"I told him to get the hell out and we left early and we are already at Disney" Ellie told them.

"Shit this is why… look at this picture, you can basically see your face" Natasha said on the other line.

"Good enough that his people ran facial recognition… probably Hill" Steve said, "Shit El were you using full power?"

"Yeah and I still feel like a have a hangover from it" Ellie told him.

"You stopped bullets?!" Steve asked shocked.

"No… I didn't technically stop them… more like…melted them" Ellie said as she bit her lip.

"Shit" Steve said.

"Ok, you blew his mind. Brains are on the ceiling Ellie" Natasha told her.

Ellie laughed, "I wasn't expecting to have to use them and I just knew that there were all these people that needed to be saved, Bucky included and I went full blast. I never have used my powers completely 100% powered"

"Hold on a second" Steve said as Natasha mumbled something in the background.

Bucky walked into the room, robe wide open, naked as the day as he was born and sat down on the couch turning to lay in her lap, "You were gone when I woke up… I figured we'd have some morning sex. We still have the handcuffs"

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

Bucky sat up, "Shit you are on the phone to Steve?"

Ellie laughed and he heard Natasha laughing in the background, "Yes I am"

"What the hell do you two… nevermind… I don't want to know" Steve said, "Have fun tonight"

Ellie laughed, "Love you too" She said as he hung up.

Bucky looked at her sheepishly, "I didn't realize you were on the phone"

Ellie ran her fingers through his hair, "Its okay… Natasha knows everything anyways"

Bucky turned and kissed her belly.

Ellie bit her lip, "I wish I could give you all the children you want and all the love you deserve in this world"

Bucky looked up at her, "You already have"

A tear slipped from her eye and he wiped her eye.

"I don't want you to cry" Bucky told her, "Don't cry for me… I'm still here"

She took in a shaky breath, "I know… and for that I am so thankful. I could have lost you in 45… and none of this would have happened"

Bucky stood up and held his hands out to her, "Come on, let's go get some food and you can't be sad in the happiest place on Earth"

Ellie let him pull her up and with a flick of her finger the TV turned off.

* * *

Ellie and Bucky got into the elevator after eating breakfast at the California Grill and hit the button marked 'Park Entrance'.

Bucky looked over at Ellie in her sweater, jeans and heavy coat, "Where did you even get those jeans?"

"Natasha told me to wear them here. I have always hated jeans" Ellie said as they rode down to the bottom floor and the doors opened.

"Wow… no security?" Bucky wondered as they walked out into the crowds that just went through security.

"Perk of staying on site I guess" Ellie said as they walked hand in hand through the archway and Ellie turned to look back and saw their room, "Did you see that Shuri came and went?"

"Yeah she called at like 3am. They gave her the suite next to ours but she said she will probably only use it to sleep. She doesn't expect to be there much" Bucky said with a laugh, "Talon Flyer already headed back in case Fury was tracking us"

"I hate being this paranoid" Ellie said shaking her head.

They walked through the pathway to Disneyland Paris Park and suddenly felt as if they were in an old Victorian village.

"This looks like the place I went into in high school that was an old village they kept the same after many years" Ellie said as they walked down the 'Main Street' with the castle at the end.

All around them, there were people from all over the world, people dressed at characters, families and people of all ages. They made their way to the castle and stood in front of it, looking up at it.

"Looks like you can actually go into it," Ellie told him looking up at it, "Or at least through it"

"Well let's go" Bucky said as they followed others up the pathway.

Ellie looked over the bridge, "The detail in this… most people probably don't pick up on it"

They walked inside and Ellie craned her neck to look up, "Wow"

The dome had a chandelier built into it with paintings.

"Reminds me of Notre Dame" Bucky told her.

Ellie looked at him glaring, "I wasn't there remember"

"Sorry" Bucky said as they walked out to the other side of the castle, "So where to first?"

"I think go to the very back then work our way forward" Ellie suggested.

"Sounds good to me" Bucky said.

Ellie took her phone out, "Shuri downloaded an app for me. Let me open it" Ellie said as she took her phone out of her pocket and clicked on the picture Shuri told her to go to.

"Pirates of the Caribbean… she said to visit that early then Peter Pan, that those two get busy fast" Ellie told him with a laugh, "We might even run into her"

"Pirates area is right there so let's go" Bucky said.

The pirate at the start of the line waved to them as they followed a few people into the area and twisted and turned through various areas. Finally they made it inside and they had different areas that looked as if pirates had visited or were from the movie. As the moved deeper into the building, more people were in the walkways.

Finally they reached the area where the boats were loaded.

"Last time I was on a boat was going to England" Bucky mumbled.

"Does the ferry count?" Ellie asked.

"True" Bucky said as they waited then boarded a boat.

"Doesn't this place have roller coasters?" Ellie asked as they floated into a pitch dark area with very low lighting and suddenly started climbing.

Bucky looked at her, "What were you saying?"

"There is no way this is rollercoaster like Nat showed me" Ellie said as they moved a little faster, "Although the robots or whatever you want to call the characters are pretty close to real"

"Yeah they've done a good job at that" Bucky said.

After finishing Pirates of the Caribbean they went to Peter Pan.

"I liked Peter Pan the movie. Hopefully this one is a good one" Ellie told him as they entered and quickly made it through the line to get in a "boat". The bar came down on their laps and they felt as if they were immediately in Wendy's bedroom then flying over the city. The colors were vivid as they 'flew' over Big Ben and looked at the night sky.

"Look at these colors" Ellie said amazed.

"This one is better?" Bucky asked with a smile.

"So much" Ellie said with a grin.

At the end of the ride, Ellie looked at Bucky, "If we have time tomorrow, let's come back"

Bucky laughed, "If we have time today we will. Let's go see the rest of the park"

They met Mickey Mouse on their way to Alice's Curious Labyrinth and then visited the Mad Hatter's Tea Cups.

They walked in the line and had a short wait as they watched the teacups move in front of them until they were able to get onto a teacup.

"Ready to be spun around?" Bucky asked as they made their way to a teacup.

"You spin me right round baby right round" Ellie sang with a grin.

"Shuri song?" Bucky asked.

"Yep" Ellie said as the ride started moving and Bucky spun it, "Careful don't spin it too hard"

Ellie laughed as they spun around and around and Bucky smiled at the carefree smile on her face as the ride stopped.

"Just when it gets good" Ellie said as they climbed off.

A group of teenage girls were talking and glanced over at them. One gasped, "Oh my god you are Sebastian Stan"

Bucky looked at them confused and Ellie laughed, "Sorry girls to burst your bubble but no, not Sebastian Stan but you see it too right?"

"Gosh yes" They said.

"Are you sure you aren't him. We won't make a big deal about it" The first girl told them.

"No ma'am I am not. Hi my name is Bucky Barnes" Bucky said holding his hand out.

"Aren't you Captain America's best friend?" The littlest girl asked.

"Now that I am" Bucky said.

She looked at Bucky, "Wait! You are his sister!"

"Hi" Ellie said as she smiled at her.

"You are so beautiful" She said amazed, "Can I get my picture with you both?"

"Us?" Ellie asked surprised.

She nodded.

"I guess" Bucky said confused.

They posed for a picture and the girls excitedly walked off talking between them.

"That was so weird" Ellie said.

"Very" Bucky said shaking his head, "Ready to go to whatever is next?"

"Let's go" Ellie said.

* * *

A/n3: SO I hate to do this to you guys again but this week's preview is the same as last week… since it belonged to this chapter but you guys get the chapter title.

 **Now to the Reviews-**

 **tuckerjnp1: Thank you!**

 **PrettyRecklessLaura: Thanks for reading!**

 **Gingin1975: It would have to be hard, basically similar to multiple personalities**

* * *

 _ **Preview of Chapter 69: Caught Somewhere in Time-**_

Ellie shrugged, "I don't know we will have to wait…" She said as she gasped and he caught her as she fell.

"El!" Bucky said as he held her in his arms and people looked at them concerned.

She got rigid and gasped as her eyes flew open and she looked up at him terrified as her body went into convulsions, "Bucky help me!"

Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she went limp. Then slowly her eyes opened as she looked around confused, "What happened?"

"I don't know" Bucky said scared.


	69. Caught Somewhere in Time

**_A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel._ **

**A/n2: Supposedly this week is when Falcon and Winter Soldier starts filming. So we will hopefully see soon an idea of what it might look like.  
**

 **If you had the time to lose**  
An open mind and time to choose  
Would you care to take a look  
Or can you read me like a book?

 **~ Caught Somewhere in Time by Iron Maiden**

* * *

"Ooh look Space Mountain" Ellie said as she saw it, "It's a real coaster from what I've seen"

"Well then let's go" Bucky said.

They walked through the line and Ellie got more exited the closet they got as they saw more space themed pictures. They climbed the stairs and Ellie was thankful for her night vision as they walked through a pitch black area then got into line.

Once through the line they were secured in and Ellie looked over at Bucky, "You ready?" She asked taking his hand.

Bucky laughed, "It can't be that bad"

They climbed an incline then the ride showed stars and ships. After a few moments, it launched and Ellie laughed as the wind whipped through her hair.

After only a couple minutes the ride slowed as they reached the unloading dock.

"Damn that was fun" Ellie said looking over at Bucky and she laughed, "Your hair!"

"That was the Cyclone on crack!" Bucky said grinning, "Let's do it again"

* * *

Ellie and Bucky were on the Thunder Mesa Riverboat enjoying a leisurely trip around the small river in the Old West area. Ellie leaned on the railing of the boat as they slowly cruised past a fake little shack with a robotic man and his dog on the "porch", "This is a nice relaxing calm down"

Bucky nodded, "We've done almost everything. This is a good break before we go visit our favorites again"

Ellie smiled, "Space Mountain for sure"

The boat made a turn and went back down towards a canyon looking area.

Bucky put his arms around her from behind, "I wonder if the area around the Grand Canyon looks like this"

Ellie shrugged, "I don't know we will have to wait…" She said as she gasped and he caught her as she fell.

"El!" Bucky said as he held her in his arms and people looked at them concerned.

She got rigid and gasped as her eyes flew open and she looked up at him terrified as her body went into convulsions, "Bucky help me!"

Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she went limp. Then slowly her eyes opened as she looked around confused, "What happened?"

"I don't know" Bucky said scared.

"Why am I on the ground?" Ellie asked looking around.

"You fainted… I had to catch you and then suddenly you looked at me… so scared and told me to help you" Bucky told her worried.

"Oh god" Ellie said as she sat up and saw they had an audience, "I'm okay… just… low blood sugar"

They were let off first when the Riverboat parked and a medic was at the dock.

"I'm fine… I'm just going to get something to eat. Thank you" Ellie said as Bucky put his arm around her and led her out of the Frontierland.

Instead of going to a restaurant, Bucky led her down Main Street to an Ice Cream parlor.

After ordering some basic ice creams, they went to a small seating area and Ellie looked at Bucky eye to eye for the first time.

"You are really freaked out Bucky… what was it?" Ellie asked.

"I don't know Angel… you were so scared" Bucky told her as she took his hand and it was shaking in hers.

"Tell me everything" Ellie said running her thumb over his hand.

Bucky shook his head, "It was so short. You collapsed in my arms and then you went all stiff then your eyes opened… then… you looked at me so scared and it was almost like… you were having a seizure… then you said 'Bucky help me' then your eyes rolled into the back of your head and you woke up" He told her, "And there was nothing I could do to help and… I won't be there to help whenever it happens"

* * *

After the incident on the Riverboat they had packed it up for the day and returned to the hotel. Bucky waited until she was in the shower and walked to the farthest part of the hotel room that he could get from the bathroom.

Walking into the dining room area, he held out his arm and hit the area on his wrist for the communicator. When Steve didn't answer, he called Natasha.

"Hey Bucky, what is up?" Natasha asked as she appeared.

"I need Steve, is he around?" Bucky asked glancing towards the bedroom area.

Natasha frowned, "Yeah, everything okay?"

"I don't know" Bucky said as Steve appeared next to her.

"Hey Buck, what is wrong?" Steve asked.

Bucky gnawed on his lip, "Has Ellie ever visited you?"

"You mean future Ellie?" Steve asked confused.

"Yeah, has she?" Bucky asked.

"Without you? No. Why?" Steve asked.

Bucky looked at the ground, "She has never visited me old" Bucky said as he looked up at them, "And today, she collapsed in my arms… and she… God she was so scared when she woke up and she was convulsing and she asked me to help her then she passed out"

"She didn't say when she was from?" Steve asked.

"No, she didn't have a chance" Bucky told him shaking his head, "God Steve… what if something happens to her?"

"She visits you pretty frequent right?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, at least every two weeks" Bucky told him, "It has been twice on this trip, not counting this visit"

"All we can do is wait and pray that she comes back. When was she from last time she visited?" Steve asked.

"October of next year" Bucky told him, "Steve… Grant can't lose both parents in less than two years"

"He's not going to" Steve stressed, "She is going to come back and how much do you want to bet she is having that power issue again. She was trying to come back and visit you but she didn't have the power to do it"

"That's right… it could have been that" Bucky said calming down slightly.

"Plus remember Belle?" Natasha told him, "She hasn't happened yet. She will be fine"

"Thanks guys, I was just over thinking it" Bucky told them with a smile, "I was worrying for nothing"

"We are dealing with… the complete unknown Buck. People just don't see into the future. It is why knowing the future is such a dangerous thing" Steve told him.

* * *

 ***~*~* January 31, 2018 ~ Paris *~*~***

Ellie and Bucky were sitting at the Stunt show at Walt Disney Studios when someone sat down next to them.

"What the long faces? We are at Disney!" Shuri said.

"Hey Shuri" Ellie said with a half smile.

"What happened?" Shuri asked concerned.

"Just some… stuff that we are a little worried about" Bucky told her.

"I visited… from the future but… I wasn't healthy" Ellie told her as she took Bucky's hand.

Shuri looked at her confused, "What was wrong?"

Bucky sighed and rubbed her hand, "I don't know… she was… having a spell… almost seizure like and wanted me to help her… but I couldn't"

"Has… she visited again?" Shuri asked.

"No" Bucky told her.

"So yeah since then… the vacation has taken a little turn" Ellie told her sadly.

"What else do you guys have to do here?" Shuri asked.

"Nothing really" Ellie said.

"I have an idea… when was your flight?" Shuri asked.

"6 in the morning tomorrow, layover in Egypt… why?" Ellie asked.

"We are canceling your flights. I'll have the Talon come back and we will do Egypt as a sightseeing trip. See the pyramids then get you home to see Grant" Shuri told them as she got up, "I'll see you both back at the hotel"

Bucky watched her run off, "Do I even want to know?"

* * *

A few hours later, Ellie found herself face down on a massage table and she lifted her head to look over at Bucky, "Are you sure you are okay with this?"

Bucky was standing next to the massage table with his arms crossed over his chest as he bit his lip with his toe tapping, "If I don't drop the skin appearance, they'll feel it"

Ellie laid her head on her hands looking at him, "Then drop it and we will explain it. This is supposed to be relaxing Bucky"

Bucky sighed as he hit the button and the blue Vibranium re-appeared.

Ellie reached over and took his hand, "It's okay Bucky… you don't have to be ashamed of it. There is nothing to be ashamed about"

There was a knock on the door and two women entered.

"Oh sir, are you not ready?" One of them asked.

"No, well… I have a prosthetic arm and-"

"I will be extra careful of the surrounding area where it is connected" She told him with a smile.

Bucky looked at Ellie.

"Babe, you need to relax" Ellie told him.

He sighed as he laid on the table.

Ellie settled into the table and the masseuse started massaging her shoulders.

"Oh god" Bucky said as he moaned.

"You are so tight sir"

After ten minutes, Ellie was completely and blissfully relaxed. Biting her lip, she thought about one of the very last days that she was able to see her Mom, as she slept in the waiting room. She focused all her energy to her brain and felt the spark feeling.

Focusing her thoughts on that day, she opened her eyes and found herself lying on a hard couch. She blinked her eyes and stretched as she sat up, looking across from her to see little Steve.

She smoothed her dress down as she looked around the waiting area to see various people that she didn't recognize.

Her shoes clicked on the linoleum as she walked down the hallway to the tuberculosis ward. Grabbing a mask from the small table, she slid it on her face then walked in.

Most of the people in the ward were already too far gone or they were asleep. Towards the end of the row of beds, laid her mother and it took everything for Ellie not to cry.

As if she could sense her, Sarah Rogers opened her eyes and smiled, "Come here"

Ellie's lip quivered as she walked over to the bed, "Hey Momma"

Sarah placed her hand on her bed and patted the space next to her, "My darling… have a seat"

Ellie gave her a tearful smile, "How are you feeling?" she asked as she sat in the chair next to her.

Sarah looked at her, "You know how I am feeling. Question is… when are you from?"

Ellie frowned, "What?"

"Your eyes… I've recognized it by now my beautiful girl" Sarah told her, "They are always beautiful but they are sparkling. Is this your first visit?"

Ellie looked at her wide-eyed, "What do you mean?"

"From the future… now when you were in the tub… I thought it was just the fever. But this is… the fourth time you have visited" Sarah told her.

Ellie chuckled, "Well shit Ma, I can't pull anything over on you"

"You know better" Sarah told her with a smile.

"Well it's good to know but… this is my first visit" Ellie told her shaking her head, "God Mom…you are a Grandma… about to be a Grandma twice over. God this is a relief that I can actually talk to you."

"How is Grant?" Sarah asked.

"Amazing… I wish you could meet him. He is 10 weeks old but developmentally he is so much older. He is starting to sit up" Ellie told her, "I've told you about him?"

"Yes and little Sarah and…" Sarah said as she stopped.

"Steve's twins?" Ellie asked.

Sarah looked at her, "Yes… Steve's twins. How do you know about them?"

"I hijacked my own brain… I went to my future when future me was visiting Bucky" Ellie told her with a grin, "They are so cute. I didn't find out their names. What are they?"

Sarah bit her lip, "I don't think you've told me"

Ellie sighed, "Mom… I can see why they say knowing the future is a dangerous thing. I wish I could heal you"

Sarah patted her hand, "It's not in my cards baby. But, thanks to you I know that you are safe and Steve is safe. I don't need to worry"

"I always wondered how you took all this so easily… that fact that you were dying. I couldn't… I couldn't handle it" Ellie said as some tears escaped.

"It's going to be hard. Things weren't perfect with your father but despite his faults, I loved him. It's never… easy losing the other half of yourself. It never gets better. You just learn… to live and cope without them" Sarah told her, "Just like you learned to live and cope without me, you will learn… to live without him"

The tears finally fell, "But I don't want to"

"Honey you don't have that choice. It's horrible that you had to go through this so young. Losing your father, losing me, then losing Bucky twice… but you are so strong and I am so proud of you" Sarah told her.

Ellie let out a shaky breath, "I don't feel strong"

"Lean on Steve. If he is as big and powerful as you have said… he will be there for you" Sarah told her.

"I love you Mom… God… I would love to just give you a big hug right now"

"I know but we can't risk your body getting sick" Sarah told her sadly, "One day, you will get your hug. Now… it's time to get back to Bucky. He is going to be missing you"

"But I don't want to leave you" Ellie told her.

"But you have to. I don't have much longer" Sarah told her sadly, "And you have more time left with him. Enjoy every moment"

"I will" Ellie told her.

"And give Grant a big kiss from me" Sarah told her.

Ellie stood up, "I love you… thank you Momma for everything"

"Just remember, I might not be there physically baby but I am always there for you" Sarah told her, "I love you so much"

Ellie turned and walked out of the ward then went straight to the bathroom before she lost it. She washed her hands and arms, then threw the mask away. Wiping the tears from her face, she looked at herself in the mirror.

Suddenly she felt drained, so she left the bathroom and found that the couch was thankfully still empty. So she laid back down across from Steve and closed her eyes.

"Angel"

"Hmm?" Ellie mumbled.

Bucky's laugh made her open her eyes, "You slept through your massage"

"I am so damn relaxed" Ellie said as she sat up and looked around, "How long as I out?"

"Our massage just started an hour ago. So not long" Bucky told her, "I just told them I'd wake you up in case… you traveled"

Ellie smiled, "Well I did that too"

"Really? I couldn't even tell from here" Bucky said as he helped her stand, "Where did you go?"

"To see Mom" Ellie said as she started crying and he pulled her into his arms, "Right before she went downhill. She knows… she knew I wasn't… from that time. It wasn't the first time I've visited. She asked me about Grant. It was the fourth visit. She knew about the tub, now, and two other visits that I haven't done yet. It was… so nice that I didn't have to pretend… I could be myself"

"So it was a good visit?" Bucky asked.

"She… made me feel better about things for sure" Ellie said as she snuggled into his chest, "How was your massage?"

"So… my arm for the first time in a long time… really doesn't hurt. I feel awesome" Bucky said kissing her forehead.

"Let's get dressed so we can get ready to head back home. I'm ready to see our baby" Ellie told him.

"But first, Egypt with Shuri" Bucky said as they got dressed.

"This is going to be interesting for sure" Ellie told him.

* * *

 ***~*~* January 31, 2018 ~ Egypt *~*~***

Shuri landed the Talon Flyer in Cairo Egypt on the private airstrip. Turning off all the switches, she turned around and smiled when she saw Ellie curled up on Bucky's chest as they both slept. Holding her Kimoyo beads up, she took a picture to add to the scrapbook that she was making for Ellie to have once Bucky was gone.

"Wake up sleepy heads! We are here" Shuri told them.

Ellie blinked open her eyes and looked around confused, "Where are we?"

"Right outside of Giza" Shuri told her, "I was going to fly us in closer but without going through the proper channels for landing near town…. I wasn't going to risk it"

Bucky stretched, "How are we getting to our hotel?"

"I ordered a car" Shuri told him as she grabbed her bag.

"We are only staying tonight right?" Ellie asked, "I am just wondering because if not I need to find a place to ship milk home"

Shuri looked at her, "Yes we should be home before midnight tomorrow"

Ellie yawned, "Let's get to the hotel. I'm tired"

* * *

 ***~*~* February 1, 2018 ~ Egypt *~*~***

After staring at the ceiling for the last few hours, Bucky rolled out of Ellie's grasp and quietly walked over to the small balcony attached to the room. Slowly sliding the door open, he glanced back to see Ellie and Shuri in the other bed had not awoken, so he walked out onto the balcony then shut the door.

With a sigh, he had a seat on one of the chairs provided and waited as he looked out at the pyramids lit up in the distance. After about an hour, the door slid open and Ellie's head poked out.

Bucky smiled, "Hey Angel"

Ellie gave him a half smile, "it's just me. Can't sleep?"

Bucky shook his head, "Its February"

Ellie walked over and sat on his lap, "We don't know what will go on between now and then… we can't stop living"

"I know… not knowing what happened to you isn't helping either" Bucky told her as he kissed her neck.

Ellie sighed, "It bothers me too but the time traveling me that we saw… looked older. So I hold out hope that… she was from like… 2040 or even further in the future when Grant is all grown up and not depending on me. I don't know why she picked when she did to come back or really if she was trying for that specific moment. I would have thought if something was seriously wrong that she would have gone to a time period that I was with Steve so Steve could help"

"True. Although as of yet, you've never came back to see Steve specifically… only me" Bucky said.

"I don't know there are so many unknowns with this. It's time travel Buck" Ellie said shaking her head, "I guarantee you that we have accidentally without knowing it, changed the course of things"

Bucky sighed against her neck, "I'm so tired"

"Then lets get you to bed" Ellie said as she stood up then pulled him to his feet.

She lead him back into the room, first stopping to make sure that Shuri was still sleeping. Ellie pulled the covers back and they climbed into the bed. Bucky pulled her to him then kissed the top of her head as she laid her head on his chest listening to his heartbeat.

Bucky ran his fingers through her hair, "Will you make me a promise?" Bucky whispered.

"Hm?" Ellie mumbled.

Bucky bit his lip, "No matter how bad things get… how desperate you are… that you won't go back and change anything"

Ellie bit down on her lip trying not to cry, "I promise"

"I mean it Angel. You might not have me… but you will always have Grant and… he and you are the best things that I've ever done" Bucky told her.

Tears slipped out of her eyes, "I promise… no matter… how hard… I won't"

Bucky pulled her closer and sighed as he closed his eyes.

Ellie waited until his heart rate slowed and he fell asleep then closed her eyes and remembered a moment in time in her past that had always bugged her.

Opening her eyes, she found herself in a different hotel. Sitting up, she threw on the clothes in the bag on the dresser and slid the heels next to the chair onto her feet. Looking into the mirror at her short hair she ran her fingers through it and sighed.

Grabbing the keys and the room key, she threw them into her purse then hurried out of the room. Climbing into the car, she turned it on then backed up. Flying down the road to the area that she remembered the intel that she had obtained being in. After breaking just about every traffic law, she made it there in only 15 minutes.

Finding a spot under the street light, she parked the car in front of the address on her intelligence and that had also been burned into her memory. Turning the lights off, she waited. Wishing that she had her enhanced hearing, she tried to listen for anything in the silent night. Inside the house closer to her she heard a woman scream then yell NO! Minutes later, the front door opened. Swallowing hard, Ellie opened the door to her car. In the darkness of the night, a man in black came from the steps of the house and she stood up. Shutting the door, the man stopped in his tracks to look at her.

Staring at him, she waited for him to make a move. He stared at her for a moment longer then walked away into the darkness. Ellie took a shaky breath then got back into the vehicle. She drove the opposite direction and pulled into a gas station.

Taking three cents out of her purse, she inserted it into the payphone then dialed the emergency number. After telling the person on the other line that she had been driving down the road when a man came out of the address she had given. She gave a short description to the dispatcher of the man then informed her that she thought that she had heard a little girl crying then hung up when they asked her to come in to give an official statement. Ellie remembered the file had said that only an anonymous phone call had been made other than the little girl's statement that the officials had laughed off as a child imagining things at the time.

Getting back into the vehicle, she hit her hands against the steering wheel in frustration then put her head in her hands as she tried to compose herself for the trip back to the motel. Starting the car, she saw a flash of silver in the tree ahead of her as she turned on the headlights. Putting the car into drive, she drove closer and rolled the window down. Unable to see anything, she sighed, "I'm sorry Buck. I can't chase you down as much as I want to. I can't… just know… I love you"

Not a sound was heard, so she stopped at the end of the driveway and glanced in her rearview. Shaking her head, she turned right to head back to the motel.

Once back at the motel, she changed back into her night gown then cried herself to sleep.

Bucky pulled her to him, "Angel, wake up"

Ellie blinked as she looked at him, "What?"

"You are crying. Are you okay?" Bucky asked concerned.

Ellie gave him a tearful smile, "I'm okay… I promise"

Bucky sighed, "What did you do?"

"Nothing… really. I… I promised and I kept that promise. I just…I had to check something. I didn't change anything" Ellie told him.

"What was it?" Bucky asked.

"An old case… a man working for the SSR… he and his wife were killed. I was really close to it at the time in deep darkness under another name. The… intruder left their daughter without hurting her" Ellie told him.

"Because the mother told me not to hurt Elizabeth" Bucky said as he frowned, "The woman in the red car… was you?"

Ellie nodded, "See I promised I wouldn't change things. God… I just… I had to see you. I promise I won't go back to that time period any more though"

"God El… I could have killed you" Bucky told her as he stood up.

"But you didn't and I knew you didn't because I'm here. It already happened. My body already had done it. They had a witness to the person making the call. I put it together. The man saw me. I knew it was me and the red car I was driving at the time" Ellie told him as she took his hand.

"I followed you… with the intent to kill a possible witness Ellie" Bucky told her as he pulled his hand away, "Don't do it again"

"If you followed me… then why didn't you kill me?" Ellie asked.

"Because I heard your voice as you talked on the phone" Bucky told her as he turned away from her, "I remembered you… it was before they perfected the brainwashing"

Ellie stared at his back, "Then why did you let me get back in the car?"

"Because I was ashamed. Yes I didn't realize what I was doing at the time but…I nearly killed my wife. I had just killed two human beings. I had blood on me. I didn't remember where I was, how I'd gotten there. Then you pulled up to the tree and spoke to me. After you pulled out of the driveway… I decided that if you wouldn't chase me down… I'd find you. I was running down that highway when Hydra found me. I tried. They didn't know why though but I swore… after that day they wouldn't… they wouldn't know about you. I'd protect you. 95% of the time I didn't know who you were but the idea of you… kept me from completely losing it" Bucky said as she put her arms around him from behind, "So while… I don't want you doing it again… thank you for doing it. You gave me a reason to keep fighting them. That was… the last mission before they perfected the brainwashing though. I don't remember anything after that with you before Romania"

"because shortly after that… I got the serum and I left the covert ops" Ellie told him resting her chin on his back.

The door came open and Shuri walked in, "I have… breakfast. Did I interrupt something?"

"No, you are good" Bucky told her, "You better have coffee"

* * *

Ellie shook her head as she looked around the inside of the pyramid they were in, "I can't believe we are here… thank you Shuri"

"Not a problem. I have never been here myself and I wanted to explore it" Shuri told her as they climbed the stairs.

They reached the middle of the pyramid where the burial chamber was located.

"After all those small passages… it is so big in here" Bucky said looking around.

Ellie frowned as she heard something. Almost as if a child whimpering. Turning towards the sound, she walked over to the area she heard it from and looked up to see another passage up towards the top of the stone. Staring at it, she noticed that it was red as it was glowing. Placing her hand on the wall of the pyramid, she crained her head back to try to get a better look then her world went dark.

She gasped as she opened her eyes.

"Shit El, don't do that to me" Bucky said pulling her into a hug.

"What happened?" Ellie asked confused.

"You passed out on us" Shuri told her, "I scanned you and there was no medical reason for it either"

Ellie frowned, "I heard something then I… I looked up in the top of the pyramid. That is the last time I remember. How long was I out?"

"15 minutes" Bucky told her as someone walked over, "She is fine now, thank you. They were trying to figure out how to get a stretcher up here to get you out"

Ellie stood up slowly with Bucky and Shuri's help, "I feel… tired but fine. Are you sure it wasn't… someone?"

"You were out… completely out" Bucky told her.

"Shit… I don't know then" Ellie told him with a frown.

"I say we head back home and let Dr. Ksie and my team look you over. Just in case" Shuri told her.

"Really Shuri?" Ellie asked.

"Yes, now let's get out of here" Shuri told them as she put her arm around Ellie, "Think you can walk?"

Ellie rolled her eyes as Bucky took her hand, "It's not like we can just appear outside the pyramid easily"

Ellie felt as if she were hit over the head as she fell to the ground with Shuri and Bucky falling next to her, "Oh god"

"What the hell just happened?" Shuri asked.

Bucky sat up and looked around from their spot outside the pyramid, "Oh my god"

"That's new" Ellie said looking at Bucky.

* * *

 ***~*~* February 1, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie smiled as the Dragon Flyer landed in Wakanda.

"Glad to be home?" Bucky asked.

"So glad" Ellie said as the door opened and Dr. Ksie entered the plane, causing her to groan, "Shuri really?"

"We need to make sure you are okay and that you weren't exposed to anything" Dr. Ksie told her, "After the Sleeping Sickness, it could still be in your system or something else that you could have gotten into in the pyramids"

"Or I am just tired" Ellie defended as she looked at Bucky, "Oh my god, you agree with them"

"Its better to be safe then sorry" Bucky told her.

"I want to see Grant" Ellie told him with a pout.

"Pout isn't going to work babe" Bucky told her as she huffed, "I'll wait before seeing him until you are cleared. We don't want him exposed to anything"

"That is dirty, using Grant" Ellie said as she rolled her eyes, "Let's get this over with"

* * *

Bucky stood back as he watched Ksie and Shuri's team run a variety of tests on Ellie to clear her before she could go back to the apartment.

He looked up as the door opened, "Hey Steve"

"What the hell happened?" Steve asked as he walked over and gave Bucky a hug.

"I don't know. Shuri and I were standing exploring the burial center of one of the pyramids. Ellie was under one of the passage ways looking up then she just fainted. It took 15 minutes for her to wake up" Bucky said shaking his head, "Freaked me out because… in the future she has power issues and health issues. I thought this might be where they started"

"Does she know that?" Steve asked.

"That she has power issues? Yes but just that. She can't visit me for nearly half a year and she told me the Dr. Banner has to figure out-"

"Wait… Bruce?" Steve asked surprised.

"Yes, he has to help figure out with your help, who can help her" Bucky told him shaking his head, "She hasn't been the same since the power issues. She is always tired Steve"

Steve bit his lip, "I wonder what brought him out of hiding. He's been missing since Sokovia"

"Probably whatever happens. She never mentions Dr. Ksie… or anyone from Wakanda. I don't think she stays here" Bucky told him as he glanced over at him, "So how is my son?"

"Great. Thanks for this crash course by the way. We feel more prepared for Sarah for sure. Although, she won't pee on me" Steve said.

Bucky laughed, "my boy is good at that"

"He got it in my mouth the first time" Steve told him as Bucky's laugh echoed across the room causing Ellie to look up, "Just telling stories about your kid peeing in my mouth"

"You have to keep your mouth closed Steve, honestly" Ellie said shaking her head.

* * *

"Where is my baby?" Ellie asked as they entered the apartments.

Natasha waved from the couch, "Already had his bath… we are just chilling here on the couch"

Ellie walked over and Grant yelled holding his hands out. She took him and hugged him to her as he grabbed her shirt, "Hello my love… God I've missed you"

"What took so long I thought you guys landed hours ago" Natasha told her.

"We did but someone wanted me to go through a full round of tests first" Ellie said as Grant touched her face and she kissed his little hand.

"I just wanted to make sure everything was okay. She passed out in one of the pyramids. But they couldn't find anything, so she is fine" Bucky told her as Grant reached out to him yelling out in his baby babble, "Hey bud"

Ellie handed him off, "I want to feed him" She told Bucky as she looked at Natasha, "Has he ate his night bottle yet?"

"Nope, I knew you landed so I waited. He was a little fussy but not too bad" Natasha told her.

After some cuddles and "talking" between he and Bucky, Bucky passed him off to Ellie who sat in the recliner to feed him.

"Ahhh… so much nicer than the pump. Hey there handsome, did you miss me?" Ellie asked gazing down at her son.

Bucky kissed her forehead, "I'm going to go unpack" Bucky kissed Grant's head then grabbed their bags.

Ellie sighed as he left.

Natasha grinned, "Tired?"

"Exhausted. I never really fully recovered from the Phoenix thing and the whole trip was go go go" Ellie said with a yawn as she smiled at Grant, "But I am glad to be home"

* * *

 **a/n3: New developments, old developments… getting closer to April.** Now to the reviews:

 **Tuckyjnp1: I love Disney I wish I could go back soon but waiting until the rumored Marvel ride opens.**

 **PrettyRecklessLaura: Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

 **Gingin1975: Poor Steve. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

 _** Preview of Chapter 70: Everything Happens to Me ** _

Bucky looked at her when she turned around in her chair and held up the picture, "What is this?"

"That is your family" Ellie told him as she stood up.

Bucky looked at it, "The baby?"

"Ulysses Steven Grant Barnes" Ellie told him with a smile, "That picture is from his 40th birthday. Or should I say Police Chief Barnes"

"Oh god… has it really been 40 years?" Bucky asked.

"No… it's been 46 years Bucky" Ellie told him as she took a chance and placed her hand on his cheek.


	70. Everything Happens to Me

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: So I have been swamped at work as of late and I like having a five chapter cushion… this is that fifth chapter. Chapters might go to every other week until I can catch up, but we will see how things go over the next week.**

 **Thank you to the new followers: bucknastayy and RAD092515**

* * *

 **At first my heart tho't,  
You could break this jinx for me  
That love would turn the trick  
To end my despair  
But now, I just can't fool,  
This head that thinks for me  
I've mortgaged all my castles in the air**

 **~ Everything Happens to Me by Frank Sinatra**

* * *

 ***~*~* February 8, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

"Will you stop?!" Ellie yelled aggravated as she turned around quickly, spatula in hand

Bucky jumped back as it smacked him and looked at her confused, "What?"

Ellie sighed, "I'm not fucking going to pass out Buck. It was a fluke thing and it's been a whole week and nothing. I am fine"

"I just worry alright? I have the right to" Bucky told her as he put his arms around her.

Ellie sighed as she rested her forehead against his shoulder, "Why do I love you?"

"Because you fell for my irresistible charms?" Bucky asked innocently with a grin.

"Yeah yeah" Ellie said as she kissed him.

"Yeah you two are back, at least you aren't sexing it up on the stove… which sounds painful" Sam said as he sat at the bar.

Ellie flicked him off, "What do you want Sam?" She asked going back to making the grilled cheese sandwiches that she was making.

"Food, have you made it yet?" Sam asked.

Ellie glared at him, "Excuse me?" Ellie said.

Bucky grinned as he ate a piece of carrot, "Better watch it Sam, she is wicked with that spatula. She likes to spank things"

Ellie gave Bucky an incredulous look, "Really Buck?"

"Seriously, I don't want to hear about you two and spanking. I've heard enough of that shit to last me a lifetime" Steve said as he walked into the room with Natasha waddling behind him.

"Caution wide load coming through" Natasha said as she sat down at the kitchen bar.

"Want a grilled cheese?" Ellie asked her.

"Actually that sounds amazing" Natasha told her.

Ellie took the sandwich off the frying pan and put it on a plate for Natasha.

"You sure you are going to be okay?" Bucky asked as he finished his sandwich.

Ellie rolled her eyes, "Yes Bucky I will be fine. Go get stinky with the goats"

"Then we can shower together?" Bucky asked with a grin.

"Seriously?! I am right here!" Steve told him.

Bucky laughed, "I know that's why I said it. Want to come with?"

"Why not, call me if you need me" Steve said as he gave Natasha a kiss.

"Are ya'll running or riding?" Sam asked.

Bucky laughed, "Yeah it would take me hours to get there even if I run full speed"

"I'll come with you guys if you don't mind. I like talking to W'Kabi" Sam told them.

"Get out of our hair already. You are bugging us with all this testosterone" Ellie said as she sat down next to Natasha.

Bucky gave her a quick kiss, "Love you"

"Love you more" Ellie said as she touched his face.

Bucky leaned down and kissed Grant who giggled when Bucky's whiskers tickled his face, "Okay let's go"

"Ladies" Sam said tipping his imaginary hat.

"Thank god" Natasha said after they left, "I am up to my eyeballs in testosterone and it's on overload"

Ellie laughed, "Bucky hasn't left me alone since Egypt so I get it. I am surprised he actually went"

Natasha sat back and looked at her, "So what really went down in Egypt?"

"I honestly don't know. It was so weird. I heard this strange noise… almost like a baby crying and I walked over towards it. There was no one around holding a baby or anything like that… I looked up into this opening and… next thing I know… Bucky is waking me up. He said I was out for 15 minutes but it felt so much longer" Ellie said frowning.

"Wait… so you didn't pass out?" Natasha asked confused, "You were dreaming?"

"I don't know what you would call it but it… was almost like a hallucination" Ellie told her shaking her head as she sighed, "It was like I woke up from the serum injections in 1949 but I was a Mom. Ulysses never died"

* * *

Ellie opened her eyes and looked around to see she was in Dr. Reinstein's lab. On one side of her sat Howard and on the other sat Peggy, holding her hand.

She groaned and Peggy looked at her, stopping her conversation with Howard.

"Ellie, you are awake!" Peggy said as she squeezed Ellie's hand, "How are you feeling?"

"Confused but actually amazing. My body doesn't hurt for the first time in ages. I wonder if I have Steve's healing now" Ellie told her as she took a breath and inventoried her body, "My back doesn't hurt anymore"

"Ellie, do you remember what happened?" Howard asked as he stood up as she sat up.

"Oh the light…oh…the light" Ellie said staring at her hands as if the energy was still there.

"When you tried to… return the light… it essentially drained your own energy" Howard told her as he sat back down next to her, "you've been asleep for over a day"

"Shit" Ellie said as she looked around and everything was suddenly much clearer, "I think it improved my vision too. Everything is… weirdly clear. I mean I can see… everything. It's almost overwhelming. Where is Lyss? "

"With Jarvis" Howard told her.

"What else do you notice?" Peggy asked her.

"It's like my brain is… sped up" Ellie told her, "I'm remembering things I forgot and...what happened to my voice?"

"Dr. Reinstein is hoping that goes back to normal but… Ellie when you screamed… all the glass in this room shattered" Peggy told her.

Ellie gripped the table and felt it move beneath her as if her hand were going through butter, "Did Steve have all these?"

Peggy shook her head, "No. He had enhanced senses, stamina, speed, healing and strength but… he couldn't manipulate light or shatter things with his scream"

"We are going to have to train you up" Howard said, "We will go to my property and test out what you have"

* * *

"Jarvis we are home!" Howard yelled as they walked into Howard's mansion.

A little boy came running through the hallway, "Mommy!"

"Oh Lyss!" Ellie said as she picked him up, "Mommy has missed you. Thank you Jarvis"

"Not a problem, I am glad I could be of service" Jarvis told her.

"Mommy we are having spaghetti" Ulysses told her.

Ellie grinned as she nibbled on his ear causing him to giggle, "Oh Spaghetti? I thought you said Lyss was for dinner. My mistake"

She set him down and he took her hand, pulling her to the dinner table.

* * *

Pulling her robe closer to her early the next morning, Ellie walked down to the kitchen to see Jarvis already in the kitchen.

"Good morning Mrs. Barnes" He said as he saw her.

"Good morning, please call me Ellie" Ellie said as she sat down at the kitchen counter and sighed.

"Long night ma'am?" Jarvis asked.

"I couldn't sleep… my body wasn't tired so I sat up reading" Ellie told him as she ran her hand over her face, "I remember every word of it too"

Jarvis looked at her, "Do you think it is because of the experiment?"

"Steve had an amazing memory so I don't doubt it" Ellie told him as he handed her a cup of tea and she smiled, "How did you know that is what I wanted?"

"Every day starts better with a cup of tea" Jarvis told her.

"If you don't mind, I am going out next to the pool" Ellie told him.

"If you need anything, just let me know" Jarvis told her.

"Thank you" Ellie said as she took her tea and opened the sliding door to go out.

The early morning chill barely affected her skin as she walked out and sat on one of the pool side recliners.

Ellie sighed as she stared at the water as she finished her tea then laid back closing her eyes.

"Everything alright?" Peggy asked.

Ellie opened one eye as Peggy sat in the recliner next to her then sighed as she closed her eyes, "I didn't need sleep last night. Do you know if Steve was that way?"

"He needed to rest but not as often. He could go for long stretches without sleeping on missions" Peggy told her.

Ellie swallowed hard and kept her eyes closed as the tears tried to come forward, "The nights are the worst you know? When Lyss was little he was in my room as long as I could, then he had his own room when he turned two but he still slept with me. It wasn't until recently where he wanted to be a big boy and sleep in his own room… but it was harder for me the first few nights… it was silent in my room. I grew used to someone in the room with me. Hearing their breathing. Suddenly the fact… he wasn't with me… was harder all over again"

"Oh Ellie" Peggy said.

Ellie opened her eyes as the tear came spilling from her eyes, "I just… all I could think of last night is… what would Bucky think of me getting the super serum? All these… bonus perks that I have"

"He would be damn proud" Peggy said, "After his initial reservations of course"

Ellie laughed, "Probably"

* * *

Ellie was sitting in her office reading an intelligence report late at night as she sipped on her tea when her phone rang.

She picked the phone up, "Director Barnes"

"Hey Mom"

Ellie smiled as she sat back in her chair, "Lyss, hello sweetheart. What do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?"

"Come on, can't I just call my wonderful mother?" Ulysses asked.

"Not when it's… what? 3am there in London?" Ellie told him.

"Yet you are still in your office?" Ulysses asked.

"Its only 8pm here. Now what is up?" Ellie asked.

"I got a promotion" Ulysses told her.

"Lyss! That is amazing! I am so proud of you" Ellie said as she looked at the picture of her and Bucky, "What does Jill think of it?"

"Well as chief, I won't be on the streets as much. So she is happy about that" Ulysses told her.

"Well I am so happy for you" Ellie told him.

"Thank you Mom" Ulysses told her, "What do you think Dad would have thought?"

"He would have been proud of you too dear. I am sure of it" Ellie told him sadly as someone ran into her office.

"Director Barnes, something… oh I'm sorry"

"Lyss I have to go. I will call you tomorrow" Ellie told him as she saw the look on her secretary's face.

"Love you Mom" Ulysses said.

"Love you too" Ellie said as she hung up, "What is it?"

"Howard is dead"

* * *

Ellie's car pulled up to the crash site and she got out before her driver could completely stop.

A police officer tried to stop her as she went to cross the caution tape, "Ma'am this is a crime scene I can't-"

"I am a Director of SHIELD" Ellie said as she flashed her badge.

"Detective Horton!" The officer yelled and a detective looked up then walked over.

"Director Barnes, pleasure to meet you" Detective Horton said shaking her hand.

"What happened to Howard Stark, Detective?" Ellie asked looking around the car.

"The rear tires blew for some reason and they slammed into this tree. It appears that Mr. Stark died of blunt force trauma. Mrs. Stark has neck injuries" Detective Horton told her.

Ellie looked at the trunk then reached into the now empty vehicle for the keys to unlock the trunk, "The package is missing"

"Excuse me?" Detective Horton asked.

"Mr. Stark had a package that he was traveling with… the suitcase is gone" Ellie said as she took his flashlight and shined it on the tire tracks then picked up two bullets, "The Starks were murdered"

* * *

Ellie was sitting in her home office looking over files when she heard the faint creaking of a floor board in the hallway.

Opening her top desk drawer, she pulled Bucky's old revolver that she always kept in her top desk drawer out and crept out her office door and listened as she looked down the hallway. The third stair going up the stairs to her bedroom always let out a groan as you went up the stairs and Ellie heard it, to confirm that someone was in her house.

Kicking her heels off so she could be relatively soundless; she walked over to the stairs and walked up them slowly avoiding the areas that made noise. Her bedroom door was cracked open so Ellie stood against the wall and glanced into her bedroom to see an individual with their back to her staring at the large picture from her and Bucky's wedding.

She slowly pushed the door open and stood behind the long haired individual as they picked a picture up from her bedside table of her, Ulysses and his wife Jill with their twin boys Jimmy and Steve from Ulysses' 40th birthday.

"Just give me a reason not to shoot you" She told the individual in front of her.

She heard the person take a breath then say, "How do you have that picture?"

Ellie glanced at the direction the gloved hand was pointing, "That is my wedding picture, why are you in my home?"

The man turned around and looked at her. He had night vision goggles on and a mask covering his face, "You can't be"

"No sir, you can't be in my home. Do realize that you have broken into the Director of Shield Intelligence's home? Not very smart on your part" Ellie told him as she did something she hadn't in years and yelled an order, "Put your weapons on the bed"

Slowly the man took all the weapons from his person and laid them on the bed. When he pulled a knife from his boot, she froze then stepped forward to grab it when she saw the handle, "How did you get this?"

The man breathed in, "Ellie"

Ellie looked up at him, "How… no"

The man swallowed then took his mask off then pulled the goggles from his face.

"No… no you can't" Ellie said looking at him wide-eyed.

"I don't understand" The man said licking his lips, "I know you"

Ellie tried not to cry, "Yeah you do. Do you remember what happened to you?"

"Hydra got me…" He said closing his blue eyes, "Oh god… its 1991. How do you look… so good for 1991?"

Ellie smiled at him, "You obviously have memory issues. Do you remember Steve?"

"Steve… Steve… your brother"

Ellie nodded as he looked at their wedding picture, "Do you know who you are?"

"James" He said, "No... why does Bucky fit more?"

"Because you are James Buchanan Barnes, we called you Bucky" She said as she inched closer to him, "Do you know who I am?"

"My mission… but… I can't comply… I can't kill you" He told her as he looked into her eyes, "Oh god… they're real"

She smiled at him, "Hi baby"

Bucky fell to his knees holding his head, "Oh God El…my head"

Ellie felt to her knees next to him, "I don't know what they did to you Bucky. But we are going to get this figured out"

She went to reach for her bedside phone.

"They cut your phone line" Bucky told her as he looked at her wide-eyed, "Oh God… they are out there making sure I finish the mission"

She grinned, "Oh honey, don't worry about that. Are you safe?"

"Its like my brain is battling with itself" Bucky told her honestly, "I know that I am supposed to kill you. They gave me orders to do it but I can't"

Ellie walked over to her bed and lifted it to reveal a set of stairs, "I trust you"

Bucky went down the stairs after grabbing the family picture from the side of her bed. Ellie grabbed her revolver then went to the stairs, pulling the bed down; she shut and secured the bulletproof door behind her. Bucky was standing on the stairs looking up at her, "You have a secret stairwell under your bed?"

"As the Director of Shield… I have to prepare for things" Ellie told him, "Go. It will take us to the basement"

Bucky led her to the basement and opened the door when they reached the bottom. Ellie pushed the door shut behind them and locked it. She pushed past him, "Excuse me"

Walking over to the computer in front of her, she turned it on then typed in a message.

ATTN: DIRECTOR BARNES

Hydra forces are alive and I am currently trapped in my safe shelter at my home. Code O912347.

Bucky looked at her when she turned around in her chair and held up the picture, "What is this?"

"That is your family" Ellie told him as she stood up.

Bucky looked at it, "The baby?"

"Ulysses Steven Grant Barnes" Ellie told him with a smile, "That picture is from his 40th birthday. Or should I say Police Chief Barnes"

"Oh god… has it really been 40 years?" Bucky asked.

"No… it's been 46 years Bucky" Ellie told him as she took a chance and placed her hand on his cheek.

He closed his eyes and put his hand over hers, "El… I'm so sorry"

She gave him a watery smile, "What happened?"

"They mess with my brain… I don't remember most of it. I can for some reason remember everything about you though" Bucky told her as he opened his eyes and looked at her, "All I remember is falling"

"You fell off a train when you and Steve were battling Hydra forces" Ellie told him.

"Where is Steve?" Bucky asked.

Ellie bit her lip, "Steve is gone"

"What do you mean gone?" Bucky asked.

Ellie shook her head, "Steve… he crashed Red Skull's plane somewhere in the ocean in the Arctic only weeks after you… went missing. We've still never found the plane. Howard has searched for it for years"

"Oh God" Bucky said as he sat on the ground.

"In 1949, they figured out the super serum and gave it to me. Its part of the reason I've barely aged" Ellie told him.

Bucky gave her the first smile since she had seen him, "You look damn good for what? 60s?"

"72 years old" Ellie told him, "I have my good days and my bad days but I definitely don't feel 72"

"What about all your injuries from the Hydra attack?" Bucky asked.

"Gone. I am pretty well healed since the serum" Ellie told him.

Bucky looked at the family picture, "I can't believe how much like me he looks"

"He's your carbon copy" Ellie told him shaking her head, "He actually was in the Army for awhile. He doesn't look his age either. You don't look in your 70s either though"

"They've given me a lot of shit" Bucky told her, "Before and after the fall. I never told you much about it but whatever they gave me I survived. Only to be tortured"

Ellie looked at his arm, "I'm sorry Buck… I had intelligence about a man with a metal arm… and I never looked into it"

"You didn't know it was me" Bucky told her.

"Doesn't make it right" Ellie told him sadly.

"So Ulysses is here… who I am surprised didn't change his name by now" Bucky said looking at her.

"I wanted to keep by the family tradition" Ellie said as she sat down next to him, "That is his wife, our daughter in law, Jill. Those are our Grandsons"

"Shit, Grandsons?" Bucky asked surprised.

"They are twins, Steve and Jimmy" Ellie told him with a smile, "We also have a granddaughter. Sarah, she is only a few months old. I was there for her birth but… after this is over, we will go see them"

"I missed so much" Bucky told her sadly.

"But you are here now and we are going to get the best doctors for you. It's a perk being married to the Director of Shield Intelligence" Ellie told him.

Bucky looked at her, "You never got remarried?"

Ellie shook her head, "I have never even dated. I said death till us part. I never died did I?"

"But you thought I did" Bucky told her.

"It never felt right. I never had interest in other men. It's always only been you" Ellie told him.

"How did I ever deserve you?" Bucky asked as he turned towards her, "You really were an angel sent from heaven"

"I don't know about that I have done some really… sinful things. I've killed" Ellie told him sadly as he kissed her and she moaned.

Bucky rested his forehead against hers, "I've done worse… I don't remember much of it but what I can remember… I've done much worse. I've cheated"

Ellie bit her lip, "But you didn't remember me"

"Doesn't matter, it still wasn't right" Bucky told her.

"It's going to be a work in progress but we can do it… together" Ellie told him.

Bucky took her hand, "Together"

* * *

Ellie was lying in bed when she felt something brush against her cheek. Blinking her eyes open, she smiled when she saw bright blue eyes staring back at her, "Good morning"

"Gammy, you got a line on your face"

Ellie laughed as her little Great-Granddaughter Emily suddenly was taken off her body.

"Emily, why aren't you in bed?" Bucky asked as he blew on her belly.

She giggled, "I not want to sleep"

"Shit, sorry. I was using the bathroom" Jimmy said as he walked in, "Emily I told you not to wake up Gammy and Gramps. Sorry go back to sleep, we will see you in the morning"

Bucky handed her off to Jimmy and shut the door behind him. He climbed back into bed next to her and kissed her shoulder as he put his arms around her.

"What time is it?" Ellie asked.

"5am" Bucky told her.

"Where were you? You haven't gotten up at 5am in years" Ellie told him as she turned in his arms.

Bucky tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, "I got a phone call"

Ellie frowned, "I didn't hear it"

"I still had my phone on vibrate after the movie last night. It was the Colonel. He was sorry for waking me up but… they got a call last night. They found Valkyrie" Bucky told her.

Ellie sat up, "What?"

"He couldn't give me many details but he was heading out there. A Russian oil team found it. Before the call cut out, he said that the team told him they found Steve's shield" Bucky told her.

"Oh my god" Ellie said as she put her head in her hands and looked over at him, "We can finally bring him home Buck"

Bucky nodded, "It brings some closure"

"God… I can't believe-" Ellie said as her phone rang and she grabbed it, "What the hell, Fury? What are you doing calling me at 5am?"

"I'm sure through his channels your husband has heard that the Valkyrie was discovered. I am calling to tell you, we have his body" Fury told her.

Ellie sighed as Bucky rubbed her back, "Where are you bringing him?"

"New York office is the closest" Fury told her.

"I'll be there around noon" Ellie told him.

"10-4" Fury said as he hung up.

Bucky pulled her into his arms, "He's home"

"Finally" Ellie said as she pulled him down next to her, "We finally can say goodbye to Steve"

Bucky rubbed her back, "What did he say?"

"They have his body" Ellie told him.

Bucky frowned, "Are they sure it's his and not the Red Skulls?"

"I guess by his uniform" Ellie said as she laid back on her back, "I don't think I'll be able to go back to sleep. Maybe we should go in earlier?"

"We can't remember? We have to drop Mandy off at 9am at NYC for her college visit day" Bucky told her.

"Shit, that's right" Ellie said with a sigh.

"If they discovered the ship a few hours ago, they probably don't even have his remains back anyways" Bucky told her.

"I know…it's just been a long time" Ellie told him as she laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes as she heard his heartbeat.

* * *

Ellie straightened her jacket as she got out of the car, "Thank you"

Bucky handed the keys to the intern and followed her to the private door where she scanned her badge so they could both enter.

"Director Barnes!"

Ellie turned, "Coulson, what do you have for me?"

"They just brought in the ice. It started to melt during its travel but it's largely intact" Agent Coulson said as he caught up to them.

"Wait… they brought in the ice? What ice?" Bucky asked confused.

"You weren't told?" Coulson asked surprised, "I am sorry Director but, your brother's body was frozen in ice… not just frozen but preserved"

"Oh my god… so he is in a block of ice?" Ellie asked as they walked through the hallways of shield.

"Yes ma'am… they are starting the melting process but they don't want to disturb his body too much so they are doing it slowly" Coulson told her as he stopped at the door, "I can't get in"

Ellie swiped her card and entered her code so that the doors would open. They walked down to the labs and found people walking around in lab coats with various pieces of equipment and a trail of water going into one of the rooms. Ellie followed the trail and stopped in her tracks as she entered one of the labs. Inside the thin block of ice laid that familiar uniform.

Bucky took her hand and Ellie slowly stepped closer towards the end of the table to gaze through the ice.

"It's like he is sleeping" Ellie said sadly as Bucky rested his hand on her shoulder, "His body is well preserved"

"We are going to start the thawing process. Starting with the head and working our way down" The head doctor told her.

Ellie laid her hand on the cold ice, "I'll be right upstairs Stevie"

* * *

Ellie was sitting behind her desk and Bucky was taking a nap on the couch when the door flew open.

"Where's the fire?" Bucky asked as he sat up.

"You both need to come quick to the lab" The intern told them.

Ellie stood up with Bucky on her tail as they followed the intern down two floors to the labs to see if it was possible more people coming and going than earlier.

Bucky led her through the doors and Coulson looked up, "Coulson what's going on?"

"I don't know how to tell you both this but… he's alive" Coulson told them.

"What?!" Ellie asked as she walked over to his body and saw his chest rise then fall, "Oh my God"

"Rhythm is holding steady" One of the doctors told her, "The only worry we have is other than if he will wake up, how will he wake up. Will he have any permanent damage cognitively? We don't know if he went without oxygen for an extended period of time prior to… the freezing"

"I'm not leaving him until we know something" Ellie told them.

* * *

Steve's eyes fluttered open and took in his surroundings. He was on a bed and next to the bed was a small couch where a woman slept. Music quietly played in the background as he tried to move and his body protested the movement. He heard footsteps come close on the other side of the door so he closed his eyes and listened as the door opened.

"Angel, wake up"

"Did I fall asleep?" A woman's voice asked.

"No wonder, you've been up for almost 48 hours now" The man said, "You need to think of your health Ellie"

"I will rest when he wakes up Buck"

At that he opened his eyes and looked in the direction of the voices to see the woman sitting up with her legs over the man's as she kissed the man, "Thank you for the coffee"

"I know you don't usually drink it but it has more caffeine in it" The man said as he and Steve made eye contact, "Shit… Steve"

The woman jumped up and walked over to him, "Stevie! You are awake"

Steve took in her appearance. Ellie was definitely older but didn't appear over the age of 50. Looking next to her as the man walked up to her, he took in the man's eyes, "Buck?"

"Welcome back to the land of the living Steve" Bucky told him.

"But you died" Steve said.

"It's a long story but he didn't die" Ellie told Steve, "And neither did you. You were found frozen in ice and by some miracle… your heart restarted when you were thawed"

"You are older… how much older?" Steve asked.

Ellie sighed, "Its 2012"

Steve stared at her, "There is no way… you don't look… 93"

"Not 93 yet, only 92. It's April. I have the serum running through my veins too. It slows down aging" Ellie told him.

Steve looked at Bucky, "How about you?"

"Whatever shit Hydra put into me not only prevented me from dying by falling from a train but I age slow and I was frozen too" Bucky told him, "I've been… re-tasked since 1992"

"Director Barnes I…he's awake" One of the interns said after he ran in the room, "I'll go get the doctor"

"Director Barnes?" Steve asked.

"I'll explain after these tests that are about to come on happen" Ellie said as doctors came in the room.

* * *

Steve looked around Ellie and Bucky's house in amazement, "This is a beautiful house"

"Thanks" Bucky said as Steve stared at one of the photos, "That is our 65th wedding anniversary party family photo"

"Wow" Steve said as Bucky walked over to him, "Who is all in the photo?"

"That is Ulysses, our son and his wife Jill. They have twin boys, Jimmy and Steve. That is Jimmy and his wife with their granddaughter, my little Emily" Bucky said proudly.

"You are a Great-Grandfather?" Steve asked.

"Great-Great Grandfather actually. Steve's daughter just gave birth to a little boy and Emily is my Great-Great Granddaughter" Bucky told him, "That is my little girl though, Mandy. She was 16 in this photo"

"Wait, as in… your daughter?" Steve asked.

Bucky laughed, "Yeah, she was born in 92. 46 year difference between my oldest and youngest. We were surprised that Ellie could even get pregnant but she did. She is actually at a college visit right now"

"Are my boys catching up?" Ellie asked pulling her wet hair up into a ponytail.

Bucky gave her a kiss, "Of course"

Ellie hugged Steve from behind, "I'm so glad you are back"

Steve pulled her to his side, "Me too"

* * *

Ellie sighed as she shook her head looking at Natasha, "Bucky was killed in the Battle of New York and I… guess I had a heart attack or something because after seeing him die in front of me… I collapsed and woke up in the pyramid. It was the weirdest… dream I guess you'd call it. Sure felt as if I lived another whole life"

"So you really dreamt all that in ten minutes?" Natasha asked surprised.

"Yeah… but it felt so real and so vivid. It was like I was actually living it" Ellie told her, "All because I didn't lose the baby in '45. That one change… I didn't lose it when I got the serum... Bucky was saved earlier. You were saved earlier. Bucky and I were with Steve when he came out of the ice. But an alien got Bucky in the end"

"Well this reality is better or worse?" Natasha asked.

Ellie looked at her, "Ask me in May"

* * *

a/n3: 70 chapters! I can't believe it. Thank you to everyone that has stuck around. Now to the reviews:

 **tuckerjnp1: If I could go back, it would be to see my grandmother for sure. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

 **Gingin1975: Every evolving. Eventually they will settle. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

 _ **Preview of Chapter 71: Speechless-**_

"Its okay El, I know you didn't mean it" Bucky voice said as they walked into the apartment.

"Sorry for… shit!" Steve said as he jumped up nearly causing Natasha to fall over, "What the hell happened?"

Ellie went to the cabinet and grabbed two baggies, "Bucky and I were sparring and… I got a little carried away"

Steve pulled Bucky's hand away from his eye causing blood to flow again, "Shit El, his eyebrow is split open and so is his lip"

"That wasn't so bad until she kicked me in the nuts. Your sister fights dirty" Bucky said as she wrapped the ice up in a paper towel.


	71. Speechless

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: So good news, I got another chapter completed… bad news, more than likely there will not be another update next week and instead you will have to wait two weeks. Life is crazy busy lately, hard to wrap my head around it sometimes. I try to complete some of my lesson plans each night then work on the story for a bit… I have it mapped out until Endgame, but when I get home… I crash hard. Wake up to make dinner, work on lesson plans and it is time for bed. I am hoping that the challenges resolve soon so you all can get more chapters! No new followers this week but I thank those of you who read it every week. Don't forget to review and tell me what you think of the chapter or what you envision for the future of the story! Check in on Saturday just in case. I will have a block of a few hours this week free before our Teacher/Principal meeting and I am planning on putting the headphones on and just going to work.  
**

* * *

 **I'm speechless  
Staring at you, standing there in that dress  
What it's doing to me, ain't a secret  
'Cause watching you is all that I can do  
And I'm speechless  
You already know that you're my weakness  
After all this time I'm just as nervous  
Every time you walk into the room  
I'm speechless**

 **~ Speechless by Dan and Shay**

* * *

 ***~*~* February 10, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie walked into the common room carrying a basket of laundry with Grant lying in the basket cooing.

Natasha looked up from the TV, "Cutest basket of laundry ever"

"I know right?" Ellie said as she sat the basket down on the table and took Grant out to put him in his play pen.

Grant grabbed a rattle that was in the playpen then rolled onto his back to stick it in his mouth.

Natasha changed the channel and got to the TV ordering channel.

Ellie laughed, "This is really a thing?"

"My apartment back in Washington was full of shit I really didn't need. Now that I can't have a credit card it helps but… still hard not to watch and want stuff" Natasha said as they talked about Goat Milk Laundry soap.

"$59 for laundry soap?!" Ellie said shocked as she sat down next to Natasha and started to fold some of Bucky's shirts.

"Because of the goat's milk" Natasha said as she took some onesies out of Ellie's basket, "I really need to get Sarah's stuff washed"

"Oh" Ellie scoffed, "It's so you pay for the cute little tin" Ellie said as they showed the antique looking tin.

The next thing they went to was Wool Dryer balls that came with special scented oils to but on the balls that made your clothing smell better to help dry your clothing better.

"Oh, shit I just remembered something" Ellie said looking at Natasha.

"What?" Natasha asked looking at the onesie in her hand.

"Something else to watch out for with Sarah, Steve was horribly allergic to wool" Ellie told her as she started folding underwear.

"Good to know" Natasha said as she laid back against the couch staring at the small lacy panties that Ellie had in her hand, "I'm starting to freak out Ellie"

"About her birth?" Ellie asked turning towards her.

"Yeah, I'm dilated a bit. Nalia says it's possible that she will be here this week" Natasha told her as she sat back and rubbed her belly.

"I'm so excited" Ellie told her with a smile, "Don't get me wrong, it's painful but when they are here… it's so worth it"

Natasha looked at her, "So you'd have another? Even with how horrible your delivery was?"

Ellie bit her lip and looked down at her wedding ring, "I'd give Bucky a whole house full of kids if I could. To fill up our house, every kid having their own room"

"There are only two rooms in that house" Natasha said confused.

Ellie sighed, "We haven't told Steve this yet but… Bucky and I bought a house. It is on the Hudson and it needs some work to be updated to… modern codes. So it's not livable right now but… once it is and the damn accords are over, you, Steve and Sarah will have rooms for you on our floor and upstairs Sam and Wanda can have their own rooms. Each room has a huge walk in closet and private bathroom. There will be a pool and an in-home theater… it will be awesome"

Natasha shook her head, "I can't believe you guys bought a house for all of us" Natasha said.

"Well after we went to the compound and saw how… cold it was. We looked into homes in the area. It's not super close to the compound but close enough to drive to" Ellie told her as she sighed, "What was the biggest factor was Steve's room. Nothing has been touched but… it didn't feel like he was comfortable there. It wasn't home. All Steve and I wanted growing up was a real home"

Natasha smiled, "I get it. I never really had a home either. When you said that you are including me too… I'm trying really hard not to cry right now"

Ellie hugged her, "Nat, you are my sister now. You might not be married to Steve but I finally have a sister. Just don't tell Shuri, she is like a sister too but we are much closer"

Natasha just laughed, "Shit now I gotta pee"

"And welcome to the last few weeks" Ellie said with a laugh, "I peed myself a lot. Hell I still do occasionally. Welcome to motherhood I guess"

* * *

 ***~*~* February 11, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie got off the elevator on the second floor of the palace and walked down the hall to the gym. Peeking into the gym, she saw Bucky holding a punching bag for T'Challa as T'Challa punched away at it.

Ellie pushed the door open and quietly walked over to one of the chest pressing benches and sat on the bench to watch them.

T'Challa saw her and smiled, "Ok that is enough. Thank you Bucky" T'Challa said as he walked over to her, "Ellie, ma'am… I am sorry if you were searching for him. He and Captain Rogers are the only people I can properly spar with"

"It's okay" Ellie told him as T'Challa left the gym and she leaned back looking at Bucky.

"Sorry" Bucky said as he unwrapped his knuckles, "Did you need me?"

"No but I am a little turned on seeing you all sweaty" Ellie said with a grin.

"Oh really" Bucky said with a raised brow.

"Yeah" Ellie said as she pulled her shirt over her head to reveal her sports bra, "How about we spar a bit?"

Bucky stared at her, "Us spar? I thought it was going to be let's make love right here on the weight bench"

Ellie snorted, "Yes us spar… why? You think I can't do it?"

Bucky stared at her chest then looked at her grinning face, "Remember Angel I don't underestimate you at all"

"No you remember, I've kicked your ass before and that was without the shit they put into us" Ellie said as she put her hands up, "Why are you scared?"

Bucky scoffed, "No, I don't want to hurt you"

"You aren't going to hurt me" Ellie said as she propelled herself forward and he blocked.

"Seriously?" Bucky said looking at her in disbelief.

"Come on!" Ellie said as she pretended to punch high and got him with her left hand in his stomach, "Shit! Sorry!"

Bucky laughed, "Okay if you want to play it that way then"

Ellie giggled as she went back and forth on her legs and sent out a kick, which Bucky deflected and she used the momentum to wrap her leg around his head and twisted pulling him to the ground.

"Shit" Bucky said looking up at her.

"Like I said… don't take it easy on me" Ellie said as he reached up to pull her down and she tucked and rolled back up onto her feet.

"Shit" Bucky said in disbelief, "You still have the spy skills"

Ellie held her hand out and pulled him up, "Okay let's get serious"

Bucky threw out a cross punch that she leaned back to miss then she threw a round house kick which he jabbed to avoid.

She laughed as she kicked back into his stomach and sent him to the floor.

"Okay! I got it, your legs are strong" Bucky said as he got up, "Let's see how your punches are"

* * *

Sam looked over at Steve and Natasha, who were sitting on the couch sharing popcorn, "You know what you should name the baby?" He said randomly.

Natasha paused with her hand in mid-air as she went to eat a bite, "What?"

"Liberty!" Sam said, "Captain America's daughter Lady Liberty with her best protector in Uncle Sam… how could it be any better?"

Natasha looked at Steve, "Can I shoot him?"

Steve laughed, "No"

"Damnit" Natasha said as she threw popcorn at him and he stuffed it into his mouth.

"I'm so sorry Buck"

"Its okay El, I know you didn't mean it" Bucky voice said as they walked into the apartment.

"Sorry for… shit!" Steve said as he jumped up nearly causing Natasha to fall over, "What the hell happened?"

Ellie went to the cabinet and grabbed two baggies, "Bucky and I were sparring and… I got a little carried away"

Steve pulled Bucky's hand away from his eye causing blood to flow again, "Shit El, his eyebrow is split open and so is his lip"

"That wasn't so bad until she kicked me in the nuts. Your sister fights dirty" Bucky said as she wrapped the ice up in a paper towel.

"I said I was sorry. I kinda just… got into the mode I used to go into. It felt good doing something physical" Ellie said as she put the ice on his eye and he hissed.

Bucky looked at her out of his other eye, "Baby, I'm not mad. We said not to take it easy and you didn't. You are just way stronger than I thought you were" He looked at Steve, "I think she'd even kick your ass"

Steve looked at her and she shrugged.

"It's the roundhouse kick with that jump" Bucky said, "I was on the ground more than I was up"

"When I'm recovered from her birth, we spar" Natasha told Ellie.

"That I would pay to see" Sam said as he walked over to them, "Way to go Ellie. That's going to be some shiner"

Through the baby monitor, Grant started to cry so Ellie set down her water bottle then went to their apartment. She came back out with Grant, who was clinging to her shirt.

"What's wrong?" Bucky asked.

Grant looked up when he heard Bucky's voice and looked at Bucky and started crying again.

"Shit" Ellie said as she tried not to cry as she rocked Grant to try to calm him.

"Its okay El, give him to me" Bucky said holding his arms out.

Ellie handed him over and Grant fussed a little.

"Hey Bud, it's me" Bucky told him taking the ice away from his eye.

Grant stopped crying and looked at him.

"Daddy just has a boo boo" Bucky said as he kissed Grant's hand as he reached out.

Grant placed his hand on Bucky's lip and Bucky hissed as he felt heat and pulled back, "what the hell?"

"What? Want me to take him?" Ellie asked stepping forward.

Bucky put his face back down on Grant's hand as he reached out and touched Bucky's lip. He felt the heat again and after 30 seconds, Grant yawned as he snuggled into Bucky's arms as he took his hand off Bucky's lip.

"Shit" Ellie said as she walked over to him.

"What?" Bucky said as he tentatively licked his lip and felt that it was closed, "Did Grant just heal my lip?"

"Fuck man" Steve said amazed.

"Well… he exhausted himself like I exhaust myself" Ellie said as she took him and rocked him as he slept with a quiet snore.

"Can you heal?" Sam asked Ellie.

"Not that I know of, but he can shield like Bucky… the healing must be from me" Ellie said as she placed her hand on Bucky's forehead and thought of healing him.

"Ouch, nope… just heat" Bucky said pulling her hand away.

Ellie looked at Grant, "How the heck did he do it?"

* * *

 ***~*~* February 13, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie sat on the floor next to Grant, watching TV as he pushed himself up onto his arms holding his head high up in the air, "Good job little man"

"She can just come now" Natasha groaned as she waddled into the room.

Ellie sat back against the couch as Natasha sat down, "Well she is a Rogers… I was overdue and but Steve came a few weeks early. Maybe Nalia was right and she will come sometime this week"

"I hope so" Natasha said as she looked at her, "So tomorrow is Valentine's Day, any romantic plans?"

"No, we haven't planned anything because we don't want you to have to watch Grant for us. You need to be resting" Ellie told her.

Natasha laughed, "The kid that basically watches himself. Steve can change him and I can feed him. Go figure out some romantic dinner for the two of you tomorrow."

"Are you positive?" Ellie asked.

"Positive" Natasha told her, "Make sure you get your makeup on and a nice dress. In fact I know the perfect place"

Ellie frowned, "I should be letting you and Steve go out on one last childless romantic night"

"Like I feel like going out. I ache all over and I feel like a whale. No, when she is a few months old, you can do it for us" Natasha told her.

"Gladly" Ellie said as she looked at Grant as he rolled onto his side then onto his back, "Well shit, he is going to be walking before I am ready"

"He will be crawling soon I bet" Natasha said.

Ellie sighed, "That's what I am afraid of"

* * *

 ***~*~* February 14, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie bit her lip as Grant burped, "Now honey, Mommy and Daddy are going out but we are going to try your crib tonight. Mommy and Daddy will just be in the other room… you don't even know what I am saying"

She laid Grant down in his crib and stood with him while he fell asleep. Walking back to her and Bucky's bedroom, she grabbed her dress in the closet that Natasha had let her borrow and unzipped it. Sliding it over her head, she walked into the bathroom and quickly did her makeup. She was touching up her hair when she heard the bedroom door open.

"Angel?"

"In the bathroom" Ellie answered.

Bucky walked in and froze in his tracks, "Holy cow"

"What do you think?" Ellie asked him.

"Do we have to go out to dinner tonight?" Bucky asked.

Ellie snorted, "Yes… I didn't get in this dress for nothing. Can you zip me up?"

Bucky walked over to her and she held her hair to the side as he kissed her back then her neck as he zipped it up.

Ellie turned around and kissed him, "Hmmm let's go before I change my mind"

"Tonight, you… me… and that dress on the floor" Bucky told her.

"That better be a promise" Ellie told him.

"No a guarantee" Bucky said as he kissed her hard.

They left their apartment with monitor in hand and walked into the common room to see Steve and Natasha sitting on the couch together.

Steve looked up, "Looking good sis"

"We are just going to the revolving restaurant about an hour away, if you need us call and we will be right here" Ellie told them.

"Don't worry. Go enjoy yourselves" Steve told her, "Get out of here"

Bucky took her hand, "Come on, sooner we go eat the sooner we can get back"

"Don't rip my dress tonight Barnes!" Natasha yelled as they closed the door behind them.

Bucky grinned as he nibbled on her ear, "No guarantees"

* * *

"Here is your wine sir, madam" The waiter said as he brought over a bottle of wine and set it on the table.

"Thank you" Bucky said as he took it and poured Ellie a glass then himself one, "Here is a toast to a wonderful Valentine's day. Thank you for being the amazing person you are and you don't realize how much I love you"

Ellie grinned, "Love you more"

"I highly doubt that" Bucky said as he leaned over the table and kissed her.

Ellie took a sip of her wine, "This isn't too bad. Look it's the waiter with our salads. We are going to actually get to eat at this fancy dinner"

Bucky laughed, "Thank God, no robbers"

The waiter brought over their salads then set them in front of them.

"Thank you" Ellie said as she took her first bite when her phone rang. She looked at it and frowned, "its Steve, Steve, is something-"

"Nat's water just broke! What do I do?" Steve asked panicked.

Ellie dropped her fork, "Is she having contractions?"

"Yeah, she said they are pretty painful too" Steve said.

Ellie looked around, "Check please! Bucky go get the check"

Bucky nodded and went to find their waiter.

"We are coming as soon as we can. Time her contractions but after what happened to me… Steve get her to the hospital now" Ellie said as she downed her wine glass.

"What do I do with Grant?" Steve asked.

"Call Shuri" Ellie said as Bucky came back, "Bucky just paid, we are coming back"

"Hurry, I need you guys" Steve pleaded.

* * *

Ellie climbed out of the limo and shoes in hand, ran to the door with Bucky hot on her heels.

The nurse looked up, "Excuse me, you are… they are on the second floor"

"Thank you" Ellie said as they ran over to stairs and they ran up them two or three at a time.

Hurrying down the hallway, they found Sam and Wanda in the waiting room.

"Any news?" Ellie asked walking up to them.

"They checked her and she is only about 5 centimeters dilated. Definitely not your labor" Sam told them.

"Thank god" Ellie said as she sat down and looked around, "You know… I've never actually been in this part of the hospital"

"Because we never made it here!" Sam said with a laugh, "Next one of yours we make it here. Okay?"

Ellie laughed as Bucky squeezed her hand, "No offense… next one better be in a New York hospital when we are all home… not that this isn't home but… yeah"

Bucky ran his thumb over her hand.

Ellie looked up as the door opened and Steve walked in.

"Good you are here. Nat wants to see you" Steve told Ellie.

"Go" Bucky told her taking her shoes from her as she stood up.

Ellie followed Steve to Natasha's room and stopped him before he opened the door, "I want to tell you something first"

"What?" Steve asked looking at her confused.

Ellie got onto her tiptoes and hugged him, "I am so happy for you and so proud of you. So would Mom"

Steve gave her a half smile as he hugged her back, "we aren't exactly conventional but I am happy"

"That's all that matters" Ellie said as she opened the door, "Well Nat you've already outdone me. You made it here and your labor has lasted more than an hour. You'll get the drugs too"

Natasha flinched as a contraction hit her, "Ellie if your contractions were more painful and faster together than these... You are definitely a superhero for doing it without any pain medication"

Ellie took her hand when she reached for it, "No, I just had no choice. Our next one will be in here like you"

Nalia walked in the room, "you look amazing Ellie. Your next one better be in here for sure"

Natasha burst into tear, "None of this is fair"

Steve frowned as he sat next to her, "What isn't?"

"Ellie won't get that next one... It's just not fair" Natasha cried and grabbed his shirt as another contraction ripped through her.

"If it's meant to be it will happen" Ellie said glancing at Nalia.

"There is no saying she isn't pregnant now with what you guys say your sex lives are like" Nalia teased.

"Now hey now, we've been really safe… for the most part" Ellie said shaking her head.

"Nah nah nah" Steve said.

"Grow up Steve" Ellie and Natasha said together then laughed causing Natasha to groan.

* * *

Ellie's eyes snapped open when a nurse ran into the room.

"Which is Wanda?" She asked.

Wanda's eyes opened and she jumped up, "Is it time?"

"Yes, Natasha asked for her. Is that you?" The nurse asked, "Come quick"

Bucky sighed as he opened his eyes, "Is it time yet?" as Wanda left.

"I guess so" Ellie said as she looked at her phone, "It's just about midnight. Let's see if Sarah gets here before Valentine's Day is over"

Bucky put his arms around her and pulled her close to him, "Let's just hope the delivery goes as easy and as fast as yours"

"Hell my labor and delivery went was way faster than her labor so far" Ellie said lying back against his chest.

Bucky glanced over at Sam, who was still sound asleep and frowned, "He can sleep through anything can't he?"

"Guess so" Ellie said as she closed her eyes.

Bucky had just drifted off when he heard "Bucky, ohhhh Bucky wake up" then someone kissing him.

Bucky smiled against her lips and opened his eyes to see blue sparkling ones looking into his own, "Hey baby… I'm so glad you visited again. I was getting worried"

She snuggled back into his chest, "It's been a busy time"

"When is it?" Bucky asked rubbing her arm.

"April 2020" Ellie told him, "Steve and I just got back from South America. We crossed that off our travel list. We went there for your birthday… Machu Picchu and such."

"Did you take the kids?" Bucky asked.

Ellie shook her head, "No… well Grant went. Natasha stayed back. Grant is nearly three years in development so he developmentally… handles himself I guess you'd say. He travels well"

"God he is developmentally a three year old?" Bucky asked surprised.

"Yeah… height wise he is in the 99th percentile. They have no concerns there" Ellie told him.

"Oh… I have a question" Bucky said.

"What is that?" Ellie asked, "I'll tell you if I can"

"What was the whole help me thing about from Disneyland?" Bucky asked.

"Aw shit, I forgot about that. I don't know… it wasn't me… not yet" Ellie said with a frown, "Unless it was me from the past I forgot and I was struggling with the… jump? I don't know. There is nothing wrong. I'm healthy, nothing is wrong. You never actually tell me about if I visit to tell you what happened so I don't think I do. It must have been just me when I was having my power issues trying to jump and I couldn't. It was painful a few times"

"I want you to promise me… if it ever hurts or you could hurt yourself doing it… don't" Bucky told her.

"I promise, but the power issues are solved so no worries" Ellie told him.

"Was it the chip?" Bucky asked.

"No, just a… sickness I guess. But I am cured and healthy and back to normal" Ellie told him as he went to speak, "And no I won't tell you what it is so it can be cured before it happens. We can't change anything Buck"

Bucky sighed, "I know"

Ellie laced their fingers together and played with his.

"You okay?" Bucky asked.

Ellie sighed, "Just really missing you. Grant has finally stopped sleeping occasionally with me. He is a little you Buck… so it was like… having you. The nights are the hardest and I lost the recording you made… probably after this conversation, of you sleeping you dork"

Bucky laughed, "I'll make a second one and hide it somewhere I guess or give it to Steve"

"Shit, I didn't think to ask Steve. I didn't want to sound like a baby saying…that I can't sleep well at night because my son won't sleep with me anymore" Ellie said as she snuggled deeper into his chest, "I am trying to fight it but I am… so tired. I wish I could just sleep here in your arms but…" She said as she looked at the clock, "I know I'll be back sooner than later"

"I love you" Bucky told her pulling her closer.

Ellie breathed in his scent and he felt a tear hit his arm, "I never doubt that Bucky. Don't ever… think that I do doubt you. You made… such a sacrifice for this family not once but twice. You mean so much… don't ever doubt it. I love you more than you know"

"I know you do… or else you wouldn't be here… mentally or physically. I wish I could take your pain away" Bucky told her.

Ellie sighed as she let him pull her in tighter, "You are… just by being here when I need you"

Bucky frowned as her breathing quickly evened out and her body relaxed. With a sigh he knew that she was back in 2020, "It's been two years…"

"What is two years?" Sam mumbled.

"Go back to sleep" Bucky told him as he settled into a more comfortable position with her against him.

Bucky fell back to sleep and Wanda walked back out a short time later to sit back next to Sam. She closed her eyes exhausted then fell asleep.

Ten minutes later, Ellie heard a baby fussing on the edge of her consciousness and opened her eyes.

The door opened and Steve walked in wearing a gown over his clothes holding a pink bundle of blankets.

Ellie hit Bucky's leg and stood up.

"Hi Aunt Ellie" Steve said with a teary smile.

"Let me see her" Ellie said as she walked up to him and pulled down her blanket as Bucky stood up, "Oh Steve, she is beautiful"

"Yeah thank god she looks like Nat" Bucky teased.

"How is Nat?" Ellie asked.

"Exhausted but she was amazing" Steve told her as he glanced at Wanda, "Thanks to Wanda, she took the pain that she did have but she was just stubborn… she had to push for a good 45 minutes"

"Poor Nat" Ellie said as she gazed at her niece, "She asleep?"

Steve nodded gazing at Sarah.

"Sam, Wanda" Ellie called.

Sam opened his eyes and jumped up, "She's more Romanoff… thank god"

"We are going to go back to the palace. Anything you want in the morning?" Ellie asked as she ran her hand over Sarah's head.

"Nope…well maybe a change of clothes" Steve said as he kissed Sarah's head.

"Go on Dad, go get some rest while you got it" Bucky told him with a grin, "Get ready for lack of sleep"

"Oh I'm ready for it" Steve said as he looked at all of them in the waiting room, "Thank you for being here guys. I know it wasn't as eventful as Grant's entrance into the world-"

"We wouldn't have been anywhere else" Wanda told him with a smile.

Ellie kissed Steve's cheek, "Love you Steve"

"Love you too sis" Steve said as he took Sarah back out of the room.

Ellie hugged Bucky, "Oh I'm so happy"

"Come on, let's get back home" Bucky told her.

* * *

Ellie kissed Bucky's chest as she pulled the sheets back over them.

"I like happy you" Bucky said pulling her close.

"You just like sex" Ellie joked rubbing against him.

"It's never sex with us, you know that" Bucky said as he kissed her.

Ellie laid her head on his chest and sighed happily.

"You visited tonight" Bucky told her.

"Wait… I did?" Ellie asked surprised, "So is everything alright?"

"You said that I never mentioned anything happening… that it probably was just when you were having power issues and it caused some pain when you tried to visit" Bucky told her.

"Oh thank god" Ellie said kissing his chest, "What do you want to tell me about it?"

"Well you had visited South America with Steve. Didn't tell me much details about that. You and Steve took Grant though" Bucky told her, "It was a short visit"

"I didn't think I was asleep that long" Ellie said, "Did I seem happy?"

"Other than the usual missing me? Yeah" Bucky told her.

Ellie bit her lip, "I don't think I'll ever get over that… I'll miss you until you come back"

"I love your optimism" Bucky said pulling her closer.

"No… it's called faith" Ellie said as she listened to his heartbeat under her ear.

* * *

 ***~*~* February 15, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

"Knock, knock" Ellie said as she poked her head into Natasha's room, "Up for visitors?"

"Come on in guys" Natasha said as they walked into the room, "Steve just ran downstairs"

Ellie walked over and looked into the bassinet, "She is so cute… definitely has the Rogers nose"

"That's what Steve thinks too, mostly me with his nose" Natasha said as she looked over at Bucky, "You can come in you know"

"Just wanted to make sure" Bucky told her hovering by the door.

Natasha grinned, "Are you scared of me Bucky Barnes?"

Bucky scoffed as he walked into the room, "No"

"Go ahead, hold her" Natasha told Ellie.

Ellie took her out of the bassinet and held her, "God she is gorgeous"

Bucky leaned over her shoulder, "You got lucky Nat… she looks more like you"

"Thank goodness" Natasha said with a grin as Steve came in.

"Haha" Steve said as he walked over and gave her a kiss.

Bucky looked at Ellie, who was gazing at Sarah then sighed as he looked away.

Steve frowned, "Hey Buck, can you come out to the hallway for a second. Do you want anything to drink Nat?"

"Actually that would be great" Natasha told him.

Bucky followed Steve out of the room and Steve walked over to the vending machine then looked at Bucky, "You okay?"

"Yes… no" Bucky said as Steve gave him a look and he sighed, "Life's not fair Steve. Seeing her with Sarah…I want her to have that"

Steve pulled him into a hug, "I am going to do everything in my power to get you that Buck"

"I am going to use the bathroom and I'll be back" Bucky said as he walked off.

Steve watched him walk off then frowned as he saw a woman at the end of the hallway. She looked like she could be Natasha's twin. Steve watched her, watch Bucky go to the bathroom then look down the hall towards him and their eyes met. She quickly looked away then walked down another hallway.

Hurrying in the direction she went, he looked and didn't find anyone.

"What the hell?" Steve said as he met the end of a hallway and there was no one there.

Walking back to Natasha's room, Bucky was coming back out of the bathroom and saw Steve walking from the opposite direction.

"Why were you down there?" Bucky asked confused.

"I thought I saw someone… I don't know she looked a lot like Nat" Steve said as they walked back to the room together.

"You need sleep" Bucky told him.

"You are probably right" Steve said, "It's been over 48 hours. I couldn't stop watching her last night"

"Who couldn't you stop watching?" Natasha asked.

Steve yawned, "You and Sarah"

"Steve is seeing things. He thought he saw your look-a-like" Bucky told her.

"My look-a-like? You mean that Scarlett Johansson chick?" Natasha asked.

"Wait what?" Bucky asked sitting on the arm of the chair that Ellie was sitting in.

"Oh yeah we found my doppelganger, she was in some movie we watched a few awhile ago Lucy. She is blonde" Natasha told him.

"I prefer your red hair" Steve told her sitting on the bed next to her.

"Alright butt kisser" Natasha said as he kissed her.

Ellie looked up at Bucky, "Want to hold her?"

"No… no I'm good" Bucky said shaking his head.

Ellie stood up and placed Sarah into his arms, "I have to use the bathroom, your turn"

"It's down to the right" Steve told her.

Steve looked at Bucky, who swallowed hard looking at Sarah, "Little different than Grant?"

Bucky cleared his throat, "She seems so much smaller and more fragile" He cleared his throat and looked at the ceiling.

"Are you okay Bucky?" Natasha asked.

"I just… Ellie and I wanted a big family" Bucky said sadly, "I'm okay just… feeling a little gloomy. Don't let my pity party bring you guys down"

Ellie walked back into the room, "Steve you might not have been wrong… I saw a woman that looked…what's wrong?"

Bucky shook his head, "Nothing, you saw her too?"

"Just a glance of someone but she is older. Like an older version of Nat with strawberry blonde hair" Ellie said.

"So… how much longer are you guys going to stay?" Steve asked.

"We can't miss her first week, but we do need to get back to New York and settle some things" Ellie said looking at Bucky, "It's been a month since we've been in New York, but they can wait a week"

"Do you already have a job back there?" Steve wondered.

"Nope, just helping Pepper" Ellie said glancing at Bucky.

Bucky sighed and looked at Steve, "In the future… Ellie lives in New York and works with Pepper. She is trying to… prepare"

"Oh" Steve said nodding, "So no more Wakanda?"

Ellie looked at Bucky, "I haven't mentioned here have I?"

"No" Bucky told her.

Ellie looked at Steve, "But the accords must get thrown out in the near future because you are back there with me"

Steve sighed as he looked at Bucky and Sarah, "Well at least that is a positive to whatever happens"

"It's not fair" Bucky told her as they laid in bed late at night when neither of them could sleep.

"What isn't?" Ellie whispered as she snuggled up to his chest.

"I want…I want that for you" Bucky told her, "We have our little boy… you deserve a little girl"

"I'll get one" Ellie told him as she looked up at him, "When we change everything… we will have our little girl"

Bucky kissed her hard, "I hope so… with your hair and big blue eyes"

"Daddy will have to chase all the boys away" Ellie said as she rested her head on his chest.

Ellie finally fell asleep thirty minutes later and Bucky fell asleep shortly after, only to be woken up not long later by a sound.

Bucky opened his eyes and saw a shadow.

"Shhh" It said as the figure moved closer, "Don't wake Mom"

Bucky slowly got out of Ellie's grasp and stood up pointing towards the door. The person followed him out of the room and shut the door behind them.

Bucky turned the lamp on and got his first look at the person. A young woman stood in front of him, with Ellie's curly blond hair and beautiful blue eyes, his own chin and smile, "How?"

The young girl shrugged, "Mom would kill me if she knew I came but… she told me about when Sarah was born you guys had a conversation. Just thinking about you… worrying. Didn't sit well with me" She told him with a grin, "So I snuck here"

"So you can time travel too?" Bucky asked taking in his daughter.

The girl nodded, "But unlike Mom… my body comes too. Aunt Shuri can't figure out why it happens this way but… for some reason I can"

"What's your name?" Bucky asked, "How old are you?"

She rolled her eyes and with a classic Ellie look, shook her head, "God I'm stupid. I'm Kasie, I'm 16. Sorry Dad, I just I'm so used to you knowing who I am"

"Its better that I don't know too many things. Things work out?" Bucky asked.

"Yes, not…right away but… yeah. Don't worry. Mom misses you but… Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect" She told him with a grin then looked at him confused, "Really? You don't know that?"

Bucky looked at her, "Should I?"

"God Dad… get Aunt Shuri to download the Harry Potter movies. Love you" Kasie said as she kissed his cheek.

Bucky pulled her into a hug and she put her arms around him. Bucky kissed the top of her head that rested below his chin then stepped back to look at her.

"Love you baby girl" Bucky said as she glowed like Ellie then disappeared.

Shaking his head with a smile, he went back to bed and pulled Ellie to him with a smile.

* * *

a/n3: And there she is… I mean it is. Hope you enjoyed Speechless! Now to the reviews:

 **Tuckerjnp1: My Dad is a huge Star Trek fan so maybe I've seen it and subconsciously got the idea from it. We will have to see if it happens again!**

 **Gingin1975: You would have to mourn it a bit for the loss of something you never had**

* * *

 _ **Preview of Chapter 72: One Step Closer-**_

A little boy ran over to her and Natasha with blue eyes just like Bucky's and hair that was a cross between her and Bucky's hair colors. A little blonde haired girl, similar height to the boy followed him carrying a doll.

"Mom" The little boy said as he ran up to her, "They aren't leaving me alone, they-"

Two identical little girls that were playing near them with their dolls stood up and one stomped her little feet, "You're not being nice Grant!"

Ellie gasped as suddenly she was back in Wakanda at the playground.

Bucky chuckled as he sat down next to her, "You were really zoned out there. I walked up to you and you didn't even notice me"


	72. One Step Closer

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: So good news, I got some writing done. Bad news, its not for the current timeline but for the future. But Thanksgiving break it coming up! I hope to be able to find time to work on the story. Also, has anyone seen the set photos of Falcon and the Winter Soldier? Short haired Bucky! I am hoping a little throwback to the First Avenger look.**

 **Thank you to the new followers: mcnorton, ParkJimin96, NCTJaemin96, laxtjedi and DarkAries240!**

* * *

 **I find the answers aren't so clear  
Wish I could find a way to disappear  
All these thoughts they make no sense  
I find bliss in ignorance  
Nothing seems to go away  
Over and over again  
Just like before**

~ _**One Step Closer by Linkin Park**_

* * *

 ***~*~* February 16, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie walked out of the bedroom carrying Grant after a fresh diaper change and set him in his play pen. Looking at the clock, she went into the kitchen to start making dinner.

Bucky walked into the apartments and over to her then kissed her cheek then he sat on the counter behind her, "What's for dinner?"

Ellie glanced at him as she opened the packages of ground beef and sausage then put it into the pot, "Lasagna with meat sauce"

"Ooh using sausage and beef?" Bucky asked.

"Yes, thought I'd do it handmade" Ellie told him as she added garlic to the meats then stepped back as it simmered, "What the hell are you doing on the counter?" She asked him as she saw him.

Bucky laughed, "Come on Ellie. Don't go all Mom on me"

"Well that is my number 1 job now" Ellie said with a grin.

"Oh really? What was number one before? Super spy?" Bucky asked.

"Nope, sexy wife but now" Ellie said looking down at her loose sweatpants and baggy shirt, "I don't understand how my mother stayed together all the time. Shit… he did spit up on me"

Bucky hopped off the countertop and pulled her close to him, "Baby, you are sexy no matter what… spit up and all"

Ellie moaned as he kissed her and she put her arms around his neck. He moved from her mouth, down her jaw to her neck, "Fuck it's been too long"

"Too long" Bucky said as he grabbed her behind and lifted her up so she would wrap her legs around him, "Fuck… way too long"

Ellie gasped as his hands slid up under her shirt.

In the back of her brain she heard the sizzle of the sausage and ground beef.

"Shit dinner" Ellie said as she moaned, "Buck.. . hold on"

Bucky groaned as he let her go.

"Sorry, I just have to drain the grease" Ellie said as she checked to make sure the meat was browned then poured out the oil into the cup she set on the side then looked at him, "You can help by opening up those three cans for me. Then we can make out on the couch while this simmers for the next hour and a half"

Bucky took the can opener and squeezed it so hard on the can one arm broke off, "Shit"

Ellie grinned, "Eager much?"

Bucky used the unbroken side and pushed it into the can and moved it around to cut the lid off the crushed tomatoes. Ellie pulled the top off the tomato paste as Bucky worked on the tomato sauce then added all of them to the pot with the seasonings and a bit of sugar.

"Is that it?" Bucky asked.

Ellie laughed, "Yes that is… oh!"

Bucky picked her up and carried her to the couch then put her down, only to immediately cover her body with his own.

"Hmmm" Ellie said as his lips found hers again.

Bucky was reaching his hand up under her shirt again when suddenly a rattle hit his head, "What the fuck?"

Grant squealed from his play pen.

"Shit… did he just throw a rattle at me?" Bucky asked Ellie.

Ellie laughed so hard she snorted, "It's because you went near his milk"

Bucky looked at her then put his hand under her shirt again and Grant let out a yell, "Shit you are right"

Ellie laughed as Bucky got up off the couch and grabbed Grant.

"Now Grant, those were mine first" Bucky told him as Ellie gasped.

"They were not!" Ellie said with a laugh.

"Sure were… I even named them" Bucky said as he sat next to her.

"Oh really?" Ellie asked trying not to smile, "And what were there names dear?"

"Um… Beautiful and… lovely" Bucky said.

Ellie snorted, "Sure"

Bucky laid back on the couch with Grant on his chest and Ellie snuggled up into his side, "Did you set a timer?"

"Yep… you know I'm going to fall asleep more than likely right?" Ellie said.

Bucky kissed her forehead, "I know. We will continue this tonight when he is in his crib"

"Sounds good" Ellie told him as she closed her eyes.

Bucky smiled ten minutes later when Grant and Ellie were both asleep on his chest. He closed his own eyes enjoying the delicious smells and the warmth of the bodies next to him and opened his eyes as Ellie shifted.

"Hey babe" Ellie said.

"Hey Angel" Bucky said as she kissed him, "When are you visiting from?"

"Hey hey it's my birthday… August 2020. Steve is watching Grant" Ellie said looking at the sleeping baby across from her, "God I miss these moments. He was so little"

"How is he?" Bucky asked.

"He is 2 ½ going on 20" Ellie joked, "His favorite question is 'Why?' Everything is a "Why Mommy?" He has learned to get away with stuff too by questioning it. At least with Steve. He loves to draw and is attempting to make letters. He knows all his colors and is potty trained finally. Dresses himself… well mostly. He forgot his underwear the other day. Sings and dances… a little you"

"Sounds amazing" Bucky told her.

"He wants to be a fireman when he grows up" Ellie told him.

"Good profession to be" Bucky said, "How are you?"

"Same as usual. Missing you every moment of the day but keeping busy. We are actually in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico right now. Steve brought me here for my birthday" Ellie told him as she laced her fingers in his, "it's so beautiful here Buck. I am currently lying on the beach while Steve plays with Grant and builds a castle. I honestly would have fell asleep if I wasn't planning on visiting anyways because he started going on and on about the architecture of historic buildings. I love art but that was where he lost me"

Bucky laughed as he moved to his head to kiss her again.

Ellie moved her fingers over his chest and he took her hand is his own then kissed it.

"What's on your mind?" Bucky asked.

Ellie bit her lip, "I went to an event for Pepper and someone came up to me at it… they want me to model for them"

"Modeling?" Bucky asked surprised.

"Yeah… but I don't know… should I?" Ellie asked him.

"What do you feel about it?" Bucky asked.

"I'm bored. I mean… yes I have my… job of helping Pepper but I don't feel … like I am really doing anything" Ellie said sadly.

"If you think it's going to make you happy… go for it Angel" Bucky told her.

"Its Oscar de la freaking Renta though Buck" Ellie told him, "I would be totally over my head in this situation"

Bucky smiled, "Just because I died… doesn't mean you should die with me"

Ellie broke down sobbing, "I miss you so much Buck… the nights are the hardest. I thought it would get easier by now… but it never does"

Bucky held her closer, "I'm not there but I am always with you. Never forget that"

"When will it get easier… when will it not hurt to breathe… to not look over on the other side of the bed in the morning and you aren't there?" Ellie sobbed, "I don't ever want that day to come but… at the same time I crave it"

The apartment door opened and Ellie wiped her tears.

"Careful… slow"

"Lay off Steve" Natasha said as she slowly walked into the common area and sat down, "Ok Ellie… you didn't say anything about the soreness"

"Sorry, you'll forget about it in a few weeks" Ellie told her with a sniff.

"What's wron..g… where are you from?" Steve asked noticing her eyes.

"What do you mean?" Ellie asked glancing at Bucky.

"Steve and Nat know, remember?" Bucky asked.

Ellie sighed, "August 2020" Ellie told them.

"God… two years from now" Natasha said as she looked at Sarah in Steve's arms, "She is… doing well?"

"Yes… growing like a weed" Ellie said with a smile, "She and Grant…they surprise us so much"

Ellie looked at Bucky sadly, "I better be going… Grant is going to get bored with the beach soon. So I better enjoy it while I can"

Bucky gave her a kiss, "I love you"

"I love you too" Ellie said as she laid back down on the couch.

Bucky rubbed her back as she drifted back to sleep, "She's asleep… and gone. It's easy for her to fall asleep. She doesn't sleep well"

"Grant keeping her up?" Natasha asked.

Bucky shook his head as he picked his son up in his arms and Grant snuggled into him, "No, Grant doesn't come to sleep in her room anymore and she said that not having someone there was harder than she thought"

Steve shook his head, "I don't know how you are doing it Buck but… thank you"

Bucky gave him a half smile, "Anything to make her happy. That is what is important to me… her happiness"

"Don't take away from your own Buck" Steve told him, "Even… after all this… I'll make sure she is happy as possible"

"I know you will Steve and thank you for that" Bucky told him with a sigh as he looked down at Grant then Ellie, "It's just not fair"

"No its not" Steve told him as the timer started to go off in the kitchen.

Ellie groaned, "I feel like I just drifted off. How was that an hour and a half? Shit…" Ellie said as she sat up and looked at Nat and Steve, "How the hell did I not wake up when you guys came in"

"You are exhausted" Bucky told her putting an arm behind his head.

"You are probably right there" Ellie said as she got up to finish dinner.

Steve gave him a look and Bucky shook his head mouthing, 'I don't tell her about all the visits. Especially the depressing ones. She can't know her whole future'

Steve nodded, "I get it" He looked down at Nat, "You know what… we should go take a quick nap while she is sleeping"

"Won't say no to that" Natasha said as she stood up then walked over to Bucky patting his shoulder.

Bucky gave her a quick smile as they left the room then pulled Grant closer to his chest and closed his eyes as he listened to Ellie moving around in the kitchen.

* * *

 ***~*~* February 17, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

"Do you hear me Rogers?" Fury asked from the other side of the phone.

"Yes sir" Steve told him as he shook his head resting his back against the palace wall.

"I'll be in touch" Fury told him as he hung up.

Steve sighed as he ran his hand over his face.

Okoye was walking by with her troop of Dora Milaje and spotted him. She barked an order in Wakandan that Steve did not understand and they moved on without her.

"General Okoye" Steve greeted straightening up.

"Captain Rogers" She said as she glanced to make sure the Dora Milaje had moved on, "Are you okay?"

Steve gave her a half smile, "Yes I'm fine"

"Now my King tries to lie to me and lies just as well as you do. He is unsuccessful as well" Okoye told him.

Steve sighed, "I just got off the phone with Director Fury. He wanted an update but… now that he knows Sarah is here, he wants me back out in two weeks. I never know how long I'll be out"

"Well… have you thought of retiring? You have served your government for longer than anyone" Okoye told him.

"I'm technically… self contracted" Steve told her, "But I don't know what I'd do if I wasn't helping Shield… even if it's not really shield anymore"

"Well we have lots to do here in Wakanda. Just keep it in mind" Okoye said as she walked off.

Steve sighed as he walked back into the palace and went down to the apartments. Not seeing Nat, he walked to their apartment to find her in their bedroom.

"Nat, how are you feel-"

Natasha's head snapped up glaring at him.

"Shhh!" Nat scolded holding a bottle to their daughter's mouth, "Be quiet Rogers! Sarah is nearly asleep, she just has about an ounce left"

Steve walked over to her and kissed her forehead, "Fine, but… how are you feeling? First full day at home. Everything okay?"

"I'm fine. I just… I look at her and I just keep thinking of everything we lost. She deserves a real home Steve" Natasha told him, "I should stop thinking about it. She is here and I love her and we have a home here"

"But it's not really home" Steve told her as he sat on the bed.

"No its not" Natasha told him as Sarah finished her bottle and Steve took her to burp her.

She sat back rocking in the rocking chair, "Closest to home I ever felt was Washington DC. Although when we were at Ellie and Bucky's cabin for that week… it was nice"

Steve patted Sarah's back, "It was nice. We will get that again… in our own home"

Natasha shook her head, "I don't think it will ever happen Steve"

Sarah burped and he put her into his arms.

"We will get home… not in the way we want but… it's going to happen, that we know" Steve said.

Ellie popped her head into the room, "Hey guys I-"

Steve frowned, "How'd you get in here?"

Ellie laughed, "You really think that a security system is what limits me? I can communicate with technology Steve. I put my hand on it and tell it to let me in, and it does. Anyways, you told me to come see you?"

"Can you get me through to Clint and Laura?" Natasha asked.

Ellie nodded as she walked over to Natasha's computer, "Not an issue"

Steve watched as Ellie typed away at Natasha's computer and looked at Natasha, "Did you teach her how to put that code in?"

"I gave her a crash course" Natasha told him.

Ellie looked back at him as she continued typing without looking, "Steve, you have the photographic memory, it's called reading and researching"

Steve shook his head as Natasha looked at him with a grin, "What?"

"You've never shown an interest, so I've never taught you" Natasha told him, "She showed interest"

Ellie bit her lip as she closed her eyes and rapidly typed something in then the light on the top of the screen lit up and a kid appeared on the screen.

"Hello?"

Ellie looked back at Natasha.

"It's Cooper" Natasha said as she slowly got up, "Hey Cooper"

The young boy's face lit up, "Aunt Nat! I'll go get Dad"

Ellie got up and let Natasha sit in the chair.

Clint came into the picture, "Hey Nat, how are you feeling?"

"Sore, like a bus hit me… I'd hate to see what I'd feel like without these new healing powers" Natasha told him.

"Wait… am I talking to Mommy Nat?" Clint teased.

Natasha motioned Steve to come over, "Clint I'd like you to meet someone"

"Shit I lost the bet" Clint said as Laura came over, "She isn't a red head"

"She is adorable, congrats Nat and Steve" Laura said.

"Thank guys" Natasha said smiling at Steve and Sarah.

Ellie snuck out of the room and went back to her apartment to find Bucky on the floor with Grant.

"You roll like this" Bucky said as he rolled from his back to his stomach.

Ellie leaned on the door frame with a smile as she heard Grant make his giggle sound.

Bucky tickled Grant, "Are you laughing at Daddy?"

"I would too… you looked like dog with your hair all over the place and rolling back and forth"

Bucky looked over at her and before she could blink he had pulled her by her foot to the ground.

"Not fair" Ellie said as he straddled her waist as Grant laughed.

"How does it feel to be laughed at by your kid?" Bucky asked.

"I get it, you don't feel… manly now" Ellie said with a grin.

"I'll show you manly" Bucky said as he kissed her.

"Mmmm… Grant" Ellie gasped.

"Fuck" Bucky said as he rolled onto his back and looked at the ceiling, "Isn't it naptime?"

Ellie laughed, "No" She told him as Grant cooed, "Not for another… hour"

"Fuck" Bucky said as he looked over at Grant, "Bud, you better know how much I love you that I am not putting your little behind in your playpen"

Ellie giggled as she rolled over onto his chest.

Bucky laced his fingers into hers, "So… it's been three days… when are we going back?"

"Well actually we are going to a benefit with Pepper and Tony for the New York Veterans Hospital on the 24th. So probably the 22nd. I won't make you do it but I want to visit the hospital before hand. I don't want to meet them in a stuffy environment of a shindig that Tony is invited to" Ellie told him, "Plus Sarah will be 1 week old on the 21st. The first week is always the hardest… of course they have the benefit of learning from us. We had to learn it the hard way"

Bucky held out his fist and she fist bumped it, "What does Sam say… the original OGs… whatever that means"

"You really are hanging out too much with Sam" Ellie told him.

Bucky sighed with a smile as he laid on his back putting his arms under his head, "We've come to a truce… I… we just owe him a car when he gets back to the states" Bucky told her.

Ellie laughed, "That's right his poor car"

"Not my fault" Bucky told her with a sigh, "When we go back, we can pick it out and just park it in the garage. We aren't asking him though… he'd pick an expensive one to piss me off"

"More than likely" Ellie told him as she moved closer to him watching Grant move around.

* * *

 ***~*~* February 20, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie blew raspberries on Grant's belly and he grinned swatting away at her face. She looked up from the floor as she heard the door open, "Bucky is that you?"

"No my dear it is me"

Ellie stood up as Ramonda walked into the room and her guard left, "Mother, how are you?"

Ramonda gave her a hug, "I am doing well. I had a moment free and I thought I would come to check on my little Grandson"

Ellie picked up Grant, "He is doing well. Want to hold him?"

"Gladly" Ramonda said as she took him and kissed his little hand as he reached out to her, "It's only been a few weeks and he has grown so much"

Ellie sighed, "Yeah, it's really scary actually. I worry that he will be six foot tall in nursery school and I won't be able to keep up with him on my own" Ellie told her as she sat on the couch and Ramonda sat next to her, "I just hope that I will be the best Mom that I can for him. Best parent and know how to raise a little boy right. I mean I practically helped raise Steve even though he was older than me by 13 months but… I still worry"

"You have a great support system. All of us are here to help you, Bucky will be…" Ramonda said as she frowned as she closed her eyes, "Oh…oh my…" She bit her lip as she looked at Ellie, "I do not know if she was supposed to tell me but Shuri told me about your time traveling power"

Ellie looked away from her before she saw the tears building in her eyes, "Yeah I do"

"Are… are we going to lose Bucky?" Ramonda asked her, "Did you visit from the future and tell that something happens?"

Ellie looked at her as a tear fell, "I don't know what happens… I never tell him exactly what happens… but I… only have him until May at the latest"

"May of this year?" Ramonda asked.

Ellie nodded.

"Oh Ellie" Ramonda said looking at Grant.

Ellie blinked back at the tears, "I am trying so hard not to show him how scared I am… because I know he has to be terrified. He knows that it is him that is going to be gone and this time… it's not to be captured by Hydra. We don't know how it happens. Just that we don't have anything in our power that we can do to change it. There is going to be a… global disaster… a lot of people die and Bucky is just one of them"

Ramonda was quiet for a few moments, "It never gets easier to lose them" She said as she patted Ellie's hand, "Many days I wake up forgetting that T'Chaka is gone then I have to face the reality all over again when he is not there. We didn't have a perfect marriage, no marriage is perfect, and if people think that their marriage is they are fooling themselves but… he was my other half. It… it doesn't make it any better but at least you have time with him. T'Chaka and I were so rushed the morning that he left to go to Vienna… I never told him goodbye and I regret that so much"

"I am lucky in the way that I can come back and visit him saying that I am doing well but… I don't see how I am dealing with it. Just thinking about it, I want to fall in pieces" Ellie told her wiping her eyes, "He is still here and I am still falling apart"

"You are more than likely just appearing strong for him so he isn't upset" Ramonda told her.

Ellie nodded then looked at Ramonda, "I gotta get out of here. Would you like to go for a walk in the park?"

"You know what? That sounds lovely" Ramonda told her, "Today is the perfect weather as well"

"I'm going to get Grant into something a little cooler for outside" Ellie told her.

"I'll meet you downstairs" Ramonda told her as they went their separate ways.

"Meet you down there" Ellie told her as she went back to the apartment and stopped at the entrance to their bedroom.

She sighed as she set Grant down and looked around the room at all her and Bucky's belongings. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply as she clenched her fists trying to control the surge she felt coming. She took a big breath and slowly let it out.

Grant clapped and she opened her eyes, "I am doing this for you. Without you I wouldn't have meaning Grant" Ellie told him as she grabbed a lighter onesie out of the laundry basket then quickly changed him.

She grabbed his diaper bag and carried Grant out to the common area, then pulled his stroller out of the closet. Strapping him in, she pushed him towards the door.

* * *

Ellie walked down the pathway of the garden with Ramonda as she told her about the different types of flowers that she had planted throughout the garden. Some of the flowers had meanings behind them and others were positioned so she could easily see them from her room above.

"What is your favorite flower?" Ramonda asked.

Ellie bit her lip, "You know… I'm not really sure" Ellie paused in front of a pinkish orange flower, "No… wait… roses. The very first flowers I received were roses that were handpicked from the garden next door" She told her with a smile, "He had cuts all over his hands from the thorns" She remembered with a grin, "Stole them from the neighbor next door's prized garden and she caught him. Made him realize that he was sweet on me"

"Bucky?" Ramonda asked.

Ellie nodded, "For my 18th birthday… Bucky tried to steal some of her prized roses. She had these orange roses, orange like a beautiful sunset. There were typical white and red roses but right in the middle were these pinkish orange roses… they were so beautiful. I opened the door when he brought them and he looked at me, shoved them in my hands and ran for the bathroom"

"Oh no, what happened?" Ramonda asked.

"He said his stomach was in knots and he felt as if he was going to be sick. You see my mom took me to the spa for the first time; they did my hair and makeup for my birthday. He admitted later that it wasn't the sandwiches but the fact that I was gorgeous and his stomach tried to leap through his throat" Ellie told her.

"You knew each other since you were really young right?" Ramonda asked.

Ellie nodded, "I was 11 when he…" Ellie stopped and blew out a long breath as tears quickly sprung to her eyes and she cleared her throat, "He stepped in and saved me and Steve from the neighborhood bully" Ellie's chin quivered as she tried not to cry, "He didn't even know me or Steve and he was saving us back then. Told them, that they shouldn't take candy from an angel"

"He called you Angel from the first time he met you?" Ramonda asked.

"Well I was wearing an Angel costume, it was Halloween" Ellie told her as they reached the playground and sat down on a bench, "For years, he's done everything in his power to save me and protect me… and I can't do anything to protect him. I have all these powers and I can't use them to help him"

Ramonda pulled her into a hug, "He knows that if you could do anything that you would"

Ellie wiped her tears, "I know"

They sat watching the children playing on the playground when one of the Dora Milaje came up to her, "Queen Mother, you are needed in the palace"

"Thank you" Ramonda said as she looked at Ellie, "Want to walk back with me?"

"No, Grant's asleep and… its quiet" Ellie told her, "I just want to enjoy the quiet and stillness"

Ramonda looked at her for a moment then nodded. She turned towards her guard and nodded to her and the guard followed her back down the path to the palace.

Ellie sighed as she looked at Grant, who was still sleeping then out at the playground in front of her.

Watching the children playing in front of her noticing one of the fathers following one young boy around, she sighed, "Grant it's just going to be me and you at the playground. Howard wasn't sure how long my life was going to be extended if I died naturally so… it's just going to be us for a really long time"

Ellie crossed her ankles and leaned back closing her eyes enjoying the peace of the birds singing and sounds of children playing. Suddenly everything was quiet. She opened her eyes and she was sitting on a park bench that was made of plastic instead of wood.

Children were playing on the playground in front of her that had small places of graffiti in English. The children she noticed were mostly white and Hispanic in origin.

"Shit, Sarah! Be careful!"

Ellie looked over at Natasha, who had her red hair back that she had seen in pictures but the ends were still blonde.

Ellie looked back out at the playground and noticed there were bright green trees in the distance. The grass was a lush green but what she noticed the most was the fact there were only a few children playing on the playground. She looked up at the sky and noticed how blue it was and how there were no birds flying around.

A little boy ran over to her and Natasha with blue eyes just like Bucky's and hair that was a cross between her and Bucky's hair colors. A little blonde haired girl, similar height to the boy followed him carrying a doll.

"Mom" The little boy said as he ran up to her, "They aren't leaving me alone, they-"

Two identical little girls that were playing near them with their dolls stood up and one stomped her little feet, "You're not being nice Grant!"

Ellie gasped as suddenly she was back in Wakanda at the playground.

Bucky chuckled as he sat down next to her, "You were really zoned out there. I walked up to you and you didn't even notice me"

Ellie looked around, "I guess I need some more sleep" She told him noticing that the sounds of the birds chirping was back.

* * *

 ***~*~* February 21, 2018 ~ Wakanda *~*~***

Natasha walked into the Barnes apartment carrying Sarah, "Are you sure you guys have to leave?"

Ellie turned around from putting some of Bucky's clothes in their suitcase. She sat on the bed next to the suitcase, "I don't really want to but there is an event that I want to attend for veterans in New York. Plus… the house is getting closer to being finished. Plus I wanted to stay at least for her first week"

"Ah" Natasha said as she sat down next to her looking at Sarah, "I can't believe she is already a week old"

"It goes by fast" Ellie said forlornly

Natasha frowned, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah why?" Ellie asked as she made faces at Sarah.

"You seem… off" Natasha told her.

Ellie sighed, "Don't tell Bucky this because he won't let me travel with the way he is but… at the park yesterday with Mother… well after Mother left… I had these flashes"

"Memories?" Natasha asked.

"No… well… maybe, only they weren't mine… at least… not current mine… if that makes sense" Ellie told her as she fiddled with one of Grant's socks.

"What were they?" Natasha asked.

Ellie looked at her, "I think I was… either tapping into my future self's brain or I somehow have memories… that I haven't experienced yet. I was sitting on a bench watching kids play like I was with Ramonda… problem was, it wasn't the same play ground. The kids were mostly white and Hispanic" Ellie told her, "It was me and you… it looked like New York because there were trees and they were healthy and green" Ellie closed her eyes, "I could smell the air Nat… it was clean… not like New York City. Probably closer to our new house. There wasn't many kids at the park though or families. The sky was a beautiful blue but there was an eerie quiet to it. Like there weren't birds there"

"Were we watching the kids?" Natasha asked.

Ellie bit her lip as she remembered the three little girls that played with their dolls next to them as they watched the mini-Bucky play on the playground, "Yeah"

"Shit, do you think you are able to access your future memories?" Natasha asked.

"I don't know" Ellie told her as she closed her eyes and tried, "I still don't fully understand this"

"You fucker!"

Ellie rolled her eyes, "And that would be my husband"

Natasha laughed as Ellie grabbed Grant and they walked out to the common area to see a large platter in the middle of the table filled with Hot Dogs.

"What's going on?" Natasha asked.

"Asshole doesn't believe me that I was the hot dog champion of the 4th of July in Brooklyn" Bucky told her.

"In 1942, Bucky was the Nathan's hot dog champion" Ellie told Sam.

"Shit, Nathan's?" Sam asked.

Ellie looked at him, "Nathan's hot dogs was a restaurant in Brooklyn-"

"It's a famous brand now" Sam told them, "But you underestimate just how much food I can stuff in my mouth before I need to be stopped"

"Then let's do this" Bucky said hitting the table as he spun around back to the kitchen.

Ellie rolled her eyes as she looked at Steve, "Please tell me you aren't doing this"

"I know I'd win… I kind of want to see Sam showed up a bit. Knock him down a few" Steve told her with a grin.

Ellie snorted as Bucky sat down with a glass of water and Sam sat down with a knife.

"That's cheating" Bucky told Sam.

Sam looked at him, "I hate you"

"You know you love me" Bucky said with a grin.

"Okay, how many minutes?" Steve asked them, "It's usually 10 minutes but we can do less"

"Five minutes" Sam said as Bucky nodded.

"Alright, let me know when you are both ready" Steve said as he looked at his watch.

"Whenever he is" Sam said.

"I'm ready" Bucky told him.

"On your marks, go" Steve told them.

Bucky and Sam started stuffing hot dogs in their faces and Ellie had to turn away.

"I can't watch this it's making me sick" Ellie said as she turned away and went into the sitting room with Grant.

Bucky slowed his eating as he watched her walk out then glanced at Natasha, who was looking at him then followed Ellie.

Natasha walked into the sitting room as Ellie put Grant down on the ground, "You alright?"

"Yeah, why?" Ellie asked.

"You just seem… off" Natasha said as she leaned over, "You don't feel sick do you?"

"Sick? Why would I feel sick?" Ellie asked sitting back as she watched Grant.

Natasha glanced into the kitchen where disgusting sounds were being made as they guzzled down the hot dogs, "You said they were going to make you sick… does it mean anything?"

Ellie frowned, "No…oh" Ellie said as it dawned on her, "I just find it disgusting watching people shove things into their faces. It gets everywhere and the sounds they make while chewing… I couldn't take it when Bucky did it in the past either. Shit Nat… I am not pregnant… I swear"

"Sorry… I don't know why that's the first place my mind went" Natasha told her.

"Last thing I need is to get pregnant now… lose him again and… lose another baby because of the heartbreak again. I couldn't bear it" Ellie told her as her chin quivered as she looked away, "I'm barely holding it together as it is"

She swallowed hard as Grant rolled from his back to his belly, "I have to, for him"

"Times up!" Steve yelled.

"Fuck! Fuck you and your serum!" Sam yelled, "Oh shit, I'm gonna get sick!"

Ellie laughed as he ran past.

* * *

a/n3: Hope you enjoyed One Step Closer. No reviews last chapter, but I hope everyone enjoys this one. Check back next Saturday for a chapter but probably will be another two weeks.

* * *

Until then enjoy this preview of **Chapter 73- What** _ **If I Never Get Over You:**_

" _Look at me Ellie" Bucky told her._

 _Ellie looked up at him, her blue eyes seemed to sparkle even more covered in tears._

" _Let me go" Bucky told her._

" _What?" Ellie asked confused._

" _Let me go, I don't… I don't want you go through this pain anymore" Bucky told her._

 _Ellie stood up, "Seriously?"_

 _Bucky sat up, "I hate you going through all this pain, missing me and putting your life on hold like you are. I'm giving you permission; let me go… move on"_

.


	73. What if I Never Get Over You

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: So great news! I have finished two chapters this week! I am hoping to finish another chapter prior to the end of the week. Thank you to the new followers/favoriters: puppy24610 and laxtjedi!**

 **Also bear with me, for some reason with this chapter 's editor did not like my formatting so I hope it stays formatted well.**

* * *

 _Maybe months go by, maybe years from now_  
 _And I meet someone and it's workin' out_  
 _Every now and then, he can see right through_  
 _'Cause when I look at him_  
 _Yeah, all I see is you_

 **~What if I Never Get Over You by Lady Antebellum**

* * *

 ***~*~* February 23, 2018 ~ New York *~*~***

Ellie stood at the bedroom window of their room at the Avengers compound and sighed as she held the hot tea in her hands tighter to fight off the chills of the cold day.

"Fuck its cold" Bucky said as he stepped out of the bathroom with wet hair but already dressed.

Ellie looked back at him as water dripped from his hair, "Its 32* I believe, it's snowing actually"

Bucky rubbed his hair with a towel then sat down on the bed, "I missed New York but I didn't miss the cold. I always hated winter. I bet that's why they called me the Winter Soldier… I said I hated the cold and the winter, they did it because it was something I despised"

Ellie walked over to him and set her tea on the bedside table then put her arms around his neck and moved to straddle his legs then sat on his lap, "Just remember, you aren't the Winter Soldier anymore… you are Bucky Barnes… American badass"

Bucky laughed as he cupped her bottom, "American badass huh?"

"Hell yeah" Ellie said as she kissed him.

Bucky laid back on the bed pulling her down with him, "Mmm" He said as he kissed her again, "I missed this"

"I did too but… we have places to be Mr. Barnes" Ellie told him.

"Fuck places" Bucky groaned laying his head back against the bed.

"But think about it…" Ellie said as she tapped his chest, "Tonight we have Pepper and Tony watching Grant until 9" She told him with a grin, "We can take our time coming home… in fact... I think we should sneak away to the house"

Bucky smiled as he pulled her down and she laughed, "I like the way you think"

* * *

The car that they had hired pulled up to a large hospital and stopped. Climbing out, she grabbed her purse and shut the door behind her.

Ellie looked up at the Brooklyn campus of the Veterans Hospitals of New York as Bucky walked around the car.

"Much bigger than I thought it would be" Ellie told him as she looked over at him, "Remember how small Mom's hospital was"

"Come on" Bucky said as he took her hand.

Together, they walked inside and after a security check, the president of the hospital was paged.

A young woman walked towards them, "Sergeant Barnes? Mrs. Barnes? It is a pleasure to meet you" She said as she shook their hands, "I am Tayna Cussler, President of this Hospital"

"Nice to meet you Ms. Cussler" Bucky said.

"There are certain areas of our hospital that are off limits for anyone that is not a patient for privacy reasons but I have set you up with one of our volunteers that have been here with us for years. He will show you around" Ms. Cussler said as she waved a man over.

The man was tall with mostly gray hair; he was handsome for his age and was in good shape. Ellie stared at him as he walked towards them.

He walked over to them, "Hello, it is nice to meet you"

Ellie stared at the man trying to place why she recognized his face.

Bucky shook his hand, "Hello, pleasure to meet you sir. Which of the forces were you in?"

He shook his head, "I never served but I volunteer here in honor of my Uncle"

"That is sweet, where did he serve?" Ellie asked as she got an idea of who he might be.

The man looked at her with a grin she instantly recognized, "In the 107th"

"Jamie" Ellie breathed out.

"Hi Auntie, you look just the same as I remember" Jamie said with a smile.

Ellie pulled him into a hug then looked at Bucky who was staring at Jamie surprised, "Bucky, honey… it's been a long time coming but meet your nephew Jamie"

"Hey Uncle Buck" Jamie said sheepishly.

"Shit" Bucky said as he pulled Jamie into a hug.

"Jamie, why didn't you tell me that you knew the Barnes family?" Tanya asked him.

"I didn't realize that is who was visiting. This is my Mother's brother Bucky and my Aunt Ellie" Jamie told her, "I just can't believe after all this time…"

"Shit now I wish that we brought Grant with us. You have a cousin" Ellie told him.

"Can't wait to meet him" Jamie told her as he looked at Bucky, "You look so much different in person. I see Mom in your face"

Bucky shook his head with a smile, "Your mom was the pain in my ass but I loved her so much"

"Do you have plans tonight? My wife is making Great-Grandma's recipe for coddled pork with cider" Jamie told them, "It's my favorite"

"You have Mom's old recipes?" Bucky asked surprised.

"Yeah, we have her old cookbook. My wife has retyped them all over the years as they have started to fade but we have it" Jamie told him.

"We'd love to Jamie" Ellie told him.

"Come on, let me give you the tour because these guys deserve to see you more than I do" Jamie said.

* * *

"This is our rehabilitation ward. Many of the soldiers in here are getting prosthetics and just working on gaining their movement back" Jamie said as he opened the door.

Ellie walked in with Bucky following and took in all the veterans that were sitting around. Some were in back braces and neck braces. Many sat in wheelchairs along with some of them wearing artificial appendages.

"Let me introduce you to my friend Dan, hey Dan. There is someone that I would like you to meet" Jamie said as he led them over to a man that was in a wheelchair and missing his legs, "This is Sergeant James Barnes from the 107th"

"Well I'll be… you are Jamie's Uncle. He's told me all about you" Dan said as he stood Bucky's hand.

Ellie looked around as they talked and heard a child's voice.

"I don't want to wear that anymore!"

"Does it hurt Logan or is it uncomfortable?"

"The kids at school will make fun of me"

Ellie walked towards an area of the waiting room where a younger man was sitting with a small boy and a doctor was kneeling in front of them.

"I'll be right back Logan" The doctor said as he got up and walked down a hall.

"Can't I just stay home from school from now on?" The young boy asked his father.

"No you have to go to school" His father told him.

The boy pouted, "I hate being different… why can't I have a normal arm?"

Bucky who had been watching her out of the corner of his eye, looked at Dan and Jamie, "Excuse me"

He walked over to Ellie and squeezed her shoulder as he walked up to the little boy, "Hello there sir, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Sergeant Barnes" He reached under his arm and hit the button to disconnect his arm and pulled it out of his sleeve, "Nice to meet you"

The little boy laughed as he shook Bucky's arm.

Ellie looked at his father, "Hello I am Ellie Barnes and this is my husband Bucky"

"Ben Miller and this is Logan" He told her as he shook her hand, "You guys are the famous Bucky and Ellie aren't you? Captain America's friends?"

"I wouldn't say famous" Ellie told him, "We are just stuck with him by blood now"

Bucky snorted, "He has always followed us around. Of course he used to be much shorter than us"

"It's hard to think about Captain America being tiny" Ben said.

"Oh he was a little pipsqueak. I used to use him as an elbow rest" Bucky told him with a laugh.

"Hey Aunt Ellie?"

Ellie looked at Jamie, "Yeah?"

"And… Uncle Buck, I'm going to get something to drink, do either of you want anything?" Jamie asked.

"Just a water" Ellie told him with a smile.

"Same, thanks Jamie" Bucky said, "Grab one more also, Logan what is your favorite juice? Apple or Orange?"

"Apple" Logan said.

"Got it" Jamie said as he left.

"Is that your nephew?" Ben asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, he is my sister's son" Bucky told him shaking his head, "Kinda unbelievable"

"How old are you?" Logan asked.

"Logan! You don't ask people how old they are" Ben scolded.

"It's okay. I will be 101 next month" Bucky told him as he looked at Ellie with a smile, "Ellie is 98"

"Yeah don't rush that mister" Ellie told him with a grin.

"You are pretty amazing for a 98 year old" Bucky told her as he kissed her.

"Kiss up" Ellie said rolling her eyes.

* * *

Ellie sat in the backseat of Jamie's car as he drove them down a road in suburban Brooklyn.

"Wait" Ellie said as she looked around, "Is this the same place your Mom and Dad used to live?"

Jamie looked back at her, "Yeah, were you here at this house?"

"Yeah, in 1987 when I woke up I came to find her" Ellie told him as he pulled up into the driveway, "I wonder what happened to my motorcycle"

"Wait what?" Bucky asked looking back at her.

"What do you mean what?" Ellie asked confused.

"You drove a motorcycle? Since when?" Bucky asked.

Ellie got out of the car, "I drove a Harley then"

"Fuck seriously? That would be hot to see… can you buy another?" Bucky asked looking at her over the top of the car.

Ellie rolled her eyes as Jamie laughed, "You two are hilarious. You act like you are teenagers still"

"Well we are technically in our thirties" Bucky told him.

Bucky and Ellie followed Jamie up to the house.

Jamie unlocked the house, "Emily, I'm home!"

A woman wearing an apron walked into the room, "Hi honey"

"Emily, I'd like you to meet two people. Emily, this is my Uncle Bucky and my Aunt Ellie. Uncle Buck, Aunt Ellie this is my wife Emily" Jamie introduced.

"Hello" Ellie said as she walked over to Emily, "It's so nice to meet you"

Emily gave her a hug, "Wow, you are even more beautiful in person"

"Thank you, these are for you" Ellie said handing her flowers, "Sorry I wanted to bring a dish but they wouldn't let me stop for anything other than flowers. He is like his uncle I see"

Emily laughed, "Stubborn and pigheaded to get his way? Must be a Barnes trait then. Mom was the same way"

"Hey!" Both Bucky and Jamie said.

Ellie and Emily laughed.

"Boys you are just proving our point" Emily told them, "Come on in the kitchen Ellie. Boys I am sure there is a game on"

"Uncle Buck do you watch Basketball?" Jamie asked.

"Not really a popular sport where we live but I've caught a game or two" Bucky said as he and Jamie sat on the couch.

"He won't even notice we are around in five minutes. He gets sucked in" Ellie told Emily who chuckled as they walked into the kitchen, "Need any help? I am the primary cook back at home"

"If you don't mind me asking… where do you live?" Emily asked as she opened the refrigerator, "Wine?"

"Don't mind if I do" Ellie said as Emily opened the bottle and poured her a glass, "This is heavily guarded as a secret but we live somewhere in Africa right now until our house here is completed"

"Africa?" Emily asked surprised.

"They saved Bucky's life… and mine and frankly our son. It holds a special place in our hearts" Ellie told her as she took a drink.

"When Jamie called me earlier and told me that you two walked into the Veterans hospital… I couldn't believe it. When we first got together, he told me stories about his family. I honestly thought it was just tall tales. Then you came on TV and Jamie nearly choked on his food that he was eating. He went "That's my Aunt Ellie!" He thought you died long ago" Emily told her.

"Essentially I did. I got lucky, I was frozen and they found out how to cure me" Ellie told her as she set her wine down, "Bucky and my lives aren't… typical or traditional. I was born in 1919… its nearly 2019 but I look 30; I just had a baby naturally. I can run a 2 minute mile without trying. I've never really timed myself to see how fast I could run if I had to. I… I have powers"

Emily nodded, "Becca told me about them"

Ellie sighed, "I miss her" She wiped her eyes, "Even in 1987… we were close. She came up to see me a lot and I came here. Scott didn't understand why she was hanging out with this young kid"

Emily laughed, "That was Scott"

Ellie finished her glass of wine and leaned against the counter, "Are you sure you don't need any help?"

"You can wash the salad if you want" Emily told her, "My hands have trouble with pulling it apart and such"

"Gladly" Ellie said as she got into the refrigerator and pulled the head of lettuce out, "So how did you and Jamie meet?"

"Actually, he was my son's history teacher… Jamie was an author. He traveled the world collecting stories about the Howling Commandoes and assembled them into a book. After his book was published, he settled down living with Becca and Scott actually. I met him and he and I… made Becca so mad. We eloped to Niagara Falls" Emily told her.

Ellie laughed, "Bucky and I almost did that. We did honeymoon there"

"Becca said he was too much like his Uncle Bucky but later on she did thank me. Turns out Jamie was only working one year then he was going to hit the road again. After my son Jake, graduated, Jamie and I had a daughter then a son, Jenny and Barnes. After they got out of the house, we traveled together" Emily told her, "Barney, is what our son goes by… he travels the world as a photographer. Jenny died of cancer ten years ago"

"I'm so sorry Emily" Ellie said.

"She was a teacher as well. She loved her life and her students. She helped so many children learn. She was a special needs teacher" Emily told her.

"I always wanted to be a teacher but my skill set was for a different field" Ellie told her as she washed the lettuce that she had just torn apart.

"What was your job? I know Bucky and Steve were soldiers but in all of Jamie's research, on all of you…he couldn't find you mentioned in anything and two, just that you worked for the British intelligence agency" Emily asked.

Ellie sighed as she stopped cutting carrots, "Because I went crazy when I lost Bucky. I couldn't live without him and Steve. So I made myself into a new person. But in the beginning I was a psychologist for the Strategic Scientific Reserve. When Steve crashed the plane, the government dissolved the SSR into the CIA. Peggy, Howard and the Colonel all knew… it wasn't really the end of the threat so they created SHIELD. By the time they got it up and running, I was deep. I was trained by British Intelligence but… it wasn't enough for me so I went deep, deep underground. I mean wigs, fake papers… a whole new person. Elizabeth was at least common so it was usually Elizabeth but… Liz sometimes." Ellie paused as she threw the carrots into the bowl, "I did things that I'm not proud of… saved people and… killed people but I didn't save the one person I was trying to find traces of"

"Bucky" Emily said.

Ellie nodded, "Hydra knew where they were when he fell from that train, I knew… I suspected that they had taken his body to taunt Steve. I hoped… that… when Steve died… they had kept him to use against us. A pawn as you will. Never imagined that he survived and they would make him into a weapon" She sighed, "I had people… people that reported things to me in secret from both sides. Then… Becca was the only person I kept in touch with. Howard Stark made a discovery that… they could make the serum on me. Long story short, I did it. It didn't work as Howard planned so they… froze me. But Hydra had been in SHIELD without us knowing, the freezing was a Hydra perfection… because they perfected it on Bucky. So we were both frozen, he was in and out for years while I stayed hidden, frozen, until 1987. Came home here… to see Becca… but I wasn't stable. Ran into Bucky on a mission, thought I was going literally insane. Turns out we conceived Grant back in 1987… then I was froze again until last March"

* * *

In the television room, Bucky glanced back at the kitchen then looked at Jamie, "Jamie?"

"Yeah Uncle Buck?" Jamie asked reaching for the remote.

"Don't… I don't want her to hear and she has amazing hearing. Look, you are family… I can trust you. There is something big coming. We don't know what it even is exactly but… it's big" Bucky told him.

"Like New York again?" Jamie asked.

"Worse" Bucky admitted, "Mind you I wasn't around for it but… Ellie… she can mentally time travel… and the bits and pieces that we have put together from visits. It's a universal problem, catastrophe. Lots of people die… including me"

"What?" Jamie asked shocked.

"That we know for sure because Aunt Ellie from the future comes to visit me" Bucky told him.

Jamie ran his hand over his face, "Because you are gone in her time"

"Exactly. Look… when I… died before, she didn't take it well at all. We were pregnant and she lost the baby and went… dark" Bucky told him.

"Dark as in…"

"Ellie was a spy and went deep underground, made a whole new life" Bucky told him.

"That doesn't make sense… I saw pictures of Aunt Ellie with me when I was a baby" Jamie told him confused.

"She came out of hiding just for Becca" Bucky told him, "Anyways… can you keep an eye on her for me?"

"Why can't Steve? Unless… not him too?" Jamie asked.

"No, but they get into some fight and she takes off somewhere. Steve doesn't know about our house here, he knows about our cabin but not the house. I'm going to give you the address to it… check on her for me" Bucky told him.

"Of course I will, are you sure… that whatever happens is going to happen?" Jamie asked.

Bucky nodded, "I hope things change but…God I hope I'm wrong and everything is okay and I make it to our 75th anniversary"

"God… 75th" Jamie said.

"Yeah but I've known her since she was 11. God… 87 years" Bucky said as he sat back as a player made a slam-dunk.

Ellie poked her head in the room, "Boys, dinner is ready"

"Thanks Aunt Ellie" Jamie said as they stood up.

* * *

Bucky was just starting to drift off late at night after getting home from Jamie's house when Ellie snuggled up against him and started drawing shapes on his chest.

"You awake?" Bucky asked quietly.

Ellie opened her eyes, "I thought you were asleep"

"No, hey baby… when are you visiting from?" Bucky asked lacing his fingers in hers as he saw her eyes sparkling.

"It's October of 2020" Ellie told him with a sigh, "I'm in New York City right now. I just left an event and it's late at night so… I told Steve that was just going to get a room here"

"A modeling thing?" Bucky asked.

"Actually yeah, for Oscar" Ellie said as she gnawed on her lip.

"What's going on in that head?" Bucky asked her pushing a piece of hair behind her ear.

"I went on a date" Ellie told him sadly.

Bucky looked at her, "A date?"

"Well not really a date per say… but I felt like I was betraying you the entire time" Ellie told him.

"Ellie honey, come here" Bucky said as he pulled her into his arms, "I don't expect you to stop your life because I am gone"

"I feel like I should though. It's not right" Ellie told him as he felt tears sinking through his shirt, "Especially who it was"

"Who?" Bucky asked, "It doesn't matter who it was as long as you are happy"

Ellie bit her lip, "Sebastian Stan"

"The actor?" Bucky asked.

"I met him a few weeks ago at a fashion show. He does work for another company" Ellie told him, "Someone… knew the… similarities and introduced us… it… it was hard. Seeing a face so similar to yours on someone else. I just… I had a hard time. So um… they want to do a movie, about Steve and the Howling Commandoes and he was asked by the director to be you ironically. After I left, he reached out to me wanting to speak about you, so we had coffee at Starbucks and… I actually had fun telling old stories about you. Talking his ear off. Well I'm here for this ball thing, wearing something for Oscar and… he is here. Here I am in this expensive Oscar de la Renta dress and he's in this expensive Hugo Boss tuxedo… we ended up in this pizza shop in Little Italy… having so much fun then he helped me to my hotel and… the moment he drove away… I felt horrible"

"It's okay to go out on a date with him. I want you to be happy" Bucky told her.

"But the whole time I was coming up to my room in the elevator… am I enjoying myself with him because he has your face?" Ellie asked him.

"Is he a nice guy?" Bucky asked.

"He is so sweet. He was telling me about himself today and… literally his friends are all from his movies that he has done, they've all kept in touch and are still close after all these years. He is so interested in making sure that playing you was good enough. He asked me for videos then I realized all I have… is the videos you made me and the videos I took of you and Grant" Ellie told him sadly, "And the Howling videos but they don't have sound. He doesn't have your Brooklyn twang"

Ellie sighed as she ran her hand over her face, "I don't know what to do Buck"

She sat up and pulled her knees to her chest.

"Do you like him… you know… romantically?" Bucky asked.

"I'm attracted to him but all I think about is you" Ellie told him.

Bucky chuckled, "Ask him to go out with you with a bag over his head"

"Seriously?" Ellie said as Bucky laughed and she hit him, "Be serious Buck, for once"

"Look I don't want you to move on obviously but… I want you to be happy. I… yes I know that you can come visit me, but I don't want you to stay stuck in the past by not moving on from my ghost" Bucky told her.

Ellie laughed through the tears, "It's not your ghost Bucky… it's the missing piece of me. The gaping hole that since I left you in Wakanda… hasn't gone away. It doesn't ever get smaller, it hurts to breathe… the only… the only thing that helps are these visits"

Bucky wiped her tears away and rested his forehead against hers, "I'm so sorry Angel"

"It's so hard… so hard keeping it together" Ellie sobbed, "I can't keep it together anymore. I'm tired Buck, mentally and physically. But I have to hold it together; I have to be strong until you get back"

"Look at me Ellie" Bucky told her.

Ellie looked up at him, her blue eyes seemed to sparkle even more covered in tears.

"Let me go" Bucky told her.

"What?" Ellie asked confused.

"Let me go, I don't… I don't want you go through this pain anymore" Bucky told her.

Ellie stood up, "Seriously?"

Bucky sat up, "I hate you going through all this pain, missing me and putting your life on hold like you are. I'm giving you permission; let me go… move on"

Ellie just stared at him with tears streaming down her face, "I can't believe you right now. I thought I meant more to you. I guess you meant more to me than I meant to you"

Bucky sighed as she walked out of the bedroom.

He got up and slowly followed her to find her lying on the couch in the common area sound asleep.

"Shit" Bucky said realizing that she left before he could talk to her about it.

* * *

 ***~*~* February 24, 2018 ~ New York *~*~***

Ellie opened her eyes the next morning and groaned as she felt the uncomfortable position of her body on the couch that was not meant for sleeping on.

"Fuck Tony I am buying new couches" Ellie said to herself.

Sitting up, she stretched trying to get the tightness in her back out and saw Bucky sitting on one of the chairs, asleep.

Ellie stood up and walked into their room to check on Grant, who was still sound asleep. Walking back out to the sitting area, she sat down on the couch. "Hey Buck?"

Bucky yawned as he opened his eyes, "Hey Angel"

"Why are we out here?" Ellie asked confused.

"You came back to visit and we were talking and fell asleep" Bucky told her.

"Really? Why?" Ellie asked, "I'm always with you when I wake up not… over here and you are over there"

Bucky shrugged, "You were curled up talking and fell asleep. Must have been tired"

"When was I visiting from?" Ellie asked.

"October of 2020" Bucky told her.

Ellie looked at him, "Are you sure nothing happened? I feel… angry"

Bucky frowned, "You feel angry?"

"No… well… sad I guess" Ellie told him, "Did we have a fight?"

Bucky sighed, "Yes"

Ellie sat down on the couch and looked over at him, "Over what?"

"You were just really upset and I didn't… have the right answers you were looking for I guess. You stormed out of the bedroom and I came in here to talk to you and you were gone" Bucky told her.

"As in gone and you stayed in here until I came back?" Ellie asked.

"No, future you… came in here curled up and fell asleep" Bucky told her.

Ellie frowned, "How could I forget how uncomfortable this couch was?"

"What time is this gala or ball thing we are going to?" Bucky asked.

"6pm is the opening cocktail hour and hor d'oeuvers, as well as for talking with the soldiers. 7pm the gala starts with the band then at 8 someone named Michael Buble will be performing" Ellie told him as she looked at the clock, "Pepper is taking me to a spa"

Bucky looked at her, "Be careful at the spa that you don't travel"

Ellie bit her lip, "Shit I didn't think of that"

"No, no… honey listen" Bucky said as he sat next to her and took her hands, "You deserve it. Go, have fun with Pepper get all relaxed."

"Are you sure everything is okay?" Ellie asked him.

Bucky gave her a smile, "of course"

Ellie smiled against his lips as he kissed her, "I love you"

Bucky placed his hand on her face, "I love you too"

* * *

Bucky was sitting in their room at the Avengers compound playing with Grant as his phone rang.

Grabbing it, he put it to his ear, "Hello?"

"So is pooping completely up the back to her hair normal?" Steve asked.

Bucky laughed, "Yes, and the first time it happened I threw up"

"At least I didn't throw up" Steve said.

"So…Ellie is gone and I have to talk to you about something… if you aren't busy" Bucky said.

"Nah, she is asleep and Nat is in the gym" Steve told him, "So she visited again?"

"How do you know?" Bucky asked.

"Just had a feeling, when was she visiting from?" Steve asked.

"October of 2020 and she…she left after we had a fight" Bucky told him with a sigh as Grant rolled over to grab a toy.

"You two fought? You never fight" Steve said.

"Yeah well we do have arguments but… she went on a date" Bucky told him.

Steve was silent for a moment, "And you didn't like it… Buck you are-"

"No, I told her to let me go" Bucky told him sadly, "To move on"

Steve sighed, "And she doesn't want to"

"Nope" Bucky told him, "It was dinner with Sebastian Stan too"

Steve laughed, "The guy that looks like you?"

"Yeah, so Ellie has been modeling and she met him at an event. They are doing a movie about our lives… well your life and -"

"Movie about my life? That will be boring" Steve said.

"Right? Anyways, the Sebastian guy was cast as me… and he wanted to know more about me so they went out for coffee. Then they ran into each other again and he took her out to dinner. She said she felt so guilty the whole time. God Steve she was so torn up so… I did what I thought would make it easier on her. I told her to let me go. Live in the future, forget the past" Bucky told him.

"How did you feel about that?" Steve asked.

Bucky scoffed, "It nearly killed me Steve but… what else was I supposed to do?"

"And she didn't take it well" Steve stated.

"No, she said obviously she loves me more than I ever loved her and she left" Bucky told him.

"Shit… well… I'd have a talk with her but I have to wait a few years" Steve told him, "Did you tell her?"

"No, but she knows that something is up." Bucky told him, "I don't want her to move on Steve… God I don't want her to move on because… she has the faith and I believe it too that… things will change. I'll be back… somehow some way. But I don't…" Bucky sighed as he cleared his throat, "I don't want her to move on but… I want her to have all the happiness in the world"

"I get that… but especially if she was already emotional… she didn't take it in the way you meant Buck. You know she'll come back when she cools down" Steve told him.

Bucky sighed, "I hope so"

* * *

"You okay?"

Ellie opened her eyes and looked over at Bucky as they drove down the road in Tony's limo, "Yes of course, just resting my eyes. Are you okay?"

Pepper glanced over at them.

"Yeah, so what do you think this thing will be like?" Bucky asked putting his arm around her.

"We don't have to stay very long" Tony explained.

"Tony!" Pepper scolded, "I put a lot of work into helping this event, and we are going to stay as long as I want"

"Yes Pep of course" Tony said.

"So, when we get there it will be cocktail hour. Just talking to the celebrities and the veterans. At 7pm, a band will open up the gala. There will be an hour or dancing and dinner, at 8pm Michael Buble will perform then the concert is over at 10" Pepper told them.

"Why do I feel so tired?" Ellie asked as she yawned, "I slept last night"

"It was probably sleeping on the couch. I should have moved you back" Bucky told her as he put his arm around her.

* * *

Ellie sat at their table after finishing her dinner watching Bucky talking with other World War 2 veterans as couples spun around on the dance floor.

"Hey, are you alright?" Pepper asked as she sat down next to her.

Ellie sighed and shook her head, "Bucky is hiding something from me. He never hides anything from me and it's really bugging me"

"What do you think it might be?" Pepper asked.

Ellie let out a breath, "I don't know, that's what worries me the most"

A familiar song started playing over the speakers and Ellie saw Bucky grin, glance back at her then excuse himself from the veterans that he was speaking with.

Bucky walked over to her, "May I have this dance?"

"Of course" Ellie said as she took his hand, "Excuse me Pepper"

Bucky led her over to the dance floor and took her hand in his as he pulled her close.

"You're my guiding star. Not caring what you own, But just what you are. A peaceful sky. There are such things, a rainbow high. Where heaven sings, so have a little faith, and trust in what tomorrow brings. You'll reach a star, because there are such things"

Ellie looked at him during the refrain, "You know how to soften me up… with good olde Frank"

Bucky looked at her, "Didn't realize you needed softening"

"What are you keeping from me? Was the visit that bad?" Ellie asked.

Bucky licked his lips, "No… you just got really mad at me"

"So have a little faith, and trust in what tomorrow brings. You'll reach a star, because there are such things" Bucky sang.

"Don't try to distract me by singing, why was I mad?" Ellie asked as "I Had the Craziest Dream" by Harry James started.

Bucky bit his lip, "Do you really want to know?"

Ellie nodded, "You already have me thinking the worst"

"You went on a date… and had fun" Bucky told her.

 _In a dream the strangest and the oddest things appear  
and what insane and silly things we do.  
Here is what I see before me, vividly and clear,  
As I recall it, you were in it, too._

Ellie stopped dancing causing him to run into her, "What?"

Bucky took her hand and led her to a quiet area of the venue, "You came to tell me that you had gone on a date and you felt bad but… I think you were looking for a different reaction from me and… when I told you it was okay… you got upset"

"You told me that it was okay?" Ellie asked as her face fell.

"Not that I want you to but… I don't know how it is for you then El, when you visit… it breaks my heart that you are all alone. So I did what I thought would be best for you… for your happiness" Bucky told her as he rested his forehead against hers, "I still want to be your one and only and that will never change"

Ellie closed her eyes and sighed, "Pepper told me that the Michael Buble guy… he sings Frank Sinatra songs" Ellie told him as she opened her eyes and looked at him.

Bucky laughed as he pulled her in for a hug, "Of course that is what you would remember. You know… I'm really surprised that you didn't want to name Grant, Frank"

Ellie rolled her eyes as she smiled at him, "Our next one" She told him.

Bucky kissed the top of her head, "Sounds good" He told her thinking of their daughter.

"You two make me sick, all the lovey dovey stuff" Tony said as he walked over.

Bucky glared at him, "Do you need something Tony?"

"Peter's Aunt May called. She wanted to know if they could watch Grant until tomorrow" Tony told them, "She might be using Grant as a lesson to Peter not to sleep around"

Ellie laughed as she looked at Bucky, "What do you think?"

* * *

Ellie giggled as she unlocked the door to their house attached to the garage as Bucky kissed her neck, "Buck, let me… fuck, let me at least unlock the door"

"I can't help it that I want to have you right here" Bucky told her as he bit her earlobe.

"Tony said the electricity is on" Ellie said as she turned the switch on and they saw their house fully lit for the first time.

"Bedroom now" Bucky told her as he picked her up and she threw her arms around his neck as he rushed up the stairs taking two or three stairs at a time.

They made it up to the second floor and he set her down. She took his hand and led him to their bedroom.

"So doll, what would you like to do?" Bucky asked as he turned the light on and started inflating their bed with the help of the electricity this time.

Ellie pulled him up by his tie and caught his lips in a kiss.

"Mmm… we can go see a movie in our new theater… it should work now" He said with a smirk.

"You asshole, shut up and kiss me" Ellie said.

Bucky laughed as he lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist, "I missed this"

"It's been too long" Ellie told him as she unbuttoned his dress shirt then let her hands explore his chest.

He set her down and they worked together to undress each other, Bucky careful not to rip her new red dress.

"God I love you in red" Bucky said as he captured her lips hungrily.

Ellie sat down on the bed, "It's stable now, and it's like its hugging me but its stable"

"Good I don't think I can wait much longer" Bucky said as he was immediately on top of her.

His hair was just long enough now that as he kissed down her chest, she giggled as it tickled against her nipples.

Ellie reached down and pulled his boxers off with his assistance they were across the room and into the fireplace.

Ellie laughed, "Good thing we didn't light a fire"

Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as he slowly pushed into her and it took her breath away as he bottomed out.

"You okay?" Bucky asked concerned.

"it's just been too long" Ellie told him as she reached up and pulled him down into a kiss, "I'm more than okay, as long as you start to move"

Bucky grinned against her lips as he began to move inside her.

"Fuck the slow shit Bucky, we have all night for that" Ellie said as she wrapped her legs around him.

He grabbed her bottom and tilted her hips up causing her to gasp, "Too much?"

"Shit, no! God that feels good" Ellie said as he moved his hand between them and rubbed against her clit with small circles.

"Fuck, it's been too long… I'm not going to last" Bucky said as he kissed her hard.

"I'm… shit… nearly there" Ellie said as he hit just the right angle and her orgasm hit her hard and she clenched down on him like a vice, causing his own release as he bit down on her neck.

Bucky chuckled after a few minutes, "We still have it"

Ellie laughed then gasped as they heard a pop then suddenly the bed was moving to the ground.

Bucky rolled onto his back and laughed, "Well I guess it's time for us to order a bed"

Ellie rolled into his arms and rested her head on his chest. Bucky nuzzled his face in her hair.

"Things are going to be okay El… I have faith in it" Bucky told her.

Ellie smiled against his chest, "I know that it will"

* * *

a/n3: We are getting closer and closer to Infinity War. In my timeline of the story we are about six chapters away from Infinity War but we will see how it goes. Don't forget to check out Instagram PrincessCaptainWinter and Facebook PrincessCaptainWinter. Thank you always for reading. Now to the reviews!

 **Gingin1975: Thank you for reading and reviewing. I hope you enjoyed this chapter**

 **Revanvador: Thank you for the review. I hope you are enjoying the story!**

* * *

 **Preview of Chapter 74: God Gave Me You-**

The man looked at her concerned, "Friday tell Rhodey to get inside immediately"

Ellie looked around, "Where am I?"

"Ellie, what do you remember?" The man asked as he walked closer to her, "Do you know who I am? I'm Tony"

Ellie looked at him shocked, "Howard's son? Where is Howard?"


	74. God Gave Me You

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are the property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: Has everyone seen the pictures from the sneak peek of Falcon and the Winter Soldier? I cannot wait for next Fall!**

* * *

 **On my own, I'm only  
Half of what I could be  
I can't do without you  
We are stitched together  
And what love has tethered  
I pray we never undo**

 **~ God Gave Me You by Blake Shelton**

* * *

 ***~*~* March 1, 2018, ~ New York *~*~***

Ellie opened her eyes on the morning of March 1st and sighed as she glanced over her shoulder at Bucky, who was still sound asleep.

Sitting up, she put her feet on the floor and put her head in her hands trying not to think about the fact it was now March. She had at the very least two more months with him. With a sigh, she got up and pulled her robe onto her body.

Ellie walked over to the portable crib and leaned over to check on Grant, to see he was still asleep as well. Glancing back at Bucky to make sure he had not awoken, she left their room.

With a yawn, she walked out to the kitchen and went to find the teapot. She bent overlooking in the cabinets trying to find where someone might have stored it since she used it last. Finally finding it, she stood up.

"Can't sleep?"

Ellie jumped and levitated the teapot before it could hit the ground, "shit Tony, what are you doing here?"

Tony stared at the levitating teapot then shook his head, "Couldn't sleep, so I flew over here to work on my new armor. Why can't you sleep?" Tony asked her as he sat at the kitchen island.

Ellie sighed as she filled up the teapot with water, "It's March... This year is just going too fast. Grant is three months old"

Tony frowned, "you are all melancholy I see"

Ellie looked at him as she put the teapot on the stove, "I just have a feeling that something bad is going to happen," She said as she turned back to the sink.

Tony frowned, "And this feeling... Is it because of a Tesseract power?"

Ellie turned around after turning the burner on, "you know Tony, you are smarter than people give you credit for"

Tony came over next to her, "what do you know?'

Ellie shook her head as she closed her eyes, "not much but it's a global event. No... Galaxy wide event" Ellie told him as she sighed opening her eyes and looked at the counter, "I might as well tell you. I have time-traveling powers"

Tony stared at her for a while, "Say that again?"

She leaned back against the counter, "So, my body doesn't travel, but my mind can travel from my body to my past body," Ellie told him, "But I can change things if I say the wrong things, so I have to be careful"

Tony nodded, "So future you, has came back and talked to Bucky?"

Ellie nodded, "Amongst other things"

Tony leaned against the counter on the opposite side of her, "any specifics about it?'

"No, just that there is nothing we can do and a lot of people die," Ellie told him as she tried not to cry, "I tell Bucky that I can't tell him much because I don't want more people to get hurt, or heaven forbid killed. Time is fluid and ever-changing... We could accidentally change something and... Make it worse. And it's already going to be bad enough"

Tony sighed as he rubbed his forehead, "I have to get that new suit ready. I am going to put more of those healing particles in it. If something big is going to be happening I'll need them. If you need anything or you… well…future you says anything else that might help us prepare, let me know"

"Thanks, Tony," Ellie said as the teapot started whistling breaking the sudden silence between them.

"Well, that is my cue that I need to get home to Pepper," Tony told her as he pushed himself off the counter, "She is going to be mad if she wakes up and I'm not there," Tony told her as he grabbed a coffee mug that was full of coffee then started walking towards the door, "I probably should get some sleep before I start coming up with ideas on new weapons. God… galaxy-wide"

Ellie waved to him as he left, then prepared her tea as Bucky came out of the bedroom.

"You are up early," Bucky told her as he wrapped his arms around her from behind, "Excited about today?"

Ellie leaned back into his arms, "Its March 1st"

Bucky kissed her neck and sighed, "I know"

Ellie bit her lip, "Can I… can I be honest about something?"

Bucky turned her around, "What is it?"

Ellie lost it the moment she looked into his eyes, "I'm so scared. I know, you say that future me… is so strong and holding it together but…how?"

Bucky pulled her to him as she cried.

* * *

 ***~*~* March 2, 2018 – New York *~*~***

"So, we have on the entrance floor, the lower level… the gym, the pool room, playroom and recreation room" Their designer Mary stated looking over their blueprints and pictures of the house, "What about the small kitchen?"

"We can wait on that" Ellie said glancing at Bucky, "I… We don't plan on having many guests around when we fully move in. Bedrooms, our son's room, kitchen, living area… biggest priorities to us right now, as well as my brother's room and the guest room for my niece"

Bucky squeezed her hand.

"Alright, we will put that last on the list then. I like your choices of the recreational room and playroom" Mary told them, "Now on the first floor… the only room not being changed is the bar and sitting room correct?"

Ellie nodded.

"Overall the motif that you both picked is called Rustic," Mary told them, "Very popular and the furniture will be easy to order. I spoke with your contractor and he will meet us at your house. I'll drive you over. We will review with him the changes to each room so that they can get the paint for each room and the flooring will be done where it is needed"

Ellie and Bucky stood up as she did, "I mean… other than Tony doing his improvements the house was physically made perfect there weren't a whole lot of changes there" Ellie told her.

"Exactly, so should be finished quickly," Mary told them, "If you are ready we can head out now"

Ellie nodded as Bucky took her hand.

Ellie stood in the dining room of their own home and looked out the window at the backyard.

"The hardest part of this room will be well… painting over these extremely red walls. The carpet is already scheduled to be torn up, the wood floors won't be hard to refinish" John, the lead contractor told them.

Ellie looked over at him, "In the family room if we can't make it work, the wood on the ceiling isn't needed"

"Oh that will be easy," John told her, "Same with the kitchen… that will be easy. We just have to knock down this wall… it is not load-bearing, we just take some room from the pantry. I don't see anything about the library on this list"

"The library is perfect… don't touch it. Just update of furniture" Ellie told him as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Now the most difficult room on the first floor is going to be the living room," John told them as he flipped through papers on a clipboard, "It will push the finish date back another month"

Ellie bit her lip glancing at Bucky out of the side vision, "When can we move in?"

"July or August," John said as she sighed, "That's at the latest… I am just saying that because of the kids and the construction. The bedrooms will be done first, so it will technically be livable by late next month. The kitchen and living room on this floor will take a while."

Ellie's face fell as she looked over at Bucky.

Bucky ran his tongue over his lips, then looked at Mary and John, "El, how about we go check out the bedroom"

Mary nodded, "John, I want your opinion on the terrace"

Ellie let Bucky take her hand and he led her upstairs right into the room that they had picked for Grant, "What is it, Buck?"

"Stand here for a second" Bucky said as he positioned them with their backs to the window and he put his arms around her and she leaned back into him, "Close your eyes and imagine Grant playing in his room with Sarah"

Ellie closed her eyes and relaxed.

 _She saw herself glancing into this very room through the door as she carried a basket of clothes and saw Grant building with blocks with Sarah, who was playing with her dolls._

 _"Grant, can you build my Rapunzel a tower?" Sarah asked him as she looked at his castle._

" _Sure, how tall?" Grant asked her as he grabbed some pink blocks and started stacking them._

"You are getting this house perfect for him… for me when I come home," Bucky told her.

A tear slid down her cheek, "You will come home," She told him as she kept her eyes shut trying to keep the image in her brain.

"Of course I will… as soon as I can" Bucky said as he kissed the side of her head.

"I'm okay… go ahead and head down" Ellie told him as she squeezed his hands, "I just need a moment"

"Are you sure?" Bucky asked frowning.

Ellie nodded as she gave him a chaste kiss.

Bucky left the room and Ellie walked over to the window to look out. She sighed and turned to leave only to notice writing on the doorframe of Grant's bedroom for the first time. The room had been a playroom and bedroom for the previous owners from what they had been told.

She smiled when she saw height markings on the doorframe.

The tallest one was marked "Sarah", then "Jamie" and "Lizzie". The height was obvious that before they were teens the children stopped being marked.

Ellie ran her fingers over the names, then left the bedroom to meet Bucky downstairs.

* * *

Ellie yawned as she entered the Avengers compound, "Why am I so tired?"

"I was mentally done halfway through Ikea. God Mary can shop" Bucky told her as he took Grant's carrier and set it on the floor to help Ellie take her coat off, "You almost fell asleep in the car. Go take Grant to the room and take a nap"

"That sounds really good," Ellie said as she took Grant out of the carrier and carried him to the bedroom.

After changing him, she laid him down in the portable crib then kicked her shoes off. Sighing as her body relaxed into the mattress and took her into dreamland.

Bucky was in the kitchen making a snack as Ellie napped when Rhodey walked into the kitchen.

"Just the person I was looking for. Can you come out to the workshop with me? Tony said you helped him with his suit and I need mine to work with a better range of motion with my exoskeleton:" Rhodey asked, "It's hard with my limited movement as it is"

Bucky shrugged as he took a bite of his sandwich, "Sure. Ellie and Grant are asleep anyways"

* * *

Ellie opened her eyes and looked around the area in which she was in, confused as to where she was. Nothing in the room was familiar, it was a room that she did not recognize at all. Getting out of bed, she noticed that there were no pictures on the bedside table to help show where she was. She inhaled and paused as she closed her eyes, the smell was familiar. Something woodsy and the scent, it made her heart race. Standing up slowly, she noticed how easy it was to walk and that her legs supported her and smiled as she walked to the door.

Opening the door, she walked out into the hallway and looked both directions, trying to recognize anything or to see anyone that might be able to help her.

She walked into a living room area, and it seemed very cold and had weird furniture in it but seemed vaguely familiar. She stood looking around trying to figure out where she was when a man walked into the room.

He paused looking at her, "Looking rough Agent Gorgeous" He said.

She frowned at him, "My name is Agent Barnes, and where am I? Is this a SHIELD safe house?"

He stared at her confused, "Seriously? What are you on? Can you super soldiers even do drugs?"

Ellie noticed the screen hanging on the wall and walked over to the computer screen as it changed, "What is this?" She asked as she touched it and it asked for a password making her jump.

"Hey FRIDAY, call Manchurian Candidate," The man said staring at her concerned.

"He is not answering" A disembodied voice answered.

Ellie jumped looking around, "What was that?"

The man walked closer to her, "Friday tell Rhodey to get inside immediately"

Ellie looked around as she started to panic, "Where am I?"

"Ellie, what do you remember?" The man asked as he walked closer to her to stand next to her, "Do you know who I am? I'm Tony"

Ellie looked at him shocked, "Howard's son? Where is Howard?"

A metal man walked into the room and Ellie moved away from him as she saw the large gun attached to him.

"Rhodey where is Bucky?" Tony asked.

Ellie frowned, "What do you mean where is…." She said as she saw a man walk into the room behind the metal man and she fell to her knees, "Bucky… oh God I am dreaming"

"What's wrong?" Bucky asked Tony as he rushed over to her.

"I don't know she is really confused," Tony told him.

Bucky pulled her into his arms and Ellie sobbed as she held onto his chest, "Angel what's wrong?"

"How… how are you alive?" She asked clutching onto him.

Bucky frowned and took her face in his hands, "Look at me"

Ellie looked up at him with her blue eyes sparkling, "Bucky, what's wrong with me? You are alive and… it's not 1987… was Romania a hallucination? Is this a hallucination?"

Bucky sighed as he rested his head on the top of hers, "El, it's 2018… I'm real, you are real. Romania was real. You have mental time-traveling powers and you traveled into your 2018 body. Question is when you are coming from" Bucky said.

Ellie grabbed her head as she pulled away from him, "My head hurts… but my legs don't hurt. I can walk. I don't-"

Her head snapped up as she heard a baby crying, "Grant?… oh God Grant"

Bucky followed her as she followed the sound to the room she had just left and walked over to the crying baby, "You know Grant?"

"Shit… Grant. God Buck" She said as she picked Grant up and cradled him to her chest, "My brain just… it's still messed up"

Bucky frowned, "From what?"

Ellie sat on the bed and hung her head, "I can't remember when I've come back, to know when I've been here for sure and… I barely remembered how to get here Buck. Things are starting to become clearer again, but I don't have my notes or pictures to help my brain remember"

She bit her lip and looked up at him, "I was in a bad car accident. It was bad" Ellie told him shaking her head, "I am just starting to get healed. I was…it was bad Buck. I woke up in a hospital, weeks ago from where I've come from…I'd been in and out of awareness for two weeks. Steve said it was bad"

Bucky sat next to her, "What happened?"

Ellie shrugged, "I don't know… I don't remember it happening" She told him with tear-filled eyes, "I don't remember anything within the two weeks after it. The days before it are gone. That whole month was… a blur. It was bad, Steve keeps telling me because I keep forgetting but… some of the details I can remember now. He said that I was trapped in the car… my legs were crushed and I was bleeding to death. Somehow I survived"

"Oh God" Bucky said taking her hand.

"Buck, because of my… head injury and blood loss…I had something called… shit… I can't remember what it's called" Ellie said worried as she rubbed her forehead, "but lack of oxygen to the brain because I… died. Part of my brain was damaged. The doctors… they told Steve that I wasn't going to make it. With the amount of blood they found, the shape I was in… by some miracle, my body was making blood enough to keep me alive. I can't walk still… my left leg… it was basically destroyed, they wanted to take it but Steve told him not to underestimate the super serum. They…are having a hard time getting it to heal right. Thank god for Steve… he never gave up on me. Still hasn't. I have mixed amnesia. When I wake up in the morning, I don't remember what happened or where I am until he reminds me. It… it's getting better, I can remember the kids now. It's been so hard on them" Ellie told him shaking her head.

Bucky looked at her, "Grant is old enough to understand a little"

"Yeah, he can understand but… the girls don't" Ellie told him as she swallowed and sighed, "Kasie… she is more verbal so she can… talk about it. Beck… she is just my cuddle bug and doesn't understand why I can't cuddle with her. She is more sensitive"

Bucky inhaled as she confirmed what he had suspected, "They weren't in the car with you right?" Bucky asked.

"No, Steve says I was coming back from a meeting and it was one of the first cold days of the year. It was raining… the road was closed so I had to take a back road… no one saw my car skid off the road, over the edge of the… shit… it was a far fall… the car was destroyed. It took them hours to get to me with the bad weather. Tony's tracking is what helped them. I remember nothing from the first three weeks after the accident. After that it's spotty. It's really bad when I wake up but between Steve and your videos… it helps" Ellie told him as he squeezed her hand, "I just… I want it to get better"

"So you can't walk?" Bucky asked concerned.

"My left leg is useless. I heal too fast and it doesn't heal right so… they have to keep re-breaking it so it will heal in the right position. My memory sucks and my kidney levels were low which with my history Steve was concerned but its better. Um…" She said as she closed her eyes and thought for a second, "My pelvis was broke but it was a clean break so that one was easy. My face… enjoy this one while it lasts" She said as she opened her eyes and looked at him, "Steve said it's not noticeable what they did to fix it but I had fractures all over my face and skull, I can feel where the skin has healed. My arms had breaks… I am still a mess but I am getting better. Like now, I remembered how to get here and I am remembering more details as I talk to you. Plus its Christmas, it's my present to myself coming to see you. I just never thought that coming here would wipe my memory again" Ellie told him sadly.

Bucky laid down on the bed, "Come here"

Tears fell from her eyes as she laid Grant between them and laid down next to him, "Even when my memory was gone… I was always reaching over for you"

Bucky kissed her and she rested her forehead on his.

Ellie took his hand in hers and held onto it.

"What did you get the kids?" Bucky asked.

"The kids?" Ellie asked looking at him confused, "I got Grant this cute little pedal car and this playset that is almost like a dollhouse but it is a fire station instead. For Sarah, these art sets… she has Steve's art bug"

"What about the twins?" Bucky asked.

Ellie looked at him, "Oh that's right, I told you about Steve's twins when I visited the future."

Bucky shook his head as he realized that she was clearing up mentally, "What did you get them?"

"They are still so little. They are into dolls" Ellie told him as she sighed and looked up at the ceiling, "All I have done is sleep lately but I am so tired"

"If you are healing, that is why. Your body is working so hard to fix itself" Bucky told her running his hand through her hair.

Ellie looked at Grant as he played with his hands between them, "He needs me… I need to go back but… I don't remember how. Oh God, what if I can't get back?" She asked as she started to panic.

"I know how you go back but don't want you to go back… I don't want you in pain" Bucky told her sadly, "If you go back you'll just be in pain again and there is nothing I can do to stop it"

"How do I go back?" Ellie asked him.

"You fall asleep" Bucky told her, "You can't hold the connection when you are asleep. It's easier to visit when your body is asleep and when you go to sleep the connection goes back to your future brain"

Ellie snuggled into his chest, "If it's that easy… I'll back there soon. I'm so tired"

"Fight it," Bucky told her squeezing her hand, "As long as you can"

Ellie put her hand on his face, "God Buck, I wish I was as brave as you. I am sorry that I am putting you through this"

"I wish I was there for you," Bucky told her as he kissed her forehead.

"But you are," Ellie told him with a teary smile, "I look at Grant and I see you. I feel the love you have for me" Ellie told him, "Some days it's the only thing that gets me through everything."

"I just hate knowing that you are in so much pain. There is nothing they can do?" Bucky asked.

"I'm god damned lucky. Without Tony, Steve, and Bruce… I wouldn't be here. Tony flew in Doctor Cho and between her and the team of doctors that Bruce knew… they worked a miracle" Ellie told him.

"Should have had Ksie and Shuri come in," Bucky told her.

Ellie looked at him sadly, "Bucky…Nalia and Shuri don't make it"

"Shit," Bucky said shocked.

"It's bad Buck…none of us… well, we aren't living… we are just… existing" Ellie told him shaking her head, "Too many people are gone. Things still haven't recovered. The larger cities are overrun with garbage and infestations of rats and… there aren't enough people in sanitation. So many of the small businesses have boarded up. They can't afford to run their businesses anymore. The big box stores are all that still exist and they drive their prices up because they can. We need these products but… it is not like people can just go somewhere else now"

Bucky watched her yawn.

"I'm so tired Bucky," Ellie told him sadly as she closed her eyes and snuggled into him.

Bucky pulled her close to him and swallowed hard as he kissed the top of her head, "I'll hold you until you fall asleep. I'm not going to make you stay if you can't. Just know that I love you"

Ellie sighed contently, "I love you Bucky… I'll be waiting for you"

"I love you too Angel, so much," Bucky told her as he rubbed her back until she fell asleep.

Bucky picked Grant up and took him out of the room, "We have to let Mommy rest"

Walking out to the main area, Tony looked up at him concerned, "What was that?"

Bucky sighed as he put Grant into his playpen and ran his real hand over his face, "I need to talk to Steve too"

"Is she okay?" Tony asked concerned.

Bucky shook his head, "No"

Tony frowned as Bucky sat on the couch and held his hand up to call Steve.

"Hey Buck, what's up?" Steve asked.

Bucky cleared his throat, "Ellie came for a visit today"

"Alright, why does that look like it wasn't a good thing?" Steve asked.

"Because she didn't know who I was Capscicle… she didn't even… she was shocked to see Manchurian Candidate here" Tony interjected.

Steve frowned, "What?"

Bucky sighed, "She was in an accident… at bad accident Steve. She doesn't remember it but, she remembers that you told her that she should have died. She can't walk her memory is gone, she called it mixed amnesia. She can start to remember things but as soon as she falls asleep, her memory is gone"

"Shit, we have to change it somehow. What did she say about it? When and where did the accident happen?" Steve asked.

"She doesn't remember Steve," Bucky told her shaking his head, "If she can't remember… we can't know"

"Fuck," Tony said as he sat down next to Bucky.

"Exactly," Bucky said sadly, "Guys look… I am hoping she comes to visit next time and everything is back to normal… she can remember details. Until then… we can't tell her and worry her about something that happens nearly three years from now"

Steve nodded, "I agree"

Tony stood up, "I'm going to start researching into amnesia research… get a jump start on ways to help her"

"Thanks, Tony," Steve said as Tony walked away, "You okay Buck?"

"She nearly is going to die Steve and I'm not going to be there to help her," Bucky told him forlornly.

"We are going to do everything in our power to change that Buck," Steve told him, "If we save you… you will be with her and the accident doesn't happen"

"But… if I do die Steve…" Bucky trailed.

"She will be so annoyed with me all in her business" Steve assured him.

"Thank you, Steve," Bucky told him, "I don't want to leave her… but if… it does happen at least I know she has you"

"She is my sister Buck… I will do my best to protect her" Steve told him, "What is she doing right now?"

"She didn't wake up. She is taking a nap" Bucky told him.

"Go lay with her" Steve suggested.

"That's a good idea," Bucky said, "Thanks Steve"

"Don't mention it," Steve said as he ended the call.

Bucky ran his hands through his hair then sighed as he stood up grabbing Grant. He walked down to their room and quietly opened their bedroom door then climbed into bed behind her after laying Grant in his porta-crib.

She sighed and a smile went on her face as she moved back against him then relaxed in his arms.

* * *

 ***~*~* March 7, 2018 – New York *~*~***

Bucky was sitting back against the headboard of their Avengers compound bed as Ellie packed their suitcase, playing with Grant as he laughed when Bucky made faces at him.

"Knock knock"

Ellie looked back at the door, "Come on in Tony"

Tony walked into the room with his hands in his front pockets, "I thought I would tell you that the heating system and all the electrical improvements are done to your house. The contractor also wanted you guys to know that your room is finished. They won't be working on it over the weekend so you guys can go to it"

Ellie looked at Bucky then Tony, "Thanks Tony but we are leaving tomorrow. I thought I told you"

"You are?" Tony asked confused.

"Yeah, we are heading to Rome," Bucky told him.

"Rome?" Tony asked surprised, "Since when?"

"Only last week we decided. We want to travel and experience the world as much as we can… before anything happens" Ellie told him.

Tony nodded, "Do you guys need anything? My credit card?"

"No, thank you, Tony. Pepper helped me to open one" Ellie told him, "It was a little hard since technically I am legally dead but we got it handled"

"So what are you two doing in Rome?" Tony asked interested.

"The Colosseum, the ruins, Vatican…. Hopefully Pompeii" Ellie told him, "Then we are heading to England for a while. Maybe a week or so. I loved London when I lived there"

"That's right, you were part of the British Intelligence," Tony said, "You two… three, have fun"

"Thanks, Tony," Ellie said as he left the room.

Bucky blew on Grant's belly making him laugh, "Do we skip England?"

"No, no… the house really isn't finished anyway. Just our room. The kitchen isn't done" Ellie told him as she sat next to him.

Bucky nodded as he laid back on the bed with Grant next to him, "True"

"Anything special you want to do for your birthday there?" Ellie asked him.

"You," Bucky said with a grin.

Ellie rolled her eyes as she got up, "Be serious"

Bucky grabbed her hand and pulled her closer, "We are visiting the Vatican that day right? That's special enough" Bucky told her as her phone rang.

Ellie pulled her phone off the charger, "hey Steve"

"Hey, when are you coming back?" Steve asked.

"Umm not for a while, we were planning on taking a trip to Rome and England… why do you need us?" Ellie asked him.

"No, I… Fury just called me with a mission. Sam and I are going" Steve told her.

Ellie looked at Bucky, "Does Nat need us?"

"Steven Grant Rogers, are you calling and bothering them? My God, leave them alone" Natasha yelled in the background.

"God, Nat stop hitting me," Steve said.

"You better be glad I am holding Sarah or I'd be kicking your ass," Natasha told him.

Ellie snorted.

"Now Ellie is laughing at me" Steve whined.

"God you sound like you did when you were a kid Steve," Ellie said with a smile as Bucky laughed.

"I'm done with this phone call, I'll be hanging up now," Steve told her.

"I love you, Steve," Ellie said.

"Sometimes I wonder, love you too El," Steve said as he hung up.

Bucky pulled her onto his lap and sighed into her shoulder, "I miss you smiling"

"I smile," Ellie told him.

Bucky bit his lip, "Not like you used to"

Ellie stood up, "What do you expect Buck? I am doing my best but… I'm going to possibly lose you in less than two months"

Bucky stood up and took her face in his hands, "That doesn't mean you are going to die too"

"What am I without you?" Ellie asked him with tears in her eyes.

"An amazing, powerful woman that holds the world in her hands," Bucky told her, "That is beautiful and smart, that can move mountains. Even if I am not here, I will still be with you" Bucky told her, "Here is the thing… nothing is guaranteed baby… we can't stop living, because of the fact, that I might. We are going to live each moment to the fullest, we are going to travel… have fun. Together. Despite anything happening. We…are going to make memories that… will last a lifetime"

Ellie nodded, "I'm not ready for this. I know it has to happen but…"

"I'm never going to leave you even when I am gone. We will have Grant and you're always free to come back and bug me" Bucky told her with a grin.

"Like I don't bug you as it is," Ellie told him with a smile.

"I don't call that bugging. I call it, love" Bucky told her as he kissed her.

* * *

 ***~*~* March 10, 2018 – Rome *~*~***

Ellie woke up early in the morning and smiled as she looked over at Bucky, who was sound asleep still. Placing her feet on the floor, she picked up Bucky's shirt off the floor then slid it on and buttoned the first two buttons.

Standing, she walked over to the window and opened the curtains to look out at the sleeping town in front of her.

' _How much longer do we have left?' She heard in her head._

"Less than two months" She replied.

Ellie walked over to Grant to make sure he was asleep then walked over to the bed and moved to straddle Bucky's waist then leaned down to kiss him.

"Hmmm," Bucky said as he opened his eyes to see her and noticed her eyes were sparkling, "Angel, you are here. How are you feeling?"

Ellie sighed, "I came to visit?"

"Yeah, you don't remember?" Bucky asked rubbing her back.

"Buck… it was bad. I don't remember anything from the accident until a little after New Years" Ellie told him, "It's your birthday in my time and this time so happy birthday baby"

Bucky grinned against her lips as she kissed him, "Thank you… so March 2021?"

"Unfortunately. Grant is at a friend's house, Steve and Nat are out so I have the whole house to myself. I thought I would come to visit for your birthday" Ellie said as she kissed down his neck.

"Fuck," Bucky said as she kissed the spot on his neck that drove him crazy.

Ellie sat back holding her head as 'Don't you dare have sex with him. I plan to', "Seriously?"

Bucky looked at her confused, "Are you okay?"

"Literally, I'm arguing with myself right now," Ellie said exasperated, "I just told myself not to have sex because… I wanted to do it first"

Bucky laughed.

"Seriously! We haven't had sex in over a year in my… timeline" Ellie whined.

Bucky laughed, "You know… as long as he doesn't wake up, this sounds weird but I can easily make love to both of you"

Ellie giggled, "Me first"

Bucky pulled her down onto the bed and rolled on top of her, "I love when you wear my shirts"

Ellie moaned as he teased the skin from her ear to her jaw then peppered kisses down her throat and nipped at her ear, "Fuck"

He groaned as she tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled and he ground his hips into hers.

"Buck" She whined as she felt as if every nerve in her body was tingling, on fire and melting at the same time.

"You okay Angel?" Bucky asked as he felt her tremble.

"It's just been too long," Ellie said as he kissed down between her barely covered breasts and unbuttoned his shirt, "Why was I naked anyways when I woke up?"

Bucky grinned against her stomach, "Because Grant spit up all over you last night"

"That's right," Ellie said as he pulled his shirt over his head and threw it to the floor and she leaned up and ran her tongue over his taut muscles.

"Don't!" Bucky told her, "I might explode"

Ellie grabbed at his sweatpants and pushed at them.

Bucky grabbed her hands and put them above her head then slid his hand down her body and slid his hand between her legs, "Is this what you are waiting for?"

Ellie groaned as she rolled her hips into his palm, "You have to unwrap it first"

Wrapping his fingers in the side of her panties, she lifted her hips and let him slide them down her legs. Grasping at his waistband, he assisted her in pulling them down and groaned as she rubbed against his length.

She rolled against him, "Condom"

Bucky reached over next to the bed and grabbed the box, "Just in case" He said as he rolled it onto himself then pushed into her slowly.

He swallowed her moans in a kiss as he moved his hips.

"Fuck," Ellie said as his thrusts quickened and she dug her fingers into the muscles of his back as she met each thrust with a roll of her hips.

"Shit," Bucky said as he teased the skin of her neck and nibbled at her skin.

Ellie let out a long moan as she felt herself go right to the edge as she came undone with a sharp cry, trembling and shaking.

Bucky grabbed her leg to change the angle of his thrusts and quickly followed her.

He rolled onto his back and she kissed his chest, "I'm getting too old for this"

Ellie grinned, "You are only 101 years old"

Bucky kissed her, "I'll be right back. Love you"

"Love you too," Ellie said as he went into the bathroom.

She grabbed the phone and ordered pancakes with chocolate on top.

"Who was that?" Bucky asked confused.

Ellie smiled as she placed her hand on his cheek, "We are going to plan our wedding later. We decide on having a mini-wedding at the beginning of next month and then having a larger wedding on our 80th anniversary"

"80th?" Bucky asked.

"I'm still planning it. May 25th, 2023" Ellie told him, "I've already secured everything"

"You believe that much that it can be fixed?" Bucky asked amazed.

"I hold out to that hope. We will figure it out… I know we will" Ellie said.

"What if you don't?" Bucky asked.

"Gotta have faith," Ellie told him as she kissed him, "I better go. I love you so much and happy birthday baby"

"I love you too," Bucky said as she laid down next to him and closed her eyes.

Immediately her eyes snapped open, "Okay baby round two!"

Bucky snorted as he laughed.

"Don't laugh at me. Future me got the morning sex that I love" Ellie said as she pouted.

"Oh, honey I'm glad to re…" Bucky said as someone knocked on the door.

"Room service"

Bucky looked at her, "I didn't order anything"

"I must have," Ellie said as she grabbed his shirt and jumped up quickly buttoning it as she went to the door, "Thank you," She said as she took the tray and walked back into the room, "Ooh pancakes with extra chocolate… with extra on the side… wait"

"What?" Bucky asked as she got back on the bed and spilled some on his chest.

"Oops," Ellie said as she grinned, "Gotta clean it up"

Bucky groaned as she licked it off, "Happy Birthday to me!"

* * *

A/N3: So another glimpse into the future to show it is not as rosy as it could be. Will things be changed? We will have to wait to find out.

Thank you to the two reviews from the last chapter!

 **Gingin1975:** Jamie might be making a reappearance, you never know! Thank you for reading!

 **Guest:** Thank you for reading and reviewing. I hope you continue to and enjoy the story!

* * *

a/n ** _here is the p_** _ **review of Chapter 75: Memory-**_

 **Ellie frowned as she stood up and walked over to the window to look out at the town.**

 **Bucky walked up behind her and put his arms around her.**

 **"How could I?" Ellie asked as a tear slipped down her cheek.**

 **"How could you what?" Bucky asked as he pulled her into his arms.**

 **Ellie grabbed onto his undershirt and cried into his chest, "I cheated on you and you are okay with it? With a man that looks so much like you"**


	75. Memory

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are the property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! So we are on Winter break and I've gotten a fair bit of writing done. I'll admit, I am about one or two chapters away from Infinity War and its hard. I guess I wear my heart on my sleeve even when I'm writing by putting myself in my characters shoes, so I apologize ahead of time because I've been crying. April in the story will be a hard month. Thank you, everyone, who is reading, please review so I know what you think. Remember even a "More soon!" just so I know people are reading this is much appreciated!**

* * *

 **Daylight  
I must wait for the sunrise  
I must think of a new life, And I mustn't give in.  
When the dawn comes  
Tonight will be a memory too  
And a new day will begin**

 **~ Memory from Cats the Musical**

* * *

 ***~*~* March 10, 2018 – Rome *~*~***

Ellie stepped out of the hired car as they reached the wall marked 'Mvsei Vaticani'

"I can't believe we are here," Ellie said amazed as she adjusted Grant against her in his sling.

"This is the Vatican?" Bucky asked confused, "A giant wall?"

Ellie sighed, "The city is behind the wall Buck. This is the wall to protect it"

Bucky glanced over at the stand next to the entrance, "Want bibite, gelati, cold drinks or ice cream?"

"Do you need to go back to the hotel?" Ellie asked glaring at him.

"Sorry, I know this is special for you and there is nowhere else I'd rather be on my birthday than with you and Grant," He told her as he kissed the top of his son's head, "Although, in bed all day maybe but this will do," Bucky said as he took her hand, "So where to first?"

"The Vatican City museum," Ellie told him, "Entrance is right there"

After entrance through the security, they walked to the main annex.

"Where to?" Bucky asked.

Ellie looked at the map, "Left I guess or… we can just go to the courtyard. Look" She said as she looked out the window, "It's the basilica"

Bucky shook his head, "You were a really good Catholic girl growing up weren't you"

"Mom made sure of it," Ellie said with a sigh as she looked at him, "I know you… believe but with everything that has gone on, would you be okay with-" She asked glancing down at the now sleeping Grant.

"Grant going to church? Yes, Angel, I'd be fine with it. I believe… I just… I don't understand why things happened to me… to us the way they did. Why us, you know?" Bucky asked giving her a half-smile.

Ellie ran her hand over Grant's head and he moved his head towards it in his sleep, "I don't know and I wish I did but… he has a bigger plan for us. We may not understand it until it happens but he does" Ellie told him as she pulled him forward, "Come on, let's go into the courtyard"

They walked to the courtyard roof and looked out at the garden below. Hand in hand they explored the different buildings. Ellie was amazed, taking in the different artworks from various -periods.

After the Egyptian Gallery, some of the museums of the Vatican and the Gardens, they made it to Leonardo DiVinci's museum just around the time Grant woke up.

Bucky took him from her to hold him for a bit.

"Look at this ceiling," Ellie said as she gazed up at the artwork.

"Have you tried to paint before?" Bucky asked rocking Grant, "I know I went with Steve to classes but I don't remember you going"

"No… I have a feeling I'd be horrible at it" Ellie told him as they walked through a room with hundreds of sculptures and busts.

"I think you should try. Give you something to do… later on" Bucky told her.

Ellie sighed as she squeezed his hand tighter, "Well I guess Steve and I could share the studio… if I am any good"

"I think you could easily paint any of these" Bucky said looking up at the panels on the ceiling.

"You're hilarious. These are prized works of art by artists way more talented than I could ever be" Ellie told him as she saw a sign ahead, "Cappella Sistina!"

"I'm guessing that is roman for Sistine Chapel?" Bucky asked seeing her face.

"Come on," Ellie said as she pulled him to the stairs.

They walked down the stairs and Ellie walked into the Chapel.

"Look at the scale of this" Ellie said amazed as she craned her neck up.

"It is kinda amazing," Bucky said looking around noticing that even Grant was taking it in, "Look at the details"

"Michelangelo painted all of this by looking up just like us and it took him three years to paint all of this" Ellie informed Bucky amazed.

Bucky smiled as he watched the smile on her face then had to look away so he would not cry.

* * *

Ellie sighed buttoning up her shirt as she climbed into bed next to Bucky.

"You ok?" Bucky asked rolling onto his side and pulling her into his arms.

Ellie nodded, "Just a little… sad I guess"

Bucky kissed her then rested his forehead against hers, "Don't be. I had a wonderful birthday"

Ellie closed her eyes, "Let's get married"

"We are, on our-"

"Not the big one… a little ceremony with just our closest friends in Wakanda. At the spot overlooking the waterfall?" Ellie suggested as she opened her eyes, "Nothing big but…. I still want to do something"

"Then still having the big ceremony later on?" Bucky asked.

Ellie nodded.

"I can't wait to see how gorgeous you will be," Bucky said as he kissed her.

Ellie let him pull her into his arms, "I'm so tired Bucky"

"I know you are," Bucky told her rubbing her back, "We did a lot today. Go to sleep baby, you get to see the Pope tomorrow"

"I…I think… future me is trying to visit" Ellie mumbled into his chest, "Has to… I'm too sleepy too easy"

"Rest Angel, you deserve it," Bucky said as he pushed a stray piece of hair out of her face.

She closed her eyes and Bucky felt her body relax then nearly immediately her eyes opened as she inhaled.

"Fuck, I thought I would never go to sleep," She told him as she stretched.

Bucky laughed, "When are you visiting from?"

"Still March 10, 2021, but I just wanted to cuddle with you on your birthday then fall asleep in your arms," Ellie told him as she folded in on him and rested her head on his chest, "Now that I am remembering more… I am missing more all over again. It is almost like I can feel you with me"

Bucky laced his fingers through hers as they rested together on his stomach, "I will always be with you"

"No, you don't understand what I mean… since the accident, it's almost like… I feel you there, your presence is there" Ellie told him shaking her head as she sighed, "Anyways…so Steve and I are in Arizona at the Grand Canyon. It's beautiful Buck. Although thank god I have fast reflexes. Grant tried to go past the safety area. Gave my brain a workout as I quickly bolted before the pain hit"

"Are you still in pain?" Bucky asked concerned.

Ellie shrugged, "It's just my damn leg. It's nearly there and Helen Cho thinks that she can fix it the rest of the way with one last break and with some of her technology. I told her that I wanted to wait until this trip. I should have waited through because hiking was been difficult" Ellie told him sadly, "I just wanted to do something fun for the kids. Steve and I would take them places together and suddenly I was down for the count and they were stuck inside and in school"

"They are going to school?" Bucky asked surprised.

"Just a little school in town that is through the Catholic church. I am not sure if I am going to send Grant to their elementary school or not" Ellie told him, "He isn't even three and a half so I don't want to think about that yet"

Bucky laid back against his pillow placing his arm under his head, "God he is three. It blows my mind sometimes."

Ellie sat up and moved to sit next to him on the headboard, then ran her fingers through his hair as he moved his head into her lap, "I am sorry Bucky... I am so sorry to put you through this. To torture you with every visit just to make myself happier"

"Baby look at me," Bucky said as he sat up and pulled her onto his lap, "This isn't torturing. I'm happy that you are okay and the kids are okay. You give me updates on Steve, he is okay. How are he and Nat doing by the way?"

Ellie sighed as she closed her eyes then opened them looking at him, "They broke up. Right around the time of my accident"

"Shit, what happened?" Bucky asked surprised rubbing the skin of her back.

Ellie laughed, "I don't remember it obviously but they realized that they loved each other but… not enough to tie each other down forever. Nat said she never dreamt of the wedding of her dreams. They are still together but not really… together if that makes sense. Steve lives with me and Nat lives at the compound. She is the leader of the Avengers now"

"What about the kids?" Bucky asked concerned.

"Here at the house with me and Steve. Nat stays at the house on the weekends. It's not like she doesn't see them at all. Unless she has a mission or is investigating something, Sarah and the twins stay with her during the day while Steve works at the hospital. Tony has made up… Wanda's old room as a playroom for all the kids. I take Grant to school and go to either the compound as well or Manhattan" Ellie told him, "Oh Steve got a job as a group therapist at the hospital. He is a grief counselor. He finished his bachelor's degree already and is working on his masters. He has been able to sail through the courses thanks to his memory"

Bucky smiled, "Good for Steve. Have you thought of taking up modeling again?" He asked pushing a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Modeling? God no. My face was too messed up. While the scars aren't entirely visible thanks to Doctor Cho… my face is affected. I don't even like looking in the mirror anymore. My face… it's not the same Buck. Plus you can't be a model when you can't walk in heels" Ellie told him.

"You'll be back at it by next year," Bucky told her.

Ellie scoffed, "I don't know about that" Ellie told him, "After Steve finding going to school so easy… I think I might go back to get my doctorate in Psychology but I am not sure if that is what I want to do anymore. I don't know what to do honestly. I'm running Stark for Pepper but it doesn't make me happy"

Ellie moved into his hand as he placed his hand on her face, "Has… has Sebastian came to visit?" Bucky asked.

Ellie looked at him pulling away as if she were shocked, "What?"

"Sebastian Stan… did he visit you at all that you remember?" Bucky asked interested.

"No, why would he?" Ellie asked confused.

"Before the accident, you and he were getting close" Bucky told her.

Ellie frowned as she stood up and walked over to the window to look out at the town.

Bucky walked up behind her and put his arms around her.

"How could I?" Ellie asked as a tear slipped down her cheek.

"How could you what?" Bucky asked as he pulled her into his arms.

Ellie grabbed onto his undershirt and cried into his chest, "I cheated on you and you are okay with it? With a man that looks so much like you"

Bucky kissed the top of her head, "You didn't cheat on me because nothing ever happened past two barely dates. At least from what you have told me"

Ellie looked at him with her glittering tear-filled eyes, "What if I did? I could never live with myself, Buck. God… every moment… especially since the accident, I wonder what you would do. I don't remember much about the accident but the pain… all I remember was wondering if you were in that much pain when you died. I thought I was dying… hell they don't know how I didn't die"

"Thank God you didn't," Bucky said resting his chin on her head as he swallowed hard.

Ellie bit her lip, "They think I was imagining things but Buck… I swear someone was there with me. I remember talking to someone, someone was keeping me calm. There was no one there though. Tony is the one that found me and… there was no one with me. I was passed out by then"

Bucky ran his hand over her hair, "Tony found you?"

Ellie nodded, "He used FRIDAY to track my phone or car… somehow when I didn't show up on time. He flew to the location and found me. The problem was the way my car was positioned and how I was pinned, he couldn't free me. It was at night and there wasn't a whole lot of traffic. No one understands why I was even on that highway. Our brand new car… thank goodness for the safety aspects of it… but it was destroyed. The engine was practically in the passenger seat. Tony ended up calling some more suits to stabilize the car. He told me it was resting on the nose of the vehicle and the back end was angled into the bridge I fell off of-"

"Wait you fell off a bridge?" Bucky asked shocked.

Ellie nodded, "I either fell asleep or lost control on the ice, the car went over the wall and of course it was right there was no safety fence. There is now, Tony made sure of it. The car tumbled down the embankment and came to rest at the foot of the bridge. No one reported it or saw it because it was at night and the front end of the car was destroyed so no lights. I guess the tail lights must have been destroyed too. No one saw the lights. Tony found me approximately 4 hours later from what when they think I went over. Something… for some reason I didn't freeze to death, I was so low on blood and I did have some hypothermia"

"God Ellie," Bucky said as he held her to him tightly.

"I'm okay… I'm alive Buck. I think… I think you were my angel there with me" Ellie told him as she ran her hand through his hair then pulled his face to hers.

Bucky ducked his head down and kissed her hard, bumping their noses together as he desperately wanted to be closer to her. Ellie adjusted and lifted her hand to his face running her hand over his rough stubble.

She let out a shaky breath as he nipped at her jaw then ran his hand down her side to cup her bottom then ran his hand between her legs to press his thumb against the seam of her PJ pants. Ellie grabbed for the string of his sweatpants and yanked on the front of them to pull them down then slid her pants down her legs.

Ellie looked into his eyes as he laid her back gently on the bed, "We don't need to be careful. Nothing happens"

Bucky took her lips in his as he held her against him and with a flex of her hips, she sighed as she was whole again.

"Jesus," Bucky said as he put an arm around her and held her to him tightly.

Ellie smiled as she held onto him as he rested his head on her chest listening to her heartbeat. After a few minutes she clenched down on him and he moved his head back to meet her mouth. Then down her neck and bit her shoulder as she moved against him.

"I'm okay Buck," Ellie said as she touched his face.

The next 30 minutes were bringing each other to the brink over and over, tears shared between them and both of them enjoying the feeling of being complete.

Bucky collapsed against her and held her as she trembled with aftershocks. He kissed her eyes as she held her eyes closed tight and a few tears slipped out.

"This is the most alive I've felt since the accident," Ellie said enjoying the heaviness of his body on her as she tugged at his hair and tightened her leg around his waist. Enjoying the fact she could easily move her left leg.

Running her hand down his back, she sighed as she buried her face in his hair, "I don't want to go back" She said blinking away her tears.

"I don't want you to go back either" Bucky whispered as he kissed her neck.

Ellie sighed, "I have to though… I can't stay asleep forever. I try to visit at night when they won't wake me up. I tell Steve so he sits in my room and watches over me unless I visit like I did this morning when the kids aren't there. If I stay awake all night here… not only will my body be exhausted here but mentally I'll be wiped there. This is my longest visit since the accident… I'm just glad I can hold it this long mentally. Physical therapy might work my legs and the rest of my body but… only you can work my brain like this. I… I never have issues when I visit" She told him as she ran her hand over her forehead and smiled at him, "I have the mental slip-ups when I am…there… in your…my future" She said as she closed her eyes and sighed.

"Angel, it will be our future. Just got to have a little more faith" Bucky told her.

Ellie sighed, "Its hard Buck. I want to believe but… it's hard to keep the faith sometimes"

"Then I just need to have faith enough for both of us," Bucky said as the moon shined through the window as the clouds parted in the sky and smiled, "See he agrees. I see the moon, and the moon sees me, God bless the moon, and God bless me"

"There is a children's song that I sang to Grant and the girls when I put them to sleep. I see the moon and the moon sees me, the moon sees somebody I wanna see. God bless the moon and God bless me: And God bless that somebody I wanna see" Ellie told him.

"I like that version," Bucky said as Grant started fussing and he looked at the clock, "Shit its 2 am"

Ellie smiled as she peeled herself out of his arms and walked over to his travel crib, "Hey little man"

Grant smiled when he saw her and she picked him up.

Ellie walked over to the bed and sat down then started feeding Grant, "I missed this… this closeness" She told Bucky as Grant sucked away.

Bucky kissed her shoulder, "When I come back, we will have another baby"

Ellie sighed as she looked down at Grant, "I hope so…we will see. I have my plate pretty full but we will see what God has in plans… when it happens"

Bucky laid back on the bed and watched her with a smile.

"What?" Ellie asked.

"Nothing, just enjoying this sight," Bucky told her.

Ellie grinned, "Enjoying the sight myself… you all naked and beautiful"

Bucky snorted, "Men aren't beautiful. We are handsome… right, Grant?"

Ellie rolled her eyes as Grant pulled away from her breast smacking his lips together and frowning, "See he is frowning, you agree with Momma"

She held him and rocked him for a bit as he drifted off to sleep against her breast. She kissed his head then laid him down back inside his crib. Picking Bucky's shirt off the floor, she slipped it over her head then climbed back into bed next to him.

Bucky pulled her into his arms and Ellie smiled, "I hope you had a great birthday baby" Ellie said as she kissed him.

"Well, a great birthday but… nothing can top last year… getting you back in my life" Bucky told her.

Ellie's chin quivered, "My birthday this year? You being my present?"

Bucky rubbed her back, "If I had the power to do it I would in a heartbeat"

"I know you would," Ellie told him as she kissed his chest, "I love you Bucky… so much"

"I love you too… close your eyes… you need your rest" Bucky told her as he ran his hand down her arm.

Ellie relaxed into his body and yawned. Within five minutes Bucky felt her body relax as she drifted off.

Bucky kissed the top of her head and held her closer to him as he too closed his eyes.

* * *

 ***~*~* March 11, 2018 – Rome *~*~***

Ellie looked around from their place on St. Peter's Square and looked at Bucky, who was rocking Grant in his arms as he talked to him, "I can't believe we are here"

Bucky looked at her with a smile, "I'm glad we were able to do this"

"Me too," Ellie said as the whole area seemed to buzz with anticipation as they gazed at a window above with a flag hanging beneath it.

Suddenly a figure appeared at the window and everyone cheered.

"Cari fratelli e sorelle, buongiorno!" The Pope said after he appeared.

Bucky leaned over to Ellie, "It's in… what language?"

"Italian" Ellie said, "Hold on… I'll translate"

"Rejoice, Jerusalem" — thus, it is a call to joy — "Be joyful, all who were in mourning". This is how the Mass begins. What is the reason for this joy? The reason is God's great love for mankind, as today's Gospel passage tells us: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life". These words, spoken by Jesus during the encounter with Nicodemus, summarize a theme that lies at the center of the Christian message: even when the situation seems desperate, God intervenes, offering man salvation and joy. Indeed, God does not remain apart from us, but enters the history of mankind; he "meddles" in our life; he enters, in order to animate it with his grace and save it" Ellie translated, "We are called to listen to this message, rejecting the temptation to value our own self-confidence, to think we can do without God, to claim absolute freedom from him and from his Words. When we find the courage to recognize ourselves for what we are — this takes courage! — We realize we are people called to take our weaknesses and our limitations into account. So it may happen that we are gripped by… anguish, by anxiety… about the future" Ellie said as she swallowed, "by fear of illness and death. This explains why many people, searching for a way out, sometimes take dangerous shortcuts such as, for example, the path of drugs or that of superstition or disastrous magic rituals"

Bucky pulled her to his side and kissed the side of her head.

* * *

Ellie looked at the map in her hand as Bucky pushed Grant through the crowds, "According to this map, the Largo di Torre Argentina the possible place that Julius Caesar was killed is up ahead. Temples A, B, C, and D"

They walked over to the overlook and looked down, "I can't believe how old this is and what it is still here" Bucky said as they looked down upon it.

Ellie tilted her head as she looked down on it, "Wait… are those cats?"

Bucky laughed, "Yeah, there is there is another over there," Bucky said pointing at the white cat.

"There is a spotted one over there," Ellie said.

"There are many cats. They are taken care of with great care" A woman told them pointing to a sign.

"Gees there are like 10 of them," Ellie said watching a white one walk along a wall and look at them.

It jumped onto the wall below them and scaled the ledge and jumped under the railing by them then rubbed up against Bucky's feet.

Ellie laughed, "I think you have a new friend"

Bucky knelt next to it, "Hi there kitty"

The cat rubbed his legs as it went in between them.

Bucky reached his hand out and the cat butted it as it pushed against his hand.

"Pet it," Ellie told him.

Bucky smiled as it let him scratch, behind their ears and then flipped onto its side.

Ellie knelt next to it and rubbed behind its ears, "I always wanted a cat"

Bucky looked over at her, "Then we will get one"

"Come on Bucky," Ellie said shaking her head, "Steve can't-"

"Steve doesn't have allergies anymore babe" Bucky told her with a smile as the cat moved over to her and rubbed her legs.

"Well shit," Ellie said as she petted it, "When we get back to New York we will look into it"

Bucky laughed as he stood up and the cat reached up on his leg, "This one wants us to bring him home I think"

"That wouldn't exactly work," Ellie told him sadly, "It wouldn't be fair on a poor innocent cat to have to travel all that way"

Bucky went to pick the cat up and it became scared and ran away, "Well that answers that"

* * *

 ***~*~* March 12, 2018 – Pompeii *~*~***

Ellie and Bucky followed their tour guide and group as she led them down a walking road.

"This is the Marine gate, one of eight entrances to Pompeii. Each named according to where it would take you" She told the group as they walked up towards an entranceway, "The smaller gate is for people. The larger was for carts and animals"

She turned to the left and pointed in the distance.

"Do you see the volcano?" She asked them as she pointed to it in the distance, "That is Vesuvius. He is sleeping. We are very happy that he is sleeping. We are walking on the volcanic stone from the eruption"

"When was the last eruption?" Ellie asked as they walked up the path.

"1944 but not as major as Pompeii. Pompeii was a vacation spot because there was a large earthquake 15 years before the eruption. People feared to return so it became a vacation place. They did not realize that Mt. Vesuvius was a volcano. There were earthquakes and hints to something major the day before the eruption so many people evacuated. The volcano erupted at lunchtime the next day" She informed the group, "Here is the forum. They did not have a draining system so the roads were always wet with rain" She told them, "The areas that are gated were homes and open places were stores"

"Up here on the left is Casa Di Trittolemo. Follow me" She said as the group of 10 followed her through a set of gates.

Bucky took Ellie's hand as they walked down the path.

"This was the house of Triptolemus, the son of the King of Eleusis. Much of this was destroyed in World War 2" She told everyone, "Many of the walls are still intact and writings on the walls as well as a Fresco depicting his life." She said as they reached the art behind glass, "Follow me please past the courtyard which was within the house"

Ellie's phone rang and Bucky looked at her as she looked at it once pulling it from her back pocket, "It's Nat"

Ellie put her phone to her ear as they let the group go in front of them so they were in the back, "Hey Nat, how are you?"

"Bored out of my mind. How is Rome?" Natasha asked.

"Amazing we are in Pompeii right now getting a tour," Ellie told her as they followed their guide around various areas of the house, "It's Amazing what is left after all these years. Have you heard from Steve?"

Natasha sighed, "Yesterday for a brief moment. They think they found a sleeper cell of a Hydra division"

Ellie looked at Bucky and he looked at her concerned as he read her face, "How... How... I thought they were gone"

"All it takes is one Ellie... One left and they get people convinced of their ideologies... Then they are back" Natasha told her.

Ellie closed her eyes as she held Grant to her chest, "Do you think it's them?"

Natasha paused on the other end, "I don't know. Steve wasn't sure. He said that there were no symbols of Hydra that we traditionally see. We don't know who this person would be"

"Keep us updated" Ellie told her.

"I will, when are you two coming back?" Natasha asked.

Ellie sighed, "We are leaving here for Stonehenge and London. Maybe just around London for a while. I know places that I want to share with Bucky"

"This is the Temple of Apollo," The tour guide told the group as they looked through the gate, "It was their place of worship"

"I'll let you go enjoy the tour. Call me later" Natasha told her.

"Will do Nat," Ellie said as she hung up and sighed, "Not here"

Bucky frowned and nodded as they followed the group.

"Here we are back at the Forum," their guide said, "It was the center of activity of the town. It was where the temples were, markets and government officers"

They followed her across the large area to something she called The Eumachia.

"This is the largest structure in the Forum and was where merchants could pay for wine and olive oil," She told them as she led them to another area.

A larger crowd was also in there so Bucky leaned over, "What's wrong?"

Ellie closed her eyes and shook her head, "What Steve went to investigate… might be tied to Hydra"

Bucky stared at her, "What?"

"They aren't sure because it doesn't look like the signs they typically see but I guess Fury heard rumblings of it," Ellie told him.

"Shit… just what we need," Bucky said.

"Here is one of the families that were uncovered over the years," Their tour guide said.

Ellie had to calm herself as she saw one partial skeleton next to a larger skeleton with a child-sized one to their right. She held Grant, who made a little noise as he snuggled into her chest, closer to her and looked down at him then at the bones in front of her, 'I will protect you, Grant. Don't worry'

* * *

a/n3: Getting closer to Infinity War. It will happen soon. Please remember to tell me what you thought of this chapter!

 **Now to the review:**

 **Gingin1975: Tony could really cause some trouble, you never know! Thanks for reviewing!**

* * *

 _ **Preview of Chapter 76- Strong Enough to Break:**_

Bucky glared at him as the man ended his call, "Why are you following me and my family?"

The man sighed, "I'm sorry I just… I have connections, and they told me that you two were in town… and I couldn't help myself" He said glancing at Ellie, "Let's not worry her. I'll join you two if that is okay?"

Bucky frowned as he led Bucky back to their table and Ellie sat up straight.

"I'm sorry for alarming you. Spying was never my skill set" He explained


	76. Strong Enough to Break

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are the property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: Christmas break went well, I am now right up to Infinity War. Literally days away in the story. Infinity War's time period will probably be covered over multiple chapters. From there… we will see.**

 **Thank you to the new followers: Canyan, Vanessadelatorre, Kellylouise95 and Carsyn12345. I appreciate each and every one of you that read this!**

* * *

 **Things keep coming and I keep wondering  
I start feeling the walls close in  
Things keep coming and I keep stumbling  
I start feeling I'm strong enough to break**

 **~Strong Enough to Break by Hanson**

* * *

 ***~*~* March 13, 2018 – London *~*~***

Ellie smiled as she stared up at Big Ben, "God I missed London. Did I ever tell you that I lived here?" She asked as she looked over at him.

"In London or this area?" Bucky asked as he rocked the stroller back and forth as Grant fussed.

"This area. About a mile that way," Ellie said pointing towards the direction it used to be in, "I shared it with Peggy for a year, then she came back to America and I stayed here."

"You lived with Peggy?" Bucky asked surprised, "I never knew that."

"Only for a year then like I said, she moved back to the states," Ellie told him as she looked at him sadly, "I was literally living as a different person here."

"Did you ever sightsee like we are doing?" Bucky asked as they walked towards Westminster Abbey.

"No, I never took the time or had the time. When I was working, I was working and when I wasn't…I was building my intel," Ellie told him.

Bucky frowned as he suddenly noticed a gentleman in the distance, "El… have you seen that man before?"

Ellie glanced, "He looks familiar I saw him at the Globe too"

"Let's go sit over there and see what he does," Bucky said pointing to a little café.

They pushed the stroller to the small café and went inside. Bucky ordered a coffee for himself and a tea for Ellie then they sat down at a table to watch for the man.

"He didn't come in. Maybe he…" Ellie said as the door opened as she went to take a sip and the man walked in.

Bucky looked at him over his cup as he watched him order a drink then sit down a few tables from them, "I'm going to say something"

"Buck don…t," Ellie said as Bucky got up.

Bucky walked over to the man and noticed he was on the phone.

"No Lizzie, I won't. That is your forte, not mine. No, I swear they don't even know-" He said as he saw Bucky, "Shit! Gotta go."

Bucky glared at him as the man ended his call, "Why are you following me and my family?"

The man sighed, "I'm sorry I just… I have connections, and they told me that you two were in town… and I couldn't help myself," He said glancing at Ellie, "Let's not worry her. I'll join you two if that is okay?"

Bucky frowned as the man led Bucky back to their table and Ellie sat up straight.

"I'm sorry for alarming you. Spying was never my skill set," He explained, "I'm James… I'm Peggy Carter's son."

Ellie frowned as Bucky sat next to her and James sat across from her, "Wait… Peggy had a son named James? What about DJ?"

James frowned, "Who is DJ?"

"When I visited Peggy and Daniel, she told me that she had two children DJ and Lizzie," Ellie explained.

His eyes got wide for a moment, "Oh… shit… I'm Daniel… James, I never went by DJ though… or Daniel" He said confused, "My sister is named Lizzie though."

Ellie squeezed Bucky's leg then drew 'L-I-E' on his leg, "I am so sorry about Peggy. I wish…I wish I could have seen her one last time before she passed."

James sighed, "It was so hard on all of us. The strong woman we all knew… struggling with the basic tasks of life and then forgetting us all. She never completely forgot Dad of course."

"How long were your parents married?" Bucky asked.

"God…from 1951 until Mom died," James told him sadly, "But as Dad always said, 'Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; Love leaves a memory no one can steal'. She was the center of our family."

Ellie bit her lip.

"Is Lizzie still around?" Ellie asked after a few moments.

"She lives in California," James told her, "We all spread out after Mom died."

Bucky sipped his coffee as he felt James eyes on him, "Yes?"

"No… sorry," He said as he shook his head, "I... I heard a lot of stories of you growing up. I just… I can't believe Bucky Barnes is in front of me." He told Bucky as he looked at Ellie, "Not that I didn't hear many stories about you as well Aunt Ellie but… it's just amazing finally meeting you."

Grant started fussing and James looked over, "Wow… you have a baby… Grant right?"

Ellie nodded, "Yeah, this is Grant," She said as she looked at her phone, "Oh no, Bucky we aren't going to have enough time for the National Portrait Gallery if we don't get going."

"I won't hold you guys anymore. I am glad we were able to meet," James said holding his hand out and Bucky shook it.

They all stood up and he looked at Ellie, "Can I give you a hug?"

Ellie tried not to frown, "Sure."

James hugged her, "If you ever need anything… look me up. James Carter, I live in Surrey."

* * *

Ellie sighed as they walked through Trafalgar Square.

"Something is bothering you," Bucky stated.

"Yeah… I'm surprised it's not bothering you either," Ellie said looking around as she noticed the man was no longer following them, "How did he know Grant's name?"

Bucky frowned, "We didn't mention it?"

"No," Ellie told him, "And Peggy, she told me that he was Daniel Junior… plus Sousa is a Spanish name. That proverb he recited was Irish. Why would he know an Irish proverb? Mom used to say that about Dad."

Bucky stopped and looked at her, "Do you think he was lying?"

"Oh hell yeah but… about what? Was he really not who he says he was?" Ellie asked as she brought up the Google thing on her phone that Shuri had shown her and Googled his name, "Shit there are a lot of James Carter…wait why would he be James Carter?"

She changed it to James Sousa, "One professor who has passed… something just isn't right Buck."

"You would know. We can have Natasha look into it," Bucky told her.

"Nah… we will probably never hear from him again. It's just weird… why would he pretend to be someone too? Then the whole Aunt Ellie thing?" Ellie said as Grant started fussing and she stopped to check on him.

"Yeah, he called me Bucky Barnes and said Peggy told stories of me," Bucky said as she took Grant out of his stroller, "Why is his mouth all wet?"

"He woke up like this too. For some reason he's drooling like crazy today," Ellie told him as she held Grant out, "Hold him while I get the carrier on please."

Bucky looked him and Grant looked up at him with sad eyes, "Shit… Grant, I don't like this," Bucky said as Grant grabbed onto his shirt whimpering.

"Does he feel warm?" Ellie asked.

"No… but… we can't get sick but can he?" Bucky asked rocking him.

"I don't know… that is the scary part. How about we just head back to the hotel?" Ellie suggested, "I could care less about the museums."

"Sounds good to me," Bucky told her as he kissed the top of Grant's head.

* * *

 ***~*~* March 14, 2018 – London *~*~***

Ellie held Grant as their bus drove across the English countryside.

Bucky leaned over, "Is he still sounding congested?"

"Yeah," Ellie said with a sigh, "It might be all the pollution in London. Maybe he is a little more sensitive than we are."

She kissed the top of Grant's head and he snuggled more into her in his sleep.

Bucky sighed as he laid his head back against the seat, "Just the thought of him possibly being sick kills me El."

"I know... I don't know how Mom did it with Steve," Ellie said as she rubbed Grant's back, "But this is just allergies. He has a serum in his veins. He won't be sick."

Bucky bit his lip, "Maybe we should let them test Grant."

Ellie looked at him sharply, "What?"

"Just so we know. How much exactly is in his blood," Bucky told her, "we know his DNA is mutated. He has powers."

Ellie sighed, "He hasn't really shown any of them since he was a month old."

"Because everything was new and he was scared. If he has the super hearing, everything was loud. The sight was magnified. Had to be overwhelming," Bucky told her.

"I guess," Ellie said as she looked down at him, "I don't want him to get tested because… what if he isn't… strong like us? What if he…can really get sick Buck?"

"Then he's a real boy," Bucky told her with a smile.

"Quit with the Pinocchio reference," Ellie said as she rolled her eyes.

"We are lucky El… we have a son that probably won't get as sick as other children. Do you know how many parents would die for that opportunity? Think of just in Wakanda," Bucky told her, "All those kids that we saw sick in the pediatrician's office. We may be lucky and that won't happen. If it does, we'll deal."

Ellie rested her head on his shoulder, "I wish I had your strength"

"You do, and more. You just need to believe that you do," Bucky told her as he kissed her head.

"I wish I didn't have these powers Buck," Ellie whispered.

"I know you do, but this world is going to be much better because of them. You just have to have a little faith," Bucky said with a smile.

"Using my line," Ellie said with a small smile.

"It's true," Bucky said as he kissed her hand.

* * *

Ellie rocked Grant as their train started to come to a stop, "I know honey, we are almost back at the hotel."

Grant pulled on his ear again as he whimpered.

"I don't like this Buck," Ellie said as Grant coughed again.

"If it doesn't get better by tomorrow, we will fly back to Wakanda so that Nalia can check him out," Bucky told her, "It's only gotten worse since a couple hours ago. Maybe he is just really tired"

"I hope so," Ellie said as Grant fussed again and she rocked him.

Five hours later, Ellie and Grant were both crying as Grant struck up a fever. Super baby or not, 103* was too high for Ellie's liking. Ellie bounced him as she paced in the bathroom as the steam rolled from the shower as she saw her mother do with Steve before.

Bucky walked into the room, "I'm sorry. I should have known you had the mother's instinct. I just called Shuri, they are sending a dragon flyer for us," Bucky said as he walked over and pulled them into his arms.

Ellie sniffed, "Thank you, Buck."

Bucky kissed Grant's forehead then sat on the toilet, "Want me to take him for a bit?"

"No… he's finally calming down," Ellie told him looking down at Grant who was down to a whimper, "Go try to get packed up."

Bucky nodded as he stood back up and kissed Grant's forehead.

In less than two hours, a dragon flyer was landing outside their hotel. Hurrying up to it with all their belongings, the door came down and Nalia stood at the door.

"Do you need help getting anything else?" Nalia asked as she walked down the ramp.

"Nope we have it all," Ellie told her as they walked onto the flyer, "Nalia thank you for coming."

Bucky set their stuff down as Ellie handed Grant off to Nalia and he cried reaching for Ellie.

"Shhh, its okay little one. Look, you have yourself a mess," Nalia said as she sat him down on the table and the Vibranium formed instruments.

She looked at the screen, "He does have a fever even for him. Let's have a look in those ears… nothing. Some redness but nothing alarming," Nalia stuck her finger in his mouth and ran it along his gums and Grant started chewing on her finger, "I think we have our answer."

"What?" Ellie asked as the Dragon Flyer took off.

Nalia grinned as she picked Grant up, "He's teething."

"Teething?" Ellie asked surprised, "This young?"

"It can happen at any time they decide to grow. His development is a little more advanced as it is so I'm not surprised. His gums are inflamed," Nalia told her as she rocked Grant, "I know sweetheart, we need to get you something cool."

Shuri pointed towards the wall, "There is a cooler in there, it depends on if whoever used this last used up the ice."

Bucky walked over to the wall and a handle appeared, "You know Shuri, you are quite the genius."

Shuri looked at him with a grin, "Make sure you tell brother that please."

"Not much ice but it's here," Bucky said as he took his shirt off and placed the ice inside and brought it over to Nalia.

"Break the ice up a little," Nalia told him.

Bucky crushed it in his metal hand then handed it to Nalia.

Nalia put it in Grant's mouth and he sucked on it a bit.

Ellie sighed in relief, sitting down when Grant started kicking his feet happily, "Thank God"

"We will be landing home around midnight," Shuri informed them.

"Nalia, Shuri… thank you so much for coming to the rescue," Ellie told them as Bucky took Grant from Nalia, "I am sorry we bothered you over teething."

Nalia sat next to Ellie and patted her hand, "You haven't been… well other than pregnancy, you haven't been sick in how many years?"

"Well since 1949 but really only about three," Ellie told her.

"Still three years of no sickness. Bucky hasn't been sick since 1943… then suddenly your newborn son is not feeling well. New parents experience this all the time Ellie. There is nothing to feel sorry about," Nalia told her.

Ellie looked at her then glanced at Bucky, "We talked and… maybe we should do the testing you suggested when he was born."

"Cross-matching the serums with his blood?" Nalia asked.

Ellie nodded, "To see how… affected by them he really is."

"We can do that. How long are you two planning to be back in Wakanda?" Nalia asked.

"We will play it by ear," Bucky said as he rocked Grant, "We were planning a whole week in England but… we need to go back. Until we see how my little bud here does with the teething."

* * *

 ***~*~* March 14, 2018 – Somewhere over Africa *~*~***

Ellie yawned as she rested her head on Bucky's shoulder.

"We should be there in 30 minutes right?" Bucky asked Shuri looking at the instrument panels.

"Just about that, yes," Shuri told him.

Bucky kissed the side of Ellie's head, "So close your eyes and take a quick nap," Bucky said as he put his arm around her.

Ellie glanced down at Grant in his car carrier and yawned again as she laid her head back on Bucky's shoulder and closed her eyes.

She groaned as her phone rang and looked at it, "It's just Nat."

Bucky took it from her, "Hey Nat."

"Bucky, are you guys coming home or was Nalia just coming to you?" Natasha asked him as someone screamed in the background.

"What was that?" Bucky asked alarmed.

"Steve's mission went south. He… he inhaled something and… I don't know what it is. He was having a seizure when Sam brought him in," Natasha told him.

"Fuck," Bucky said as Ellie looked at him concerned, "Steve got into something during the mission. He's having seizures."

Nalia frowned, "Seizures? Shuri, we need to get there as soon as possible. That means whatever it is… it is attacking his nervous system. The medical team will need to have all the help they can get."

* * *

 ***~*~* March 15, 2018 – Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie rushed through the doors to the medical wing and came up next to Natasha, "How is he?"

"They got the seizures under control," Natasha told her staring through the glass window, "They still don't know what caused it."

Ellie watched as the doctors put something in an IV attached to Steve's arm, "Has he been awake yet?"

"No" Natasha answered.

Dr. Ksie walked through the doors, "Good you are both here."

"Is he okay Ksie?" Ellie asked.

Dr. Ksie sighed, "Honestly… I don't know. Until we know what he was exposed to… we won't be sure. It is as if he has an infection and his body is fighting it. His body temperature is at 103* which for a normal person would be high, but it's Steve. It reminds me a lot of when you had the African Sleeping Sickness. Whatever it is… it is very strong."

"Could it be the Sleeping Sickness?" Ellie asked.

"No, not this time. I sent a rush to the lab but… whatever the infection… I think it has reached his bloodstream," Dr. Ksie told them, "We are giving him anti-seizure medication and antibiotics-"

"Ksie!"

Alarms started to go off inside Steve's room and Ksie rushed back inside. Ellie and Natasha watched as there was a flurry of activity around Steve as he went into another seizure.

After what seemed like an eternity, his body stopped convulsing and his eyes opened. Without being in the room, Ellie couldn't hear beyond the panes of glass but Steve's face showed that he was scared. Ellie gasped as he vomited then went into convulsions again.

Bucky walked into the medical bay and pulled a sobbing Ellie into his arms, "What's wrong?"

"He's having seizures and they can't get it to stop. He has an infection," Ellie told him as she sobbed into his shirt.

Bucky rubbed her back and looked over at Natasha, who stared at the window.

"Nat," Bucky said through the lump in his throat.

Natasha looked at him with tear-filled eyes, "I can't lose him."

"You won't. Ellie has mentioned him in the future," Bucky told her as he pulled her over to them.

* * *

 ***~*~* March 17, 2018 – Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie sat in Steve's hospital room as he laid in the bed in a medically induced coma, the same that he had been for the last two days.

"Any change?" Bucky asked as he walked in the door.

Ellie looked up as he walked in with a cup in his hand, "No… they finally found the dosage they think and is working. It's close to the dosage for a normal man," Ellie said as she touched his hand when he placed it on her shoulder, "God Buck… it has to be Hydra that did this. Why would someone have a drug that bonds and breaks down the serum?"

"I don't know," Bucky told her with a sigh, "Budge up"

Ellie stood up and Bucky sat on the chair then pulled her into his lap.

Ellie snuggled into his body, "I hate this Buck… we haven't had to do this since… what 1934?"

"God I forgot about that… actually sharing the chair with you is nicer than sitting on the other side of the room from you," Bucky said as he kissed her nose.

Ellie smiled sadly, "We nearly lost him then."

Bucky sighed, "We nearly lost him four times."

Ellie looked at Steve and watched the heart rate monitor, "What if… what if the serum never recovers Buck?"

"It will… Ksie said that it is already showing signs of trying to fight the infection," Bucky told her, "It will just be slow. This isn't 1934."

"Thank goodness," Ellie said as she closed her eyes and remembered the last time they were in this situation back in 1934.

" _You cheat!" Ellie yelled as Steve ran the bases._

" _Sore loser!" Steve yelled as he ran to the home plate then started circling again._

 _14-year-old Ellie huffed then stormed off._

" _Ellie, wait up!"_

 _Ellie kept walking as she kicked a can that was on the ground as Bucky continued to yell after her._

" _Wait, slow down," Bucky said as he finally caught up to her and stopped her at the road._

" _What Bucky?" Ellie asked looking up at him._

" _Why are you so mad? It was just Steve joking around," Bucky said confused as he rubbed her shoulder._

 _Ellie sighed as she shook her head, "I'm just tired and… cranky. Sorry. It was a bad day."_

" _Is Mark bothering you again? Do you need me to beat him up because I will," Bucky said with a grin as he pulled on a stray curl._

 _Ellie smiled, "No, I'm good. We don't need you getting into trouble."_

 _Bucky tucked the piece of hair that fell from her bow, back behind her ear, "I'm not the boxing champion for nothing."_

 _Ellie rolled her eyes, "Seriously? Are you still on about that?"_

 _Bucky laughed as he put his arm over her shoulders and walked with her, "It's pretty swell El."_

 _Ellie just shook her head as she looked towards the field, "Where is Steve?"_

" _Who knows maybe he decided…" Bucky said as he saw something on the ground, "Oh God."_

 _Ellie ran over to Steve and collapsed to her knees on the ground next to his body, "Steve! Steve! Wake up."_

 _Steve wheezed as he gasped for breath._

 _"Buck, go get the doctor," Ellie told him as she rubbed Steve's chest._

 _Bucky looked at Steve's lips as they turned bluer and picked him up, "We don't have time."_

 _Ellie followed him as they ran to the street then ran to the apartment of the local doctor. Ellie beat on the door, "Doctor Woodward! Doctor Woodward, its Steve! He is having an attack!"_

 _The door swung open and Dr. Woodward put his glasses on, "My goodness... Quickly bring him in here."_

 _Bucky brought him into the apartment._

" _Ellie go get your mother. We will have to take him to the hospital," Dr. Woodward told her._

 _Ellie nodded as she left._

* * *

" _Are you two okay here? I am going to go speak to the nurse," Sarah Rogers asked Ellie and Bucky._

 _"Yes ma'am we are fine," Bucky told her, "Go get something to eat. We will keep an eye on him."_

 _"Thank you Bucky," Sarah said as she kissed the top of Ellie's head then left the room._

 _Bucky looked at Ellie as she cleared her throat then sniffed, "El, what's wrong?"_

 _"Nothing," Ellie said as she held Steve's hand, "He's cold… we should get him another blanket and-"_

 _Bucky walked over to her and knelt in front of her, "He is going to be okay El"_

" _It's all my fault!" Ellie cried as she lost it._

 _"Oh Angel, no it is not," Bucky said as he sat on the edge of the bed._

" _I was arguing with him and he was showing off because I was pulling a fit," Ellie cried._

 _Bucky pulled her up into a hug, "It was Steve being the punk he is. He is going to be okay."_

 _Ellie nodded, "Thank you, Buck."_

 _Bucky smiled down at her, "Don't mention it."_

* * *

 ***~*~* March 18, 2018 – Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie was snoozing in the chair when she heard Steve groan on the edge of her consciousness.

Blinking open her eyes, she looked at him, "Steve?"

"Fuck El… no…not so loud," Steve croaked out.

Ellie sat up as she hit the button on the bed, "Steve, do you know where you are?"

Steve squinted as he looked around, "Shit no, I can't see well… I can't hear out of my left ear too… oh god," He said as he looked at his limbs, "I'm so sore. Is my serum failing?"

Ellie grabbed his hand, "You were exposed to some chemical. You inhaled it and when it hit your bloodstream it started fighting against the serum."

Steve looked at her wide-eyed, "Am I going to be… okay again?"

"They are doing their best to counter it," Ellie told him as Dr. Ksie and his team came in.

"Can you step out a moment Ellie?" Ksie asked.

"Yes sir," Ellie said as she squeezed Steve's hand as it trembled, "I'll be back."

She left the room and leaned against the wall, sliding down it until she sat on the floor.

"What's wrong?" Natasha asked as she walked down the hallway.

Ellie looked up at her, "He's awake. He is freaked out. He can't hear out of his bad ear again and… his sight is bad again. He hurts."

"Shit the serum is actually failing," Natasha said as she sat next to her.

"I hope not but sounds like yes," Ellie told her as she took Nat's hand, "Bucky has the kids?"

Natasha scoffed, "No, Ramonda. Bucky is coming. I just beat him."

Bucky appeared as the door to the stairwell slammed open, "How the hell did you get… is Steve okay?" Bucky asked as he saw them.

Ellie looked up at him, "He's awake and…it's not good. The hearing loss is back and so is the bad vision."

"Fuck," Bucky said.

Natasha stood up, "Look… he can't hear us right now but we have to remain positive about this. This is Steve, who went from the tiny guy to a superhero in less than five minutes. We don't know how this is going to go. We need to remain positive for him."

"Agreed," Ellie said.

* * *

Ellie touched her hand to the pad next to their front door, and the door opened as she and an exhausted Bucky walked through the doors.

Wanda looked up from her spot on the floor with Grant and Sarah, "Hi guys, Ramonda had to leave. How is he?"

"Awake but… the serum is failing," Ellie told her as she plopped her body on the couch.

"Shit," Wanda said as Bucky picked up Sarah.

"Go get some sleep Wanda, thank you," Bucky told her.

Wanda stood up, "If you guys need anything. Let me know."

"We will," Bucky said as he walked her out.

Ellie sighed as she laid her head back on the couch, "I don't know about you but I'm exhausted."

"Same," Bucky said looking down at Sarah, "Want to put them to bed?"

"No, poor Sarah doesn't understand that Mommy and Daddy are gone and we haven't had much Grant time today," Ellie said as she sat up, "Come here, Grant. I can't wait until he…"

Bucky watched wide-eyed as Grant pulled his legs up under him like he had been doing but pushed off with his legs moving forward onto his face, "Shit."

Grant turned his head and looked at Bucky surprised then did it again and again.

"Well we have a mobile son now," Ellie said as she stood up and picked him up, "Little Man… you are too little to be doing this."

Bucky sighed as he left the room.

"Buck? Where are you going?" Ellie called.

"Hold on," Bucky said as he walked into Grant's room and put Sarah into Grant's crib temporarily.

He turned the monitor on and clipped it to his waistband, then walked over to Grant's closet. Kneeling down, he opened the bottom drawer of the dresser and pulled a camcorder out of the drawer.

Opening it up, he took the card out and put it in the envelope that he had already written on and placed it with the other envelopes. Opening a package with another card, he put it into the camera then closed it.

Getting up off the ground, he checked on Sarah then walked back out to their living room to hear Grant laughing as Ellie blew on his belly. He leaned on the wall looking at them with a smile.

"Mmmmaaa," Grant squealed swatting at her.

"Really sounds like you are trying to say Ma to me," Ellie said as she kissed his cheek.

"Sure does to me too," Bucky said and she looked up at him.

"What's that?" Ellie asked as she pulled her shirt up and Grant started sucking away as soon as she placed him against her breast.

"A video camera," Bucky told her as he sat next to her, "I honestly forgot about it. It takes these SD cards," Bucky showed her how they popped out, "Just be careful not to shock them or they lose information. You put it in here and close the door. Then this is the power button. This button allows the screen to come out. You can turn it like this to see yourself or flip it like this and hold it to see what you are recording" Bucky showed her.

Ellie looked at it, "then all the videos are just stored on the little card?"

Bucky nodded as he put it into his right hand then aimed it at her, "You just hit the red button and it starts recording."

The red light on and Ellie rolled her eyes, "Seriously Buck, I have my breast hanging out with our son eating dinner. We don't want a video of this" she said as she put her hand up to block the recording.

Bucky took her hand and lowered it down, "I think you look as beautiful as you ever have."

Ellie rolled her eyes as she blushed and he leaned over to kiss her, "Flatter"

"No, just the truth," Bucky said as he kissed her again.

"Mmm… tonight. Shit… we have Sarah tonight," Ellie said with a sigh, "I really loved having our room to ourselves again. Where is Sarah?"

"In Grant's crib," Bucky said as he set the monitor down, then planned the camera around.

"Are you still recording?" Ellie asked him.

"Just testing it out," He told her as Grant let out a loud burp, "That's my bud."

"Mini you," Ellie said with a smile, "Here take him and I'll play with it."

Bucky took Grant, then handed off the camcorder to her after she adjusted her shirt.

Ellie looked it over, "Crap still recording, hello future me… from me. It's… me"

"Dork," Bucky said as he bounced Grant.

"Careful, he just ate he might spit up," Ellie told him as she panned the camera over to Grant and Bucky, "Say hi Bucky."

"Hi Bucky," He said with a grin.

Ellie rolled her eyes.

"You know what Mom always said, quit rolling your eyes," Bucky told her.

Ellie played with one of the buttons and laughed, "Look there are your nose hairs"

Bucky set Grant down then walked over to her.

"Hey now… I'm just playing-" Ellie said as he took the camera and set it on the table then tackled her to the floor tickling her.

Ellie screamed as she laughed, "Stop, stop, stop!"

Bucky kissed her smiling against her lips, "I love you."

Ellie pushed a piece of hair back from his face, "I love you too."

Suddenly a squeal was at their side and they looked over, "Shit, you can move fast," Bucky said as he grabbed Grant and rolled onto his back holding him up in the air.

"Buck be ca…" Ellie said as she laughed as Grant spit up, "I warned you."

Grant giggled as Bucky sat up.

"I'll take him. I'm going to put Sarah in our room tonight," Ellie said as she got up and grabbed Grant giggling herself at the spit up in his hair, "Go get cleaned up."

Bucky smiled as he watched her walk away, and walked over to the camera to see the light still on. Glancing back towards the bedrooms, he picked up the camera.

"Angel… when you see this. I want you to remember how much I loved you, and loved Grant. Time… distance… death. Nothing changes that," Bucky said as he put his fingers to his mouth then blew the camera a kiss. Hitting the record button, he turned it off then powered it down.

* * *

 ***~*~* March 19, 2018 – Wakanda *~*~***

Bucky woke up as he felt eyes on him and saw sparkling eyes next to him in bed. Reaching over, he turned the lamp on, "Hey Angel."

"Hey Babe," Ellie said as she kissed him.

"When are you visiting from?" Bucky asked as he pulled her into his arms.

Ellie sighed as she laid her head on his chest and listening to his heartbeat, "August 2021, today is my birthday. Grant is nearly four and is… God… so smart Buck. He loves to tell stories and… he is so imaginative. He has this imaginary friend named Jimmy that goes with him everywhere." She smiled against his chest, "He dresses himself and can ride a tricycle now. Don't worry I am recording it all with the camcorder. He knows most of his letters. Oh and he can draw really well, in fact, the other day he drew you. It's hanging up on the refrigerator. He idolizes you, Buck. I can't wait until you come back so he can really get to know you."

"Where are you right now?" Bucky asked.

"Actually India," Ellie told him, "The Richards, you know, Reed and Sue, they invited all of us to their home here. Sue got Grant these skates and she is teaching him how to skate."

"What are you doing? You've never skated," Bucky said.

Ellie laughed, "My leg is finally on the mend, not going to test it by falling on my ass on a pair of roller skates."

"How is everything?" Bucky asked.

"Well, it's still there. Dr. Cho and Tony were talking about if this… if this surgery doesn't hold… reinforcing my leg. But then my left leg will be very heavy. I don't want that," Ellie told him shaking her head.

"If it will help you," Bucky said.

"But it won't cure everything Buck," Ellie told him, "It's… it's just a means to get me through. It's a crutch." She sighed, "Sometimes I wonder if I would have been better if they would have just amputated it… then we would be a matching pair. Bionic arm and a bionic leg."

"No… if they can keep from it," Bucky said as he moved his arm out from under her and took his arm off, "You aren't a puzzle… you are a whole person. The strongest person I know."

Ellie gave him a slight smile, "Without that arm, you are still strong too Buck"

"Now… it's your birthday…that means pancakes," Bucky told her as he sat up and put his arm back on.

Ellie laughed, "Pancakes really? We have a room to ourselves… you could just make love to me."

"We don't… remember, Sarah is with us," Bucky told her pointing towards the bassinet.

"Oh shit… Steve," Ellie said, "He is still alive right?"

Bucky's breath caught in his throat, "Yeah, why does he-"

"No, no… I was just worried I changed something accidentally. Has he started to shrink yet?" Ellie asked.

"Shrink?!" Bucky asked alarmed.

Ellie sighed as she sat up and moved back against the headboard, "Yes. The serum starts failing and he starts aging, the first thing that went was his muscles. Then he started having heart issues. When that happens, I go back to confront Howard so see if he knew something that could help."

"You confront Howard?" Bucky asked surprised as he laid his head on her lap.

"Yes and thank goodness that I did because one of the last things he developed before he died was the serum's remedy. He sent it to Wakanda with me. Well… Peggy did," Ellie told him as she ran her fingers through his hair.

Bucky sat up, "So wait it's here?"

"Yes but… I need to go back and confront Howard. It should happen tomorrow or soon, I don't remember the exact date. He can't invent it until I confront him," Ellie told him, "If we find the serum before I go back… I'm afraid it won't be there or it will disappear from his bloodstream or something."

Bucky groaned as he laid back down, "This sucks"

"I know… but it has to get worse before it gets better sadly," Ellie told him, "Knowing the future… is a terrible burden. It's why I try not to tell you too much,"

Bucky hooked his arm under her and pulled her down the bed closer to him, "I am sorry that you have to carry all this weight on your shoulders."

Ellie touched his face, "I'll take the weight of the universe on my shoulders if it brings you back sooner."

Bucky took her hand and placed it on his heart, "When this stops beating, I'm not gone. Half my heart is yours."

Ellie closed her eyes as she started crying, "Half mine is yours… my heart is beating for you."

"Exactly," Bucky told her.

"I wish I could figure it out," Ellie told him as she swallowed hard, "I have been reading books on time travel but it's just science fiction. Nothing that I found is a fact… no one has done it."

"But you," Bucky told her with a smile, "You do it… it will take some time but you are going to figure it out and save us all."

Ellie shook her head, "I don't know-how… I just wish I did. Tony says there are just too many risks at trying… we don't even know how to try."

"Come on," Bucky said as he got up and pulled her up, "Let's go get some pancakes."

"I miss your pancakes," Ellie told him as she let him lead her out of the room, "They aren't the same when I make them."

* * *

a/n3: And that was Strong Enough to Break. She is trying to hold it together but her façade is cracking more and more.

Now to the reviews!

 **Gingin1975: Things have to sometimes get worse before they can get better. Thank you for reading!**

 **Tuckerjnp1: Thank you for reading!**

 **PrettyRecklessLaura: I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

* * *

Preview of Chapter 77- Save Me:

"What?" Howard asked as he came over to her.

Ellie punched him with her right hook and sent him to the ground, "Howard? Shit, sorry. I promised Tony I would do that if I ever came back to visit. I didn't mean to knock you out."

She turned around to see Peggy standing at the door with her brow raised.


	77. Save Me

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: I highly encourage everyone to look up the movie The Last Full Measure starring Sebastian, Samuel L Jackson, William Hurt and many others, on Fandango or Moviefone to see where it is being shown in your area. I saw it again last night and it is such a powerful movie. Sebastian was amazing in it.**

 **Thank you to the new followers: Jacquie M. Cullen and d-ess19**

* * *

I see the world has folded in your heart  
I feel the waves crash down inside  
And, they pull me under  
I would give you anything you want, oh  
You are all I wanted  
All my dreams have fallen down  
Crawlin' around and around and around...

~ **Save Me by Remy Zero**

* * *

 ***~*~* March 20, 2018 – Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie walked into Steve's room, "Hey Stevie."

"Hey sis," Steve said as he muted the TV, "Come on in."

"How are you doing today?" Ellie asked looking at his high vitals.

"I'm bored out of my mind," Steve told her as he messed with his sheet between his hands, "Can you… I hate asking this but… can you help me up? I need to use the bathroom and my legs feel weak when I first get up."

"No problem," Ellie said as she helped him pull the sheets down then put his arm around her.

Steve stood up slowly, and Ellie tried not to frown as she felt his ribs as his body sagged against her, "I forgot how much this sucked. At least I'm not short still," Steve joked with a grin.

"Hey shut it with the tallness. I didn't gain the height you did," Ellie teased as she helped him to the bathroom, "Are you alright from here?" She asked standing back from the door.

"I'm good thanks sis," Steve said as he went into the bathroom and she shut the door leaving it a small crack open.

Ellie frowned, as she realized that he was losing his muscle mass now.

Dr. Ksie walked into the room, "Hello Ellie."

"Hi Doc, how are you today?" Ellie asked as she turned to him with a fake smile.

"I am doing well. How is he doing today?" Ksie asked.

Ellie sighed as she walked over to him and crossed her arms over her chest, "I just got here but… he is losing his muscle mass fast isn't he?"

Ksie nodded, "We are doing our best to slow it but… until we find an antidote…" He told her sadly.

The bathroom door opened, and Ellie looked at Steve, "Did you wash your hands?"

Steve rolled his eyes and grinned, "Yes Mom."

"I am glad you are still in good spirits Steven," Dr. Ksie said as he walked over to him.

"I've had it worse," Steve told him as he slowly walked back towards the bed.

"Before you get into bed, over here please," Dr. Ksie stated pointing at the wall, where a large growth chart was located.

Steve walked over to the wall and tried to stand tall against it.

Ellie bit her lip when she noticed he was now measuring under 6 feet and was sitting at 5'8.

Steve turned, "Damn… now it's actually even taking my height."

Ellie bit her lip, "Doc… what if I gave him blood?" Ellie asked, "I still have the serum going strong through me."

"It might help but he doesn't need blood right now, but… it is an idea. Go to my lab and tell them to take two pints of blood," Dr. Ksie told her.

"I can give more," Ellie told him as she helped Steve into bed.

"No, no… two will be enough," Ksie said as he looked at her, "I want you to do a blood panel first. With Nalia doing the testing for Grant soon, we will need the blood anyways. I know you can't get major sicknesses but we can't pass anything to Steve."

"Will do Doc... Want anything, Stevie? When I come back?" Ellie asked him as she helped him cover back up.

"Can Sarah come here?" Steve asked them.

Ellie looked at Ksie, who nodded, "If Nat doesn't bring her, I will and Grant too. Who started crawling by the way, well if you can call it that," Ellie said with a smile, "Anyways I'll go do the blood work."

Steve smiled as he laid his head back and yawned, "Thanks El,"

* * *

Ellie got off the elevator with Grant, as Natasha carried Sarah in her carrier behind her, "Bucky said Steve was napping when I talked to him last."

Natasha sighed, "This is scaring me, Ellie. Are you sure Bucky said that Steve is in the future?"

"Yes, I live with you and Steve… or well you guys live with me," Ellie told her, "So Steve is okay in the future."

Natasha opened the door to Steve's room and Bucky looked up, "Hey Buck, how is he?"

"Still sleeping," Bucky said as Grant reached for him and he took him from Ellie.

Natasha sat down on the other side of Steve's bed, "His color looks a little better today."

"We need to come up with a plan," Bucky told them.

Steve groaned, "For when I turn old finally?"

"Shit Steve," Bucky said, "I didn't know you were awake."

"I'm awake… exhausted but awake. I'm not….dumb," Steve said as he yawned, "The serum is gone, I'm going to age… looks like I'm aging fast."

"No… you aren't aging, you are just reverting to your original body," Ellie told him.

"I'll be dead in a year," Steve told them sadly as he saw Sarah, "Give her here."

"It's not fair," Natasha said as she put Sarah in his arms, "Here I am, with the serum thanks to you. Why can't one of us do it? Give you our blood."

"Because they would have to drain his blood entirely" Ellie stated.

They all looked at her and she sighed, "I asked about it… I'm the only one that could do it because Steve and I have the same blood type. The problem is…there are at least 10 pints of blood in Steve's body, probably more. I only have 9 because I am a woman, and… that is if I'm drained dry," Ellie told them, "Bucky has a different serum and different blood type. Natasha's blood type is-"

"I'm B negative," Natasha said sadly.

"So it's only me," Ellie told them, "I just donated two pints. If… as long as Steve stays stable if I went back into the past and told myself to donate blood from now until when Grant was born… we'd still be only at 8 pints of blood and that is pushing it. I had Grant four months ago, two pints a month, when we need another month, two just to be safe."

"Fuck," Bucky said running his hand over his face.

Sarah started fussing and Natasha reached into her bag to grab a bottle.

"Here let me feed her please," Steve asked reaching for the bottle.

"Of course," Natasha said as she handed him the bottle, "But I have to warm it first."

Ellie took it from her and held it in her hand for a few seconds then tested it on her wrist, "How about now?"

"So if I get your blood, your serum will I get your powers?" Steve wondered.

"You wish," Ellie said with a grin.

"Man it would be awesome to fly," Steve stated as he put the bottle into Sarah's mouth.

"I don't fly… I float," Ellie told him shaking her head.

"And the electricity thing… you know Thor needs to come back, you and Thor could compare electricity," Steve told her with a smile.

"At least you haven't lost your humor," Ellie said sarcastically as Ksie came in, "Saved by the Doc. Our plan still a go?"

Dr. Ksie sighed looking at a chart in his hand, "One problem, you can't donate again."

"Why?" Ellie asked with a frown.

"Because you are pregnant," Dr. Ksie told her.

"What?!" Ellie and Bucky said as Ellie walked over to Ksie, "I can't… I can't be pregnant."

"I'm going to have you do another test, but the blood test shows elevated levels-"

"Let's do it now," Ellie said as she stormed out of the room.

"Shit," Bucky said as she left.

"Did she mention a baby?" Steve asked looking at Bucky, "In the future I mean"

"No," Bucky said biting his lip thinking of Kasie.

"Well… so… what are your plans when you guys leave here… whenever that is?" Natasha asked.

"Nothing for sure," Bucky told her.

* * *

Ellie came back into the room ten minutes later with Ksie on her trail.

"I am sorry, it was a false positive," Ksie told them, "Ellie can still donate but not yet, our key now is keeping you healthy until we have enough blood."

Ellie looked at Bucky as she sat on the armrest, "Sorry for the near heart attack."

Bucky squeezed her hand, "I would be happy about it, but I want to be there for you."

Ellie leaned down and kissed him, "I know"

* * *

 ***~*~* March 23, 2018 – Wakanda *~*~***

Bucky woke up and stretched looking over at the other side of the bed and finding it empty. Throwing the covers off his body, he got up and walked into the kitchen of their apartment to find Ellie standing at the stove with Grant in his bouncer as he babbled.

"I know, I can't believe you are four months old Little man," Ellie said as she cracked an egg then looked around, "Shit I wish I had my omelet maker. Your Daddy loves omelets and I can never fold them right. I wonder if that is where you get it from when you are older... subconsciously you know it… or genetically. That ain't from me. I hate eggs."

Bucky smiled, as he watched Ellie move around the kitchen.

"Enjoy your time with Daddy… this next month went by too fast Grant," Ellie told him as Grant babbled, "I know, and these last four years have seemed like a lifetime. You are four and a half… you need to remember to take it easy on me as you get bigger. I have my hands full."

Bucky watched her as she added cheese and peppers.

"Do you want mushrooms, Grant? Shit… you can't eat this yet what am I thinking," Ellie said as she turned around to face Grant who looked up at her.

"Maamamama," Grant babbled.

Ellie smiled, "Yes I'm mama. Come on say, Dada… Daada."

"Maaaaammmaaa," Grant screamed.

"We'll get it eventually," Ellie told him as she kissed his head and turned to see Bucky, "How long have you been there?"

"Dada," Bucky said with a grin as he walked over and pulled her into his arms with a kiss.

"Mmm hi," Ellie said as she looked up at him with sparkling eyes.

"When are you visiting from?" Bucky asked her.

"March 2022," Ellie said sadly as she touched his face, "It's been over half a year since I've seen your face. Its… it has been way too long."

"You can visit me more often you know," Bucky told her tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

"I know," She told him with a sigh, "Everything with Steve was going on here but… there is a lot of stuff going on for me too. Remember how I said that the Richards were teaching Grant to skate?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah," Bucky said.

"He started hockey and he is really into it. Sports are starting to… try to come back again. Seeing him skate, is so funny Buck," Ellie told him with a smile, "God I wish I could show you"

"One day you'll figure it out," Bucky told her with a smile.

"Yeah one day," Ellie said sadly as she pulled away to turn the heat off for his omelet, "Grant and I made you an omelet"

"You know I love them," Bucky told her.

"So does your son by the way," Ellie told him as she plated it.

"Does he?" Bucky asked as he took it.

"Yep… he eats his with peppers and cheese but likes mushrooms on it," Ellie told him.

"That is your influence," Bucky said with a grin as he sat at the kitchen island.

"Yeah," Ellie said as she bit her lip.

"Are you okay?" Bucky asked.

"It's time Buck," Ellie told him sadly, "When I leave, you need to tell me… her, that I need to go back to confront Howard. Tell him he needs to work on a serum that will counteract Agent D-743."

"Agent D-743?" Bucky asked as he closed his eyes, "That…shit that is what they designed to use…against me?"

"No, they designed it to control me. In case the serum they gave me was too much so they could try to save me. They didn't know how the serum would affect my body so… Howard created it, but I didn't know he used Zola's notes," Ellie told him, "He has to work off that."

"Okay," Bucky said.

Ellie stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, "I love you."

"I love you too," Bucky said as he pulled her into a hug.

"I wish I could stay here in your arms," Ellie said resting her head on his chest, "But I have to get back. Steve is out of town and Nat… I don't know what she is doing anymore. If the kids wake up, I don't want them freaked out when they can't wake me."

"If you need me, I'm here," Bucky said as she looked up at him.

"I know…it's the only thing that keeps me going sometimes," Ellie told him sadly as she kissed him, "I will see you soon. For me, not soon enough but I'll see you soon."

Bucky led her to their bedroom and tucked her in, "Sleep well, my Angel. I'll be waiting for you in your dreams."

Ellie closed her eyes as he kissed her nose and fell back asleep with a smile on her face.

Bucky walked back out to the kitchen and sat down next to Grant in his bouncer as he started eating his omelet, "Bud, when it comes time… I need you to keep an eye on her for me. Can you do that for me?"

"Mmamama," Grant babbled.

"Yeah keep an eye on Mama for me," Bucky told him as Grant started fussing, "Mama is sleeping, we have to give her a little more time then she will feed you."

"He has to be starving," Ellie said as she walked into the kitchen, "He didn't wake me up for his 5 am feeding."

"Umm… he may have already been fed," Bucky told her.

Ellie frowned as she sat with Grant at the table and he didn't seem very interested in feeding, "Wait you have an omelet. I came to visit didn't I?"

"Yes," Bucky said, "You gave me a message to give to you. We are going to get a call soon and when we do you have to go back and confront Howard about everything. Also what Steve was poisoned with was Agent D-743. Tell him he has to work on the antidote for it."

"Shit… that's what they used for me," Ellie said, "They created it for me in case… the serum didn't work. How… damn, Hydra."

"This is all on Hydra-" Bucky said as Ellie's phone rang.

Ellie grabbed it, "Nat?"

"Ellie, his blood pressure just skyrocketed. They are trying to manage it right now but it's getting worse," Natasha told her.

Ellie looked at Bucky, "Nat don't worry I'm on it."

Ellie hung up and handed her phone to Bucky, "Take this, I'll be in our room."

Bucky followed her, "When are you going back to?"

"1987," Ellie said as she walked into their room, "Howard was in New York when I was and his lab was there. I had come to the lab for some tests and was staying at his home because of it. I'll be gone for a few hours."

Bucky kissed her as he took Grant so that she could lie down on the bed, "Be careful."

Ellie laid down and thought of New York and Howard's condo.

* * *

 ***~*~* May 15, 1987- Manhattan, NY *~*~***

Ellie gasped as she opened her eyes, and looked around orienting herself to make sure she was in Howard's condo as she remembered. Getting out of bed, she quickly grabbed her clothes out of her go-bag, then got dressed so that she could leave the bedroom.

Maria Stark looked up at her as she walked past the kitchen, "Hello Ellie, you are up early for getting in so late."

Ellie stopped and looked at her as she tried not to think about her upcoming death, "Maria, I am sorry to bother you but where is Howard?" Ellie asked her.

"He is downstairs," Maria told her, "Go ahead on down there. He is in his office. Would you like some breakfast?"

"Thank you but I can make something for myself later," Ellie said as she went down the stairs and walked over to the door.

Throwing the door open, she flinched as it slammed against the wall, "Sorry," She said as she looked at Howard sheepishly.

"Gees Ellie, you scared the shit out of me," Howard said holding his chest. He frowned as he walked over to her, "What is up with your eyes?"

Ellie shut the door behind her, "I am going to tell you something, and you are going to tell me the whole truth and you are not going to tell a soul. Do you get it? Because you know me, and you know I can get the whole truth"

"What? You don't think I can keep a secret?" Howard asked offended.

"No, I know you can and that is the problem. Did you know that Hydra had a hand in my powers?" Ellie asked as she stood right in front of him.

Howard looked at her wide-eyed as the ends of her hair started sparking, "What the hell Ellie?"

Ellie screamed, "Tell me the truth Howard!"

"No! Well… not at first. What did you find something? I had suspicions about Reinstein until Zola died but… did you find something?" Howard asked.

Ellie sighed as she sat on his desk, "Thank God, but Howard why haven't you told anyone?"

"Zola is dead and Reinstein hasn't done anything… weird in years. He and Zola were working on projects together and… why do you know that they had a hand in your powers?" Howard asked.

Ellie looked at him, "Do you promise me what I am about to tell you is going to stay in this room? It cannot get to anyone, Peggy, SHIELD or anyone. Any changes could… set off an avalanche of World ending possible changes."

"What did you discover?" Howard asked suddenly serious.

"I'm not the Ellie you know," Ellie told him.

Howard frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Howard… I'm from 2018," Ellie told him.

Howard backed up, and collapsed into his chair, "What?"

Ellie sighed, "I can't give too much away about the future… your future but something happens to me soon here. You have to put me back under."

"How… tell me something…something about the future that won't…change anything by me knowing," Howard told her.

Ellie bit her lip, then smiled, "Tony runs a multi billion-dollar company called Stark Industries that has cornered the tech world and he does it by being a philanthropist. He has saved lots of people with his work."

"Shit," Howard said looking at her, "That's why you haven't aged a bit"

"No, but in the future… my future… someone I love very dear also has the serum… or their version of it. They were exposed to Agent D-743," Ellie told him.

Howard stared at her, "Impossible. It's locked up in SHIELD…it gets stolen doesn't it?"

"That I don't know. It just becomes a weapon. Problem is I don't know the antidote" Ellie told him.

"I don't have one. It was just to eliminate your abilities if they became too much. How has it affected… him?" Howard asked.

"THEY are losing muscle mass and strength, slowly they are reverting to their previous… abilities before the serum," Ellie told him.

Howard looked at her, "How long has this person had their serum?"

Ellie thought for a second, "Nine years."

"The serum should be solidified in their DNA, it's unmutating their DNA?" Howard asked.

"Yes," Ellie said with a nod as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Shit then they had to have been exposed to it for a long time," Howard said with a sigh, "I don't have an antidote, Ellie."

"Well, you have some time until it is needed. I need you to work on it, and when you… when you create it, put it with me where you end up hiding me," Ellie told him, "So I know where to find it."

"I hide you?" Howard asked surprised, "What happens that I have to hide you?"

"Yes… something happens in the future, and you think that is the only option for my survival and you are right. You save me by doing that," Ellie told him, "I want to thank you for a lot of stuff Howard. You have been very… influential to my life. Both financially and otherwise."

"Have you… stabilized your powers?" Howard asked.

"Yes… thanks to a group of scientists… and a lot of work. I am stable. No more blowing up things," Ellie told him with a grin, "I even can float."

"You can fly?" Howard asked surprised.

"Float… I'm not a bird," Ellie told him frowning, "But seriously Howard, you need to get to work on it. I can't lose them."

"I will but… can I see it?" Howard asked, "The floating that is."

Ellie rolled her eyes, "I'm not sure if I can do it without the chip in my brain."

"Wait they put a chip in your brain? A chip of what?" Howard asked interested.

"You know I can't tell you that Howard," Ellie told him as she closed her eyes and focused her powers. She felt the surge of power flowing over her body and was a few inches off the floor when things started sparking and blowing around her and the power went out.

"Shit," Howard said staring at her, "My God… you were actually off the ground and you are glowing."

Ellie put her feet down, "See told you, anyways…I hate to do this but I promised someone that I would do something."

"What?" Howard asked as he came over to her.

Ellie punched him with her right hook and sent him to the ground, "Howard? Shit, sorry. I promised Tony I would do that if I ever came back to visit. I didn't mean to knock you out."

She turned around at a noise behind her, to see Peggy standing at the door with her brow raised.

"What did he do?" Peggy asked with a smile.

Ellie walked over to her, "Peggy I have to-"

Peggy took a quick intake of breath as she looked into her eyes, "When are you from?"

Ellie frowned with an intake of breath, "Come to my room."

Peggy followed her back upstairs to the bedroom that she was using and Ellie locked the door behind them.

"How do you know?" Ellie asked turning to look at her.

Peggy sighed, "Someone from the future… visited me... prior."

"And they told you everything?" Ellie asked surprised.

"Not everything but… about you and your life," Peggy told her, "Without too many details that I couldn't change. I'm so happy for you Ellie."

Ellie tried not to cry as she pulled Peggy into a hug.

"So… when are you visiting from?" Peggy asked.

"2018 Peg, everything is so different there. I miss the simple things you know?" Ellie said as she led her over to the bed so they could sit.

"So… 2018… Grant has been born?" Peggy asked.

Ellie laughed, "Shit you do know everything," Ellie said, "Yeah, I have a son."

Peggy took her hands, "I am so happy for you. Are you happy?"

"There are a lot of things… going on… impending," Ellie told him, "Sometimes it sucks knowing the future and knowing something is happen… something is coming that I have no control over and I can't stop."

"Just remember it takes time to build castles," Peggy told her.

Ellie frowned remembering Daniel Junior, "Are you secretly Irish?"

Peggy laughed, "No why?"

"Is Daniel, Irish?" Ellie asked.

"Daniel? Oh Daniel, yes… he is Irish, on his mother's side," Peggy told her.

"Okay… I thought he was part Spanish or something so I was confused," Ellie told her with a sigh, "Nevermind that… I need to be heading back."

Peggy took her hand, "Tell… the family… that I send my love."

Ellie frowned, "Peggy, what do you know?"

"That you need to be getting back, all in due time," Peggy told her as she stepped back, "Go to sleep Ellie. Don't ask questions right now, go home to him."

Ellie laid back, "We will talk later."

"I bet we will," Peggy said as Ellie closed her eyes.

* * *

 ***~*~* March 23, 2018 – Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie gasped as she sat up in bed.

"Breathe, Angel… just breathe," Bucky said as he held her shoulders as she gasped for breath, "Whoa, whoa… you are okay," Bucky said as he sat next to her.

Ellie groaned, "The farther back I go the harder it is," Ellie said running her hand over her face.

"Did you do it?" Bucky asked.

"If he was able to do it, he should have put it where my pod was. Under the panther," Ellie said as she tried to stand up and got dizzy.

Bucky caught her and eased her back onto the bed.

"Take it slow, I'll tell Shuri," Bucky said as he called Shuri.

"Yes, Brother?" Shuri answered.

"Check for the cure for Steve where Ellie was stored. It would be labeled SHIELD or Howard Stark or something along those lines," Bucky told her.

"I'll head down there now," Shuri told him as she ended the call.

Ellie rolled her neck trying to stretch out her muscles.

"So what did Howard say?" Bucky asked rubbing her shoulders.

Ellie sighed, "He had suspicions but wasn't for sure. Do you know what surprised me the most? Peggy knows."

Bucky sat next to her, "Knows what?"

"If my suspicions are right. She knew about almost everything, about Grant... about a lot of things. She wouldn't tell me because I shouldn't know too much about the future," Ellie said shaking her head, "I'm visiting her from the future and she is telling me that she knows about my future."

"How did she know?" Bucky asked.

"Someone from our future goes back to tell her. I don't know why I would though," Ellie told him confused.

Bucky bit his lip, then looked at her with a smile, "We know you figure out physical time travel... What if it's not just you that can do it?"

Ellie laughed, "Steve... He would tell Peggy everything, of course, he would."

Bucky leaned over and kissed her, "You tell the people you love everything when you trust them."

Ellie slowly stood up, "I'm okay now... Let go check on Steve."

Bucky pulled her up and into his arms, "He is going to be okay."

Ellie buried her face in his chest, "I know."

* * *

Ellie walked into the hospital room to see Steve with an oxygen mask on his face, "Has Shuri been here yet?"

Natasha frowned as she sat holding Steve's hand, "No."

Steve pulled the mask off his face, "Did you do it?"

"Do what?" Ellie asked him innocently.

"Confront Howard," Steve said gasping for breath

"Put the mask back on. Yes, I did. He didn't know, but he suspected something after I was frozen the first time but never knew for sure. I feel a little better at least about it," Ellie said as Shuri came in the room with Dr. Ksie and a box.

"This is marked for Ellie, so I assume this is it," Shuri said as she sat it down, "It was in this refrigerated box. Somehow… it was fueled for years to stay cool."

She hit the button and it lit up, opening with steam rising out of it.

Inside sat three vials and an envelope.

"Ellie, it has your name on it," Shuri told her holding it out to her.

Ellie took it and chuckled as she saw the writing on the envelope, "Howard."

Opening the envelope, she unfolded the envelope.

 _Ellie,_

 _To know that I am writing this to you in the future, in a time that I do not know when it will even be read, it blows my mind. I hope all is well and this is the cure you need. Peggy dumped Steve's blood into the river years ago, so we have nothing to test it o to be sure. Administer in the following order. Red vial, wait 2 minutes, then shake green vial and immediately administer black vial. Administer 2 liters of your blood to strengthen. That should all that needs to be done for it to work and jump-start it._

 _If I am alive, look me up but I assume I am gone since you came back to ask me. Look up Tony for me and tell him that I love him. He is the best thing I have ever created and that I am sorry that I have been a horrible father._

 _Howard_

On the bottom of the paper was a simple phrase written, 'Until the end of the line'.

Ellie stared at it then showed it to Bucky.

Bucky shook his head, "That's not Howard's writing."

"Nope, that is Peggy's," Ellie said, "All but confirmed my suspicions too. Anyways Dr. Ksie, Howard says we need 2 liters of my blood for it to work. Do we still have what I gave before?"

"We have used almost a liter experimenting. Probably better to be safe and give only one more," Ksie told her, "Come with me downstairs and we will get it quickly."

Ellie nodded and followed him as they left the room.

Ellie took Steve's hand as the medical team prepped around them, "We don't know if this is going to work for sure Steve."

Steve smiled under his mask, "I know," His muffled voice replied, "But it will."

"Are you ready Steve?" Ksie asked.

Steve nodded as he coughed, "Go for it doc."

Ksie looked at the directions then attached the red vial to Steve's IV. Ellie watched the blue-tinged liquid flow through the tubing into his arm.

"Start the timer," Ksie said to his assistant.

Ellie looked over him then at his face, "Do you notice anything yet?"

"No, it just started Ellie," Steve told her.

"30 seconds," Dr. Ksie said as they noticed Steve's temperature was rising.

Dr. Ksie picked up the green vial and started to shake it as the alarm went off, as well at the timer. He injected the green vial into Steve's IV. Immediately as it flowed into his arm, Steve's back stiffened and he gasped.

"Steve!" Natasha yelled as she held down his shoulder as his body moved off the bed.

"Hold him still," Dr. Ksie said as he put the black vial into his IV next.

Ellie put her hand on Steve's chest to feel his heartbeat as Dr. Ksie switch it over to the blood transfusion, "His heart is beating irregular."

Steve's eyes open wide and he gasped then the machine showed a flat line.

"No!" Ellie screamed as her hand glowed over her chest.

"Move back Ellie," Dr. Ksie said as the room filled with the familiar rhythm starting back up on the monitor as Steve's eyes opened.

Bucky tried to move her back.

"No! Something is happening," Ellie said as she placed her other hand on his head and it started to glow.

Dr. Ksie looked at his vitals, "They are improving"

Ellie closed her eyes and concentrated. Steve's body started to glow from her hand over his heart spreading across his body.

Natasha stood next to him, "Are you okay?"

Steve looked over at her, "I feel like…I'm in a hot tub."

Without opening her eyes, she told Ksie, "Give him the other bag."

Dr. Ksie looked over to see her blood transfusion had already emptied and switched the bags out.

After five minutes Ellie sat back with sweat streaming down her face breathing heavily, "I think I did it."

* * *

 ***~*~* March 24, 2018 – Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie couldn't sleep, so she left the palace and wandered to the hospital. The doors slid open and she slipped out of view of the night security at the front desk.

The man frowned and walked over to the door to look outside to see what had opened the door. So she took the time while he was looking and ran full force as fast and as quiet as she could to the stairs. Quietly opening the door, she slipped into the stairwell and walked up to Steve's floor.

Opening the door, she looked out and when no one was there she walked to his room.

In front of the door was one of the Dora Milaje standing guard. Ellie stood in front of her, "Hello… I'm visiting my brother now," She said trying to make sure she was using her voice that she needed to be to persuade people, "I do not want to be disturbed."

The guard stepped aside and nodded.

Ellie walked in shutting the door behind her.

"El?" Steve's voice asked from the bed.

"Yeah Stevie it's me," Ellie said as she walked over to him and turned the light on next to his bed, "How are you feeling?"

"Fine… I think I'm back to normal honestly. How are you?" Steve said as he sat up.

"A little tired but I can't sleep," Ellie told him as he moved over and patted the bed.

She hopped up next to him and he pulled her into him.

"You saved me El," Steve told her as he kissed the top of her head, "That glowing that you did…"

Ellie bit her lip, "Grant's healing powers come from me. Steve… I'm scared," Ellie told him as tears fell from her eyes, "I don't even know what I am capable of."

"I know… you are an amazing Mom, a beautiful person, a badass, the best sister in the world that I owe so much to," Steve told her, "You've saved my life… so many times that I've lost count."

"Steve… if…if something big would happen… and you had to leave me. I… I want you to know I'm okay… I will be okay with it," Ellie told him thinking of Peggy.

Steve frowned, "What do you mean El?"

Ellie sighed, "How we got the cure for you, was I went back to confront Howard. When I did I ran into Peggy… she knew about Grant."

Steve was quiet for a minute, "You think I would leave Nat, leave Sarah… leave you and Grant and go back into the past if I had a chance with Peggy again? You are crazy El."

"Look I don't know how she knew. She didn't tell me how she knew but… she knew. I am just letting you know if… there does come a time. I won't like it but I'll be okay," Ellie told him.

"There won't be that time. I'd never leave Sarah," Steve told her, "Now go to sleep… we both deserve it."

Steve reached up and turned the light off then they both settled in on the small bed.

"A little different than the 30s," Ellie mumbled.

Steve laughed, "The bed is even bigger than our apartment was, but it feels smaller."

"Are you calling me fat Steve?" Ellie joked with a smile.

"Oh shut it so I can sleep," Steve told her as he closed his eyes.

Ellie looked at him as her eyes adjusted.

"Quit staring at me with your weird night vision and go to sleep," Steve mumbled.

"Why didn't I get your eyelashes?" Ellie wondered laughing as he tried to push her out of bed and she had to hold onto the rail, "You got your strength back I see."

"Are you going to shut up or go home?" Steve asked.

"I'll shut up. Night Stevie," Ellie said as she closed her eyes.

"Night EllieBelly," Steve said calling her his nickname from their childhood.

Ellie had just started to drift off when she felt something on the edge of her consciousness. Opening her eyes, she saw a man standing on the other side of the room with his finger against his lips.

Slowly climbing out of bed, she walked over to him, "Strange why are you here?"

Dr. Strange glanced back at Steve, "Is he okay?"

"He is now, but why are you here?" Ellie asked.

"I need your help but… we don't have a lot of time. I've looked into the future and… it was bleaker than I first feared. We do not have much time," Dr. Strange told her.

"We don't have time for what?" She asked as he turned to leave.

He turned back and looked at her, "To get you trained. Come."

Ellie glanced back at Steve, "I can't leave. I have my son and Bucky, Steve-"

"They won't even know you are gone," He told her as he punched at her body and she fell back.

"You asshole!" Ellie yelled as she looked down at her hands then watched wide-eyed as Dr. Strange picked her body up and placed it back into bed.

"Are you ready to be trained now?" Strange asked looking at her, "Like I said they won't even know you are gone."

"It will help save people?" Ellie asked.

"You will save us all," Strange told her simply.

Ellie glanced at Steve then back at him, "Take me where I need to go." Ellie told him.

* * *

a/n3: So what did you all think of the chapter? Please leave me a review so I know what you guys are thinking about the direction so far. It could even be MORE SOON! I just want to know how many people are reading. Time management is a huge factor for me right now. I am working 42 hour weeks and I am back to school in my Master's program full time. I wrote a lot during Christmas break but in the two weeks, I've not finished a single chapter. So please leave me a note!

Now to the review:

 **Gingin1975:** **Thank you for reading and reviewing. It is just going to get worse.**

* * *

Now here is your preview of Chapter 78- Time of your life:

 _ **Bucky walked into their apartment after hanging out with Steve for a bit, to see Grant scooting his way to him. Bucky picked him up and put him on his hip, "Grant, where is your Mommy?"**_

 _ **Grant squealed and smacked Bucky in the face.**_

" _ **Yeah yeah," Bucky said as he walked deeper into the apartment and found Ellie on the floor, "Oh God, Ellie."**_

 _ **He fell to his knees next to her and rolled her onto her back.**_


	78. Time of your Life

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: So I did it. I wrote Infinity War and it is finished. It was hard but it is done. Looking back at my timeline tracker for the story, Infinity War was supposed to end in chapter 74. So it will be about three months from now out from the point we are now in the story. With that, I am hoping with the track of the story, we will definitely get to when Falcon and the Winter Soldier is released. I may even be able to post a couple weekly chapters so keep your eye out every week. I am not only a full time teacher but now a full time master's student so time is managed… a lot. I am hoping this next class is easier and I can write more. *crossing my fingers***

* * *

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road  
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go  
So make the best of this test and don't ask why  
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time

 **~Time of Your Life by Green Day**

* * *

 ***~*~* March 25, 2018 – Wakanda *~*~***

Bucky woke up and looked over to see Ellie sound asleep. He moved onto his back and looked up at the ceiling. Ellie rolled over and rubbed his chest, "Hey hun."

Bucky grabbed her hand and kissed her, "Hi Angel… how are you doing?"

"As well as I can… It's my birthday," Ellie told him, "I am… God Buck, I am 103 today. We are in Niagara Falls and… it's just not the same as when we went together."

"How is Grant?" Bucky asked.

"He is five years in development, 4 years 9 months for real. He knows all his letters, can sing his alphabet with no issues, counts to 50, retells stories. He loves to exercise with me. Keeps me going. He is still really into hockey and soccer too. When I am not working, I am the traditional soccer Mom now. Steve coaches his soccer team. Sarah is also on the team," Ellie told him with a smile, "Oh so I discovered a new power."

"Really? What is your new power," Bucky asked interested.

"If I hold onto someone, they can go back into their past consciousness and … well, Natasha left herself a message," Ellie told him, "If I keep working on it maybe I-"

"Don't do anything that could jeopardize something El, it's not worth it," Bucky told her.

"We have less than a month left Buck," Ellie told him sadly burying her face in his chest.

Bucky closed his eyes and pulled her to him, "You never have visited me after this… maybe you guys figure out how to bring everyone back?"

"I hope so… but I doubt it. Nothing ever sees to go right for me," Ellie told him sadly.

"How is your leg?" Bucky asked rubbing her leg that was over his.

"So, what they did was they opened my leg. Tony, Dr. Cho, and Bruce with all the specialists that they know got together and they cast my bones in Vibranium particles. The pain is gone, the limp is gone," Ellie told him, "It took two weeks and I was walking normally again."

"I thought it would make your leg too heavy?" Bucky asked concerned.

"It is heavier but only about 4 pounds. I just have a reason to be called a lead foot now," Ellie told him with a grin, "Steve doesn't want me to drive anymore though."

"He is scared you'll wreck again?" Bucky asked.

"That and the first time I started driving again… I was still having issues so I… kind of forgot how to get home. Now I have to check in with him when I get there, wherever I go," Ellie told him.

"Are you still having memory issues?" Bucky whispered.

"Only when I am really tired and it's not like it once was," Ellie told him as she snuggled into his chest then kissed it, "It is honestly, very rare when I do have a memory lapse. If I do, its short term memory. Not long term. Just, a lot of going to the kitchen and standing in there going, 'What was I going to make again'. Nothing major just… normal human memory lapses," Ellie told him as she looked up at him, "Even that is getting better. I just have to learn to get sleep and rest. Try not to take everything on for just me."

Bucky smiled, "You have a hard time with that."

"Steve helps but… yeah, I do," Ellie told him with a smile as she rested her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat.

"Come here," Bucky said as he rolled her onto her back.

Ellie smiled as she reached up and moved his hair behind his ear, "What is it, Mr. Barnes?"

"Well Mrs. Barnes it is your birthday," Bucky said as he leaned down and kissed her then started to kiss down her neck.

"Hell yes, it is," Ellie said with a grin.

* * *

Bucky stood in the kitchen and watched Ellie and Nat push the kids out the apartment door laughing. He waited until he couldn't hear Ellie anymore then set his mug on the counter.

Walking down to the apartments, Bucky walked up to Wanda's door and knocked.

Wanda opened the door, "I figured it had to be you. I still can't read your mind to know who is there. Come in."

Bucky walked in, shutting the door behind him, "I kind of forgot what this looked like. I'm never in your apartment."

Wanda batted her eyelashes, "Because it's unbecoming to have a gentleman called when I am an unmarried woman."

Bucky laughed, "Well either... it's wherever you go or you're in our apartment or the common area if we are all together."

Wanda sat down and pulled her legs up under her, "Have a seat. What do you want to talk about?"

Bucky sighed as he sat down next to her on her couch, "We don't know-how… whatever will be going on, is going to go down. Can... Can we try to work on the shield in my brain again? We have seen with Grant, that it can be expanded past my head. I want to work on it again. If... I can protect people when it happens... I want to be able to."

Wanda turned towards him, "you need to relax. Don't expect too much of yourself."

Bucky sat and tried to relax.

"Imagine your happy place. Where you are completely and utterly relaxed and happy," Wanda told him.

Bucky thought about their honeymoon when it was just the two of them, no superhuman strength and no powers. Where they just camped under the stars and skinny-dipped in the lake as the moon glittered across the water.

He felt a light heat take over his body and suddenly a red tinge was to the sky as Ellie from his memory swam over to him and put her arms around his neck.

"How about we dry off and go make use of the tent?" Ellie asked in his memory.

Bucky smiled as he leaned down and kissed her, "I like your thinking Mrs. Barnes."

Ellie was starting to stand up and to protect her modesty, Bucky tried to push Wanda out of his mind.

Opening his eyes, he saw her on her back looking at him from the other side of the couch.

"Well you projected me out, that is progress," Wanda told him, "Grant was afraid of Tony, and he didn't know him. I think it's partially fear-driven. Let's try again. Think of something innocent this time that it would be okay for me to see."

Bucky closed his eyes and thought of what he had imagined for the cliffside panther renewal ceremony that he and Ellie had been talking about.

"What was that?" Wanda asked with a smile when she pulled out of his mind.

"Ellie and I want to renew our vows," Bucky said opening his eyes, "It was something I imagined how it would look"

Wanda grinned, "Now that we can do, let's me talk to Shuri."

Bucky shook his head, "No, Steve is just getting better and we don't want-"

"No, if something is going to happen next month to you…. We are going to do this for her," Wanda told him.

* * *

 ***~*~* March 27, 2018 – Wakanda *~*~***

Ellie yawned as she stood over the stove making dinner.

"Are you okay?"

Ellie jumped, "Shit Wanda you scared me. Where did you come from?"

"From sitting right here for the past five minutes. You seem exhausted Ellie. Are you having a hard time sleeping?" Wanda asked.

Ellie sighed as she put the lid on the pot then turned around, "Just... dreams and nightmares."

Wanda walked over to her, "I can help. I can look into your mind-"

"No, no... I am alright," Ellie told her with a yawn as she ran her hand over her face, "It's just you know the impending end of the world as I know it," Ellie told her with a sigh, "I have only about a month left with him."

Wanda pulled her into a hug, "We will all be there for you."

Ellie tried not to cry, "So many people...are just wiped from existence. It's not fair."

Wanda stood back and looked at her, "Not if we have anything to say about it."

"It's hard not to lose faith, but I pray every night... for us to change just one thing. Save just one person," Ellie told her.

"Do you know who all... is gone?" Wanda asked.

Ellie leaned on the counter, "No, I don't think I've ever told Bucky everyone who… perishes. I don't know if I want to know. I think it is better that way. To know a list of people who die and there is nothing I can do to change it but if I tell them… what if they do something to cause someone's death that wasn't supposed to die in the first place."

Ellie wiped her tears from her eyes as she heard the main door open.

"Steve, you still need to take it easy," Bucky's voice carried into the kitchen.

Ellie turned back to the stove and took the lid off the pan to flip the steaks.

Wanda stood up and went to place her hand on Ellie's shoulder and Ellie shook her head, "Don't Wanda, please."

"Buck, I am back to normal. Sadly have no powers but my strength is coming back. My heart is strong and I can breathe again," Steve said as he came in the kitchen, "El this smells amazing. What is it?"

Ellie cleared her throat, "Country fried steak with sautéed mushrooms and vegetables."

Steve leaned over and inhaled, "God it smells good. Do you think I can suddenly cook as well as you?"

Ellie chuckled, "You wish."

Bucky frowned as he walked over and put his hand under her chin, "Are you okay?"

Ellie looked at him confused, "Of course I am, why I wouldn't be?"

Bucky pulled her into his arms, "You don't have to lie to me, Angel," He whispered, "it's okay to be sad."

Ellie looked into his eyes, "I'm okay Buck."

* * *

Bucky walked into their apartment after hanging out with Steve for a bit, to see Grant scooting his way to him. Bucky picked him up and put him on his hip, "Grant, where is your Mommy?"

Grant squealed and smacked Bucky in the face.

"Yeah yeah," Bucky said as he walked deeper into the apartment and found Ellie on the floor, "Oh God, Ellie."

He fell to his knees next to her and rolled her onto her back as her eyes snapped open.

"What happened?" Ellie asked rubbing her eyes, "Oh God… did I fall asleep?"

Bucky sat back and laid Grant on the floor, "Shit El, I thought you had passed out."

Ellie groaned as she put her arm over her face, "I fell asleep. Grant! Shit is … he's okay," She said as she laid back down.

"Why are you so tired?" Bucky asked concerned, "You sleep… well, you seem to sleep fine."

Ellie's lip quivered, "I can't tell you. I want to but… I promised someone I wouldn't."

Bucky pulled his knees up to his body, "Is it… is it about who you've been talking to? The ghost?"

"He isn't a ghost… he is a master of mystic arts," Ellie said with a sigh, "He… he thinks that there is some… prophesy or something that says I will save everyone. So he is trying to teach me mystic arts to see… maybe just maybe I will need to use them."

"No, I don't want you part of… whatever happens. The battle, if there is one," Bucky told her.

Ellie sat up, "Bucky I am much more powerful than people realize. Why can't I-"

"No, if I am going to be gone, we can't risk Grant losing us both," Bucky said as he stood up.

"But what if I can win it for us, Buck?" Ellie asked standing up next to him.

"No… I won't let you risk it. What if winning it all means losing you? No," Bucky told her shaking his head, "You weren't part of the battle. You stayed in New York with Pepper. You told me."

"You just don't want me to be out there because you want to be in control," Ellie told him shaking her head as she walked past him and he grabbed her arm.

Bucky yelped as she shocked him.

"Leave me alone," Ellie said with tears in her eyes, "I thought I meant more to you than just being your housewife but I see that was different."

"Ellie!" Bucky said as she left the apartment.

* * *

Ellie sat on the cliff, overlooking the panther as she looked out at the sunset.

She heard footsteps coming up the hill and looked over to see Ramonda walking towards her, "Mother," She said as she went to stand.

"No my child, sit. You have found my favorite spot to come to think," Ramonda told her as he came to sit next to her, "I see tears."

"I… I can't handle this Mother. The pressure of what might be coming next, the knowledge that I am going to lose him, knowing that I am going to be a single mother... I feel… inadequate. I feel like the weight of the entire universe is on my shoulders," Ellie told her as she wiped a new round of tears away, "I didn't handle the first time I lost him well… so I am… I am scared. I have Grant depending on me and I can't let him down."

"Voice this to him," Ramonda told her.

"I can't… he knows I'm scared about it, but… he's the one dying," Ellie told her, "To know that you are going to die in a month but not know how or how to prevent it… I can't burden him with my fears."

"They aren't fears. They are genuine concerns," Ramonda told her.

Ellie sat there in silence for three minutes until she heard rustling on the edge of her hearing, "For being a sniper and a former super-assassin you never have been quiet on your feet."

Bucky came through the clearing sheepishly, "Hello Mother."

"Hello my child," Ramonda said as Bucky walked over to them, "Ellie has some concerns."

Ellie gasped, "Mother! No offense but butt out."

"It is true and you need to voice them," Ramonda told her.

Ellie sighed as she put her hands over her face.

Bucky walked over and knelt in front of her, "Ellie, baby… look at me. I can take it; tell me what is bothering you. Please."

He pulled her hands away from her face and she looked at him sobbing, "I can't take it," Ellie told him.

"Take what?" Bucky asked.

"Losing you again," Ellie told him as he pulled her into his arms, "I know about it this time but… what if… what if it is final? I don't want to burden you because… God Bucky, you are the one leaving. I am sounding so whiny because I'm not dying, you are."

"No, sweetheart… you shouldn't have had to put up with all of this. You aren't whiny, you just don't want to lose me, but you know I am just going to be a visit away," Bucky told her.

"It's not the same," Ellie told him sadly.

"We have a month left, let's make it count," Bucky told her, "Steve is healed. Let's go cross as many places off our bucket list as we can"

Ellie looked down at the ground.

"Come back to the palace with me and we will start planning," Bucky told her, "We will do it together. Let make it fun. Start a plan."

Ellie nodded as she looked at him, "A plan... I can do that. It will help things seem more normal."

Bucky held out his hands and pulled her up off the rock into his arms, "Angel... I can't take the sadness away. I wish I could... But we might be superhuman but we still have to have human emotions."

Ellie gave him a tearful smile, "It sucks."

"Well yeah it does but we can't all be Vision," Bucky told her with a grin.

Ellie laughed, "Poor Vision... Doesn't know what he is missing."

Bucky looked at Ramonda, "Thank you, Mother."

Ramonda pulled them both into a hug, "You two might not be my blood but you are my children and that is what mothers are for."

* * *

 ***~*~* March 31, 2018 – Wakanda *~*~***

Shuri walked into the common room as Ellie sat with Bucky and Grant watching a movie.

"Well isn't this boring," Shuri said as she saw Ellie curled up against Bucky as Grant played on the floor.

Ellie looked up at her, "Hi Shuri."

Bucky frowned at her, "Are you calling us boring?"

"Its 10 am on the day before Easter Sunday... And you are watching some movie," Shuri said with a smile, "It's a beautiful day. I know, Ellie, get Natasha and Wanda...let's have a girl's day."

Ellie frowned, "I don't know."

Bucky looked at her, "Go do it. You deserve it."

"I don't know Buck," Ellie said biting her lip.

"Angel, I am not going to just disappear into thin air. Go do something for yourself," Bucky said as he kissed her, "And quit biting your lip... I'm the only one that's supposed to do that."

Shuri looked at them disgusted, "You two are so weird."

Bucky looked at her with a grin, "Thanks, now go talk to Natasha and Wanda… if she's here."

Ellie shook her head as she got up and Shuri followed, "You know you don't have to follow me."

"I know but its fun," Shuri said as Ellie put her hand on Steve and Natasha's door.

"Knock, knock I'm here," Ellie said as she opened the door and yelped turning around, "Shit! Sorry!"

"About damn time!" Steve yelled laughing standing up completely naked.

"Put some damn clothes on!" Ellie yelled reaching out to cover Shuri's eyes.

"Sorry, what do you guys need?" Natasha said as she stood up putting a shirt on.

"Damn photographic memory," Ellie said staring at the door, "Steve do you have damn pants on at least?"

"Yes, why did you just barge in like that?" Steve asked her.

"Because I figured you weren't getting busy in the freaking living room!" Ellie retorted.

"It's our apartment!" Steve defended.

"Now you know how Bucky and I feel!" Ellie told him.

Shuri rolled her eyes and looked at Natasha, "We are doing a girl's day," Shuri told them, "Want to come with Nat?"

"Sure," Natasha told them as she patted Ellie's shoulder, "You are safe."

"Wait, what? What about me?" Steve asked.

Natasha looked back at him with a grin, "A cold shower might help. See you later sweetheart."

Ellie snorted as she walked out of the apartment.

* * *

Ellie looked over at Shuri, who was flying the Flyer over the city, "You are up to something."

Shuri looked at her affronted, "Me? Why would I be up to something?"

"I just have this suspicion that for no reason, we don't just get our hair and nails done… along with our makeup, and you have dresses for us to wear?" Ellie said looking down at her white dress.

"Well let's be honest, the dress part is normal," Wanda told her looking down at her dress, "At least they are long this time."

"Okay you have me on that," Ellie said as she looked at Shuri, "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere close," Shuri told her as they went over River.

Ellie sat down and sighed, "Shuri I know I'm old and boring but all I want to do is go home and curl up with Bucky and Grant to take a nap,"

"You can… but no one will be there," Shuri told her as the Royal Talon Fighter descended.

Ellie looked out her window to see the waterfalls and river below them, "Why are going lower?"

The backdoor to the flyer opened and someone walked up the ramp.

"Steve?" Ellie asked confused as she noticed his dress pants, "Why are you dressed up?"

"Are you ready?" Steve asked holding out a bouquet of roses.

Ellie looked at him then at the girls, "Noooo," Ellie said in disbelief, "You guys didn't."

Shuri grinned, "Yes we did. Wanda was a huge part of it though."

Ellie looked at Wanda who was smiling.

"Bucky and I have been working on his mental shield. When I was working with him to guard his memories against me, he imagined your Cliffside wedding that you two had been talking about. I talked to Shuri and we got this thrown together over the last few days," Wanda told her, "I know it might not be what you imagined but it has Bucky's input"

Ellie hugged Wanda then Shuri, "Thank you"

"Come on, let's get you married," Steve told her with a smile, "I didn't get to walk you down the aisle the first time. At least I can now."

Drums started playing and Ellie looked at Shuri, "Couldn't have a wedding without music now, could we? Let's go, girls," Shuri said as Wanda walked off the ramp first, "Oh and by the way, I'm your sister, so I am automatically a bridesmaid."

Ellie laughed through the tears as Shuri followed after Wanda then looked at Natasha, "I guess that makes you my maid of honor."

"Hell yeah, the maid of honor has to hook up with the best man after the wedding you know," Natasha said as she pulled on Steve's tie and kissed him then walked down the ramp.

Steve tried to fix my tie, "I just got some flashbacks there from the past."

"Loraine?" Ellie asked with a grin.

"Shut it," Steve told her as he looked at her, "You look just as beautiful as the first time."

"This is just a small little renewal," Ellie told him, "We… after everything gets better in the future we will have the big one."

Steve laughed, "Oh Ellie. Let's go."

Putting her arm into Steve's, he led her down the ramp to the beat of the instruments playing and she saw for the first time where they had landed.

"The River Province ceremonial grounds," Ellie breathed out as she saw many people from Wakanda amongst the rocks and cliffs. Thousands of people chanting Wakandan songs from various tribes. Amongst them on the edge of the rocks stood Ramonda in full ceremonial dress with Shuri and Wanda. Grant was in Ramonda's arms with Sarah in Shuri's.

"They don't do anything half-assed here El," Steve told her as he kissed her cheek, "Now your feet are going to get a little wet but it's been nearly 75 years, I don't think they can get cold."

Ellie laughed as she saw Bucky standing in a nice Wakandan suit next to T'Challa who was also in a Wakandan suit.

Steve led her out to the shallow water where Bucky and T'Challa stood.

T'Challa held up a hand and the crowd quieted.

"I, T'Challa, Son of T'Chaka, give you Prince James, son of Queen Ramonda!" T'Challa yelled holding up Bucky's hand.

The Wakandans cheered.

"I also give you Princess Ellie, sister of Captain Rogers!" T'Challa yelled.

Ellie grinned at Steve, who kissed her cheek then walked over to join Ramonda taking Sarah from Shuri.

"While talking to Bucky, he told me that 75 years ago, he and Ellie stood in the famed Central Park before he went to military training and they recited their vows to each other in a private ceremony. Just he and Ellie against the world. He told me that is how he always preferred it. Their actual ceremony happened in a courthouse in front of family but their favorite was their own in Central Park," T'Challa announced.

Ellie smiled at Bucky as he took her hand.

"Bucky wrote his own words to confide in, so he will get to say them," T'Challa said as he looked at Bucky.

"Surprise," Bucky said with a grin, "Many people do not get married anymore. They live together with no ties to each other, no obligation. When people feel something is going wrong, they move on because there is no guilt or promise broken. But we grew up in a different world Angel. Our hearts aren't only tied together they are forever sewn with Vibranium thread."

Ellie laughed.

"It's more than that through. Marriage is a lot of put up with and we have gone through more than… most people ever have to deal with. People have tried to tear us apart for years, and it's never worked. Our love is stronger and bigger than… life itself," Bucky told her.

Ellie lost it at those words and he reached over and ran his thumb across her cheek.

"You are all I could ever ask for. A love bigger than life itself. Bigger than time. I never have to worry ever, despite anything I know because I know that your love will always be there for me on the other side, wherever that might be," Bucky told her.

Ellie wiped her tears as T'Challa looked at her once Bucky finished, "Well one I didn't know this was happening and two… how can I go after that?"

Everyone laughed.

Ellie looked at Bucky, "All I will say is, people, scoff at the aspect of soul mates. That there is one person that we are truly meant for in this world. But it's obvious to me… they've never found theirs. When I was 11 years old, I found mine… and my life has… been complete since. You are the other half of me and without you, I'm not a whole person. You are the reason I breathe… you are…everything to me. Time will never change that."

"Well… there is nothing else really to say after that so, you may kiss your bride. Again," T'Challa announced.

Everyone laughed as Ellie threw her arms around Bucky's neck and kissed him.

* * *

Ellie looked out over the crowds below, as she stood on the balcony of the palace after putting Grant down for the night.

"Finally, a moment to ourselves," Bucky said as he walked out onto the balcony.

Ellie turned and put her arms around his neck, "I can't believe you did this."

"Of course I did. It wasn't Central Park… a lot more people noticing," Bucky told her as he tucked a curl behind her ear, "Baby, listen… we might only have one more month… but my heart will always be with you. I just wanted to show you how much I love you."

"I know you do," Ellie said trying to blink back tears, "I am going to figure it out. Well, we were going to have our grand wedding but… really how can we beat that?"

Bucky laughed as he pulled her into his arms and looked over her shoulder at the people of their new home country celebrating their lives, "Who would have thought… we would be Prince and Princess of an African country."

Ellie laughed, "What would Mom think of this?"

"What was that name the Elder gave you earlier?" Bucky asked.

"Princess Nuru… while I was feeding Grant I looked it up. It means filled with light," Ellie told him as he laughed, "If they even knew."

Bucky kissed her neck, "What do you say, Princess? Start our honeymoon earlier?"

"Mmm I would say yes, but Nalia is coming up here in a few minutes so I can head back down," Ellie said as she turned in his arms, "We have all month next month, as our honeymoon. Just you, me and Grant traveling. This… this might be our last night to enjoy with our family Buck. All of us together, new and old. In less than a month, some of…some of these people could be gone forever, you included."

Bucky pulled her close, "Okay… we will go down and enjoy time with everyone. T'Challa did say that they had some wine that was made specifically for the Black Panthers that he wanted to try on me to see if it affected me."

Ellie laughed, "For the first time in years, you might have a buzz."

"Oh honey, I won't be the only one, you are going to have some too," Bucky told her touching her nose.

"Oh no, I can't. Breastfeeding remember?" Ellie told him as there was a knock on the door, "That's our cue. Come on."

* * *

"Hi baby," Bucky slurred as he came up behind her as she talked to Natasha.

Ellie laughed as he kissed her neck then turned in his arms, "Well hello there."

"I am drunk," Bucky stated.

"Yes, you are. So that stuff T'Challa gave you worked?" Ellie asked pushing a piece of hair behind his ear.

"Yesss," Bucky told her as he nibbled on her ear, "Want to go upstairs? So I can…ravish you?"

Natasha laughed, "So this is Bucky relaxed?"

Bucky looked at her and squinted, "Hi Nat."

"Hi Buck, how are you feeling?" Natasha asked.

"Amazing, I feel like I am flying. This is some good stuff," Bucky said with a grin.

"You two go ahead and head up. Enjoy your second wedding night," Natasha told them.

"I'll sweep you off your feet, my dear," Bucky said dramatically as he went to pick her up.

"I think I will walk. Come on," Ellie said as she took his hand.

Steve walked over to Natasha watching them go, "Buck… looked happy."

"He's drunk," Natasha said as she put her arms around his neck, "Of course he is happy."

"Hmmm I think I need to go find some of this magic alcohol," Steve said burying his face in her neck.

"Let's go get T'Challa," Natasha told him with a grin.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 1, 2018 – Wakanda *~*~***

After Ellie had finished making dinner for everyone, she put Grant in his high chair and pulled him over to the table.

Steve looked at her as he set his book down, "Whoa Grant, big boy in the high chair for dinner."

Ellie laughed, "I figured it would be better in the chair," Ellie told them, "After we got back last night, I was able to have a long conversation with Nalia."

Natasha snorted, "I can't believe he fell asleep after he was so worked up."

"He always did that when he was drunk," Ellie told her with a laugh, "Anyways, Nalia said last night that with his development that it would probably be good to try to introduce him to baby cereal and baby food."

Natasha looked at her, "He is old enough?"

"Developmentally yes, and he wants to feed lately a lot so Nalia suggested we try it," Ellie told them as she put a tablespoon of the cereal in with the four tablespoons of breast milk as Nalia suggested, then mixed it inside the bowl.

"So are you trying baby food too?" Natasha asked.

"Yeah, Nalia said if he doesn't like cereal, try sweet potatoes," Ellie told her as she opened the jar of sweet potatoes.

Grant looked at her, "Mmmmm babaaa."

"I hope you do find this Mmmm," Ellie told him as she yelled for Bucky.

Bucky walked into the room, "You are trying it?"

"Yeah, here goes nothing," Ellie told him, "Grant honey, this is yummy… want a bite?"

She put the spoon to his mouth with a small amount of cereal and he mouthed it then spit it out as he blew bubbles.

Steve laughed, "Guess he isn't a fan."

"Here let me try," Bucky told her as he sat down in front of Grant and took it, "Hey buddy, let's try this yummy food. Here see Daddy is going to take a bite," Bucky said as he put the spoon to his lips, "Yummy… now you want a bite?"

Grant held his mouth open and Bucky put the spoon in.

He smacked his lips together then squealed as he reached for the spoon.

Bucky tried another spoonful and Grant ate it.

"Try the sweet potatoes," Ellie suggested.

Bucky took a spoonful of sweet potatoes and put the spoon to his mouth again, "Try this one."

Grant let Bucky put it into his mouth then made a face.

"I'm not sure he…" Ellie said as Grant spit it out and it was all down Bucky's shirt, "Yep, not a fan of sweet potatoes."

Bucky looked at her with spots of orange on his face, "Nope."

Grant reached for the bowl of cereal and Ellie took the spoon from Bucky, "Let's try this again."

Grant opened his mouth and she put a small amount in it.

Bucky swallowed hard, "I can't believe how fast he is growing."

"Kind of scares me," Ellie said as she looked at him, "What if he is a teenager at 8 years old?"

"It has to slow down some time. He is only a few months ahead anyways," Bucky told her. He is 4 months and Nalia said that he is about six months in development."

"I have a question," Steve said after Grant finished his cereal and Ellie started wiping down his face.

"I might have the answers too," Bucky told him sitting back.

"Jerk," Steve said, "When are you guys leaving?"

Bucky sighed as he looked at Ellie then back at Steve, "Tomorrow morning."

"Oh," Steve said wide-eyed, "I didn't realize it was so soon."

"We want to stay Steve but…we need this," Bucky told him as he watched Ellie take Grant to their apartment to change him, "She needs this Steve."

Steve sighed looking at his hands, "I know she does but is it bad of me that I want you to stay here so I can spend time with my best friend?"

Bucky scoffed sitting back in his chair, "I'm not your best friend anymore Steve."

Steve frowned, "What?" He asked him confused.

"We both know the truth to that. Its either Natasha or Sam now. We are still friends, good friends but you are more than my best friend now … you are my brother," Bucky told him.

"Damn you," Steve said as he pulled Bucky into a hug.

"Take care of her for me," Bucky told him trying to hold back his emotions.

"Of course," Steve told him squeezing his shoulder, "I won't let you down."

* * *

Ellie opened her eyes and looked around to see she was alone in the apartment in Wakanda. Getting out of bed, she looked into the crib and grabbed Grant when she saw him inside, then walked out of the apartment and knocked on Steve and Natasha's door.

Steve opened the door, "Hey sis"

"I need your help," Ellie told him as she looked around Steve, "Hey Nat, can you watch Grant for me?"

Natasha nodded, "Sure, I'll just put him in the crib if he is still asleep."

Ellie handed Grant off to Natasha, "Thank you, Nat. I appreciate it."

Natasha looked at her noticing her eyes, "When are you from?"

"Awhile from now, I don't have long to talk but thank you," Ellie told her as she took Steve's arm.

Ellie led him to the common area, "I need your help to bring Bucky into the future," She said as she stopped in the kitchen.

Steve frowned, "Is that possible?"

"Yes, I know how to now, but I need both of you and he will use your body," Ellie told him looking out to make sure no one was around, "I can't hold it for long either."

"Why do you want to bring him into the future?" Steve asked.

"I want to show him that we are okay," Ellie told him as she looked at Steve, "Grant is old enough to ask questions now and… I just want him to see… our life. That his sacrifice meant something."

Steve frowned, "What year are you from?"

"I'm from December 2022. This is my Christmas gift to Bucky…. So that he knows that we are okay. Things haven't changed and I want Grant to be able to talk to him. My Christmas gift to Grant as well," Ellie told him.

"Have you done it before?" Steve asked.

Ellie sighed as she leaned back on the counter, "Well not exactly in this way, but I brought Natasha back to the past before to leave someone a message, but that was only going a few months into the past. I hope that I can bring him into the future I've never tried to do that at all."

Bucky walked into the apartments, "Hey guys, what are you up to?"

Ellie and Steve looked at him and he walked closer to Ellie.

Bucky placed his hand on her face, "Hi"

"I want to try something, but I need you and Steve to trust me," Ellie told him as she placed her hand on his.

"Of course I trust you," Bucky told her, "What do you need?"

"I need you both to sit on the couch," Ellie told them as she took Bucky's hand and led him towards the couch.

Bucky looked at Steve as he followed them over to the couch, "What are we doing?"

Ellie looked at him as she stood next to the couch, "Do you trust me?"

"Why do you keep asking me that? Of course, I do." Bucky told her as he followed Steve to the couch and sat down.

"This is going to sound weird but I need you to hold hands," Ellie told them.

Bucky looked at their hands as Steve took his hands in his, "What are we doing?"

"Like I said… trust me," Ellie said as she put her hands on each of their heads, "Bucky you have to relax and try to drop your shield."

"I am still not sure how to do that. It's never been a big success when Wanda and I do it," Bucky said as he tried to relax as he closed his eyes.

Suddenly he saw his body sitting in front of him, eyes closed as from Steve's perspective then the next time he opened his eyes, he was in a different room.

Ellie looked at him as she held his hands, "Who am I talking to?"

Bucky bit his lip as he looked over the Ellie in front of him. Her hair was much longer and she was more tired in appearance but she was still as gorgeous as the day he had met her, "Hey Angel."

Ellie smiled, "Although, hearing that come out of my brother's mouth is too weird for me. God, I want to kiss you right now but… no. Not looking like that."

Bucky laughed as he looked around, "So this is the future? God, you are still gorgeous."

Ellie shook her head, "Listen I don't know how long I can hold this… technically we are all asleep back in Wakanda and I am splitting my energy between both my bodies, but its Christmas. I wanted to show you that… we still miss you but… we are okay. I want you to see Grant."

Bucky stood up and she held Steve's hand tighter and he marveled at the flesh hand in front of him.

"We can't let go. If you let go of my hand, I lose connection," Ellie told him as she let him pull her up and into his arms, still maintaining their grip on each other's hands. Ellie let out a shaky breath, "You don't know how long I've been waiting for this."

Bucky kissed her cheek, "I won't try anything more… I promise."

Bucky took in their bedroom, "This looks amazing."

"Thank you, I've worked hard to make it a good home for you… when you come home," Ellie told him, "Come on… I don't know how much longer we have."

She led him out of their bedroom and down the hallway outside their bedroom. Ellie turned to look at him, "Are you ready?"

Bucky nodded.

Ellie knocked on the door, "Grant honey? Can I come in?"

"Yeah mom," Was the answer from inside the room.

Bucky tried to hold back his tears as they walked into the bedroom.

On the bed reading a book was a little boy. He saw them and sat up, "Hey Uncle Stevie."

"Grant honey, we need to talk," Ellie said as she pulled Bucky over to the bed and they sat down.

Bucky just stared at Grant marveling at the mixture of him and Ellie staring back at him.

Grant frowned, "What?"

"You know how mommy has some powers right?" Ellie asked him.

"Yeah," He said as if it was obvious, "You can make things light up and you can charge Uncle Stevie's phone when he forgets to charge it," Grant said with a grin looking at Bucky.

Bucky laughed as he heard Ellie's personality shining through.

"Well Mommy can do something else; I can mentally travel into the past. You know how Hermione had a time turner in Harry Potter?" Ellie asked.

"You can time travel?" Grant asked amazed.

"When I travel, I go into my body in the past and this body stays here asleep. I go back and visit Daddy a lot and keep him updated on how you are doing. But Mommy wanted to do something special for Christmas for you. This isn't Uncle Stevie," Ellie told him as she looked at Bucky, "Back in the past Uncle Stevie is sharing his… body with Daddy so Daddy could come to visit you."

Grant looked at Bucky looking up at him with his big blue eyes, "Daddy?"

Bucky swallowed hard, "Hey Buddy," Bucky said with a smile as he tried not to cry.

Grant launched himself into Bucky's lap and with a little help from Ellie, Bucky hugged him back tight.

"Grant honey, mommy can't hold Daddy here very long, but I wanted you to be able to talk to him," Ellie told him wiping her tears with her other hand that was not holding Buckys.

Grant looked at him with tear-filled blue eyes, "I love you, Daddy, to the ends of the universe and back."

"I love you too Buddy so much. I might not be here but I still love you," Bucky told him as he kissed the top of his son's head.

Grant snuggled into his chest.

"Daddy, what is your favorite food?" Grant asked into his chest.

Bucky laughed, "Hot dogs, why Bud?"

"That is what Mommy tells me but I just wanted to be sure. Did you and Uncle Stevie really spend all your money buying hot dogs and have to travel back in a pig truck?" Grant asked looking up at him.

Bucky smiled as he kissed Grant's forehead, "No, it was a freezer truck. It was the only truck heading back to Brooklyn and your Uncle Steve nearly froze. He was tiny back then."

"Mommy has showed me pictures," Grant said burying his head in Bucky's chest again.

"Grant, I want you to know that I love you and Mommy more than you know. I wouldn't have gone into the battle if I didn't know it was to keep you and Mommy safe," Bucky told him as he rested his head on Grant's and saw a picture of Ellie at the edge of the pool with Steve and Natasha in the pool with Grant, a little girl with strawberry blonde hair that had to be Sarah, then two younger girls next to them with dark blonde hair. What stood out the most were the Rogers blue eyes and his chin.

"Buck… I can't hold this much longer," Ellie told him sadly, "I'm getting tired."

Grant looked up at him, "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too Buddy, so much," Bucky told him as he kissed the top of his head.

"Grant honey, Mommy is just going to lay down real quick but Uncle Stevie will be back in a second," Ellie told him.

Bucky gasped as he was suddenly back in his own body and Steve sat up from where he was slouched on the couch.

"I'm sorry it couldn't be longer," Ellie told him sadly, "I… I will try again soon maybe."

"No, thank you," Bucky said as he kissed her.

Ellie rested her forehead against his and sighed, "My energy is waning, and I need to check on Grant. I love you."

"I love you more Angel," Bucky told her as he ran his hand over her face, "Just so you know, you are still as beautiful as the day I met you."

A tear slipped down her face as she laid down on his chest, "Hold me until I go."

Bucky pulled her into his arms, "Of course, I'll be waiting for you. Sleep tight, my love."

"Buck?" She whispered.

"Hmm?" He asked as Steve got up and left the room.

"We need to leave tomorrow," Ellie whispered, "We… don't have much time left."

"Ok… we will," Bucky told her, "I promise."

Ellie sighed as she went limp in his arms. Bucky let the tears fall from his eyes as he kissed the top of her head.

* * *

a/n3: There it is. Leave me a note to tell me if you liked it.

Now to reviews:

 **gingin1975** : Things are going to become much bleaker. Thank you for reading and reviewing!

 **puppy24610** : Thank you for reading and reviewing. I like Loki but not a huge Loki fan but never know what the future may hold!

* * *

a/n3: Preview of Chapter 79- Live to Rise:

"What is it?" Strange asked exasperated.

"Look I know this doesn't seem weird for you but it is for me," Ellie told him as she looked up at him, "I grew up in the 30s where all this…" She said looking around her house, "This was a dream. This wasn't the reality. Even millionaires didn't live like this. Time travel and astral projection? Science Fiction. So give me a bit of a break already damnit."

Strange sighed as his cape flew off his back as he sat down next to her, "I'm sorry. I was in your place once."

Ellie looked at him, "Not an asshole?"


	79. Live to Rise

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: Two weeks! Two weeks until the end of my class, then I will have two weeks off to hopefully write like crazy. I am working on my Master's final project so unfortunately not a ton of writing has been happening.**

 **Side note: You have homework, go check out Endings, Beginnings trailer. Man Sebastian Stan…*fans self*. Shailene Woodley is a lucky girl.**

 **Thank you to the new followers: amyrrobinson and bookdragonslayer. Also only two reviews away from 200, you guys are awesome!**

* * *

What if the one thing that I missed  
Was everything I need to pass the test  
And if I fail, what happens then?  
Can I still count on you as a friend?

~ Live to Rise by Soundgarden

* * *

 ***~*~* April 3, 2018 – Disney World Florida *~*~***

Listening to the shower run behind her felt melodic, as Ellie sighed looking out the window of their hotel, braiding her hair. Bucky was in the shower getting ready and the sun was rising over the land below her, as she watched sleepy animals roam over the savanna of the Disney Animal Kingdom lodge.

" _How is your training going?"_

Ellie turned towards the ghostly form behind her, "Not here," Ellie snapped, "Not when Bucky is awake Strange, I have told you that. I'm doing my best."

" _Your best isn't enough!" He barked._

Ellie looked at him, "It's going to have to be because I am only one person, I am sorry I can't handle much more. I am already staying up when I should be sleeping. It is affecting my body and my mind," Ellie argued, "I am a mother to a newborn and he needs me during the night sometimes. He comes first."

" _You are being weak," Strange told her._

Ellie glared at him, "Don't make me test my powers on you to see if it would work in the dimension you are in because I will blast you back to New York, England or wherever the hell your body is today."

 _Strange sighed, "You are ready for the sling ring so that you can practice in the mirror and astral dimensions. Tonight, I will be back so I can begin to teach you"_

Ellie sighed as his projection left and ran a hand over her face as the on slot of emotions washed over her.

Sitting on the bed, Ellie put her head in her hands trying not to cry.

"What's wrong?"

Ellie looked back at Bucky to see him completely naked and grinned, "Nothing now, come here."

Bucky walked over to her and sat down next to her, "What?"

Ellie pushed him back onto the bed and straddled his waist, "Just admiring the view," She said as she looked down at his glistening body and kissed some stray water droplets that were gliding across his body.

Bucky laughed, "I'd like it better if you were the naked one."

Ellie moved to the top of his thighs, barely brushing over where he wanted her most, and kissed him, "All in due time, but my dear we need to get ready. We have two parks to visit today."

She rotated and jumped off the bed.

Bucky looked up at her wide-eyed as she stood up, "Come on! The starting sequence has already started!"

Ellie laughed, "We will have some naked time tonight," She told him as she leaned down and kissed him, "Come on, there are zebras outside our window. So close you could touch them nearly."

Bucky stood up and looked out the window, "Shit! A giraffe is staring me down."

Ellie laughed as she went into the bathroom, "Probably thinks there is a carrot you have there."

Bucky gasped as he ran to the bathroom, "I'll show you that it's a carrot."

Ellie giggled as he pressed her against the sink.

* * *

Ellie sat on the Kilimanjaro Safari ride with Grant in her lap as he gazed out at all the animals and squealed at some of them.

The lady that had been front of them on the ride looked back after they got off the ride, "I just have to say, your son is so well behaved"

Ellie looked at her and smiled as Bucky helped her put Grant in his carrier so that he could look out, "Thank you."

"How old is he?" She asked as Bucky went to get the stroller.

"Five months old this month," Ellie told her with a smile.

She looked surprised, "Wow, my kids weren't this observant at his age. Hi there kiddo. Enjoy your time at Disney."

"Thank you," Ellie said as Bucky pushed the stroller over to her, "Ready?"

"Yep," Bucky said as they left the Safari area, "What to next?"

"The site I was looking at said that there is a petting zoo in the Rafiki area," Ellie told him, "That it is great for infants."

Bucky nodded as they continued walking through the crowds, "So… this morning, was the ghost back?"

Ellie sighed, "Yeah, he doesn't think I am learning fast enough, I think."

Bucky stopped and looked at her, "Ellie, don't do this if it's going to make you sick or stressed. It's not worth it."

"It is if it could save you or someone else, or bring you back faster Buck," Ellie told him shaking her head, "But he said he thinks I am ready for the next step."

Bucky pulled her into his arms with Grant between them, "I don't want you risking your health okay?"

"I know, I won't. I… it's just some lack of sleep. Training me for the future," Ellie mumbled into his chest as Grant grabbed onto Bucky's shirt.

"I know buddy," Bucky said as he kissed Grant's head then kissed Ellie, "Let's go to the petting zoo."

* * *

Late that night, after returning from Epcot, Ellie stood in the shower under the flow of water just letting it wash over her face and down her hair.

"What has you so lost in thought?" Bucky asked behind her.

Ellie jumped sucking in water, coughing, "Buck!? Shit, how did you sneak up on me like that?" She asked coughing.

"As I said, you were lost in thought. What is going on in that gorgeous head of yours Angel?" Bucky asked as he kissed her pulling her close to him so that she was now out of the stream of water.

"Mmm Grant…" Ellie said into the kiss.

"Is asleep, no need to worry there," Bucky said as he kissed down her neck.

"Buck," She breathed out as he kissed a particularly sensitive spot.

Bucky touched his forehead to Ellie's as the water rushed over them, "I love having Grant but I love our moments like this."

Ellie grinned, "That's what makes them even more special," Ellie said as she played with his wet hair as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled her body against his.

Bucky groaned as he felt her nipples scrape his skin.

Ellie reached for the soap and lathered it up then Bucky sucked in a breath, this time coughing himself on the water, as she wrapped her hand around him. He braced his hand against the wall for support.

"Shit El," Bucky said as he gasped.

"It's been too long," Ellie said as she pushed him back against the back wall of the shower.

With practiced ease, Bucky picked her up and in quick fashion, she wrapped her legs around his waist, flipped their positions and with a quick thrust was inside her.

"Yes," Ellie breathed out her head hitting the wall behind her.

His thrusts were slow and deep. He could not help but grin as she gasped and tightened on him with each thrust. Bringing his flesh fingers between them, he found her clit and rubbed it.

"There," Ellie said as she tried to meet his thrusts faster.

Kissing her neck, he felt her pulse quicken as she bucked against him and clenched harder onto him. She gasped as her orgasm hit her, quickly bringing his along.

Bucky kissed her then slowly set her back on her feet, "Feel better?"

"Hell yeah," Ellie said as she kissed him again, "Bed now"

Bucky giggled as he turned the water off.

Ellie laughed, "Did you just giggle?"

Bucky gasped, "I did not!"

"Yes you so did," Ellie said with a grin.

Bucky grabbed the towel and snapped at her causing her to gasp, "I'll show you."

Ellie laughed as she tried to avoid him and nearly fell. Bucky's arm went around her waist and picked her up, "Oh my hero," Ellie said looking into his eyes.

Bucky smiled as he carried her to bed, "Come on."

* * *

 ***~*~* April 4, 2018 – Magic Kingdom*~*~***

Ellie smiled as Bucky rocked on his heels waiting for their turn to board the Haunted Mansion ride.

"We've been lucky with wait times today," Ellie told him.

"Yeah we have been," Bucky said as he took her hand as it was their turn to board the ride.

He helped her sit carefully in their seat then they sat back as it moved into the attraction.

Grant looked around at the flashing colors and the movements of the different objects on the ride.

"Do you think ghosts exist?" Bucky asked putting his arm over her shoulders.

"Like real ghosts, spirits of those who are dead? The Bible mentions them multiple times but… it basically says that they are not spirits of those who have lived but wayward Angels and Satan who are merely trying to trick us," Ellie told him, "But there is much evidence to their existence, so who knows. They are usually said to be beings that had unfinished business. I would hate to be stuck here with no means to finish something I needed to do. The soul needs rest eventually. What do you think?"

Bucky watched the ghosts dance in front of him, "I don't know, I mean I've never seen proof of one. Mom always said the apartment we had was haunted but… I don't think it was. It was just old, so it made weird noises. To believe in ghosts you do have to believe that there is an afterlife."

Ellie looked at him sadly, "You don't? You don't believe that after we die here, there is a place to go from here?"

Bucky sighed, "I don't know what to believe any more honestly. T'Challa says he has been there, as they call it the ancestor plains, to speak to his father. If there is someplace like that, I… I just worry that because of my time as the Winter Soldier … would I get there?"

Ellie closed her eyes and rested against his shoulder.

"It wasn't you Buck. You've… you've done so much good since then," Ellie told him as she tried not to cry as she took his hand in hers.

"Really? Taking care of goats and bringing Grant into the world?" Bucky asked as he swallowed hard, "I don't see how any of that outweighs what I did."

"You didn't do it, Hydra made you do it. There is a difference," Ellie told him.

Bucky looked over at her, "Whatever happens… just be here when I get back. Without you, there is no me. Promise me that you won't do anything stupid."

Ellie smiled through her tears, "How can I? You are taking all the stupid with you."

Bucky groaned, "Seriously?"

Ellie laughed, "I couldn't help it. I won't Buck. I have Grant to think about too. Plus you WILL be coming back home."

Bucky took her hand and kissed her knuckles, "As soon as I can I'll be right there with you."

* * *

 ***~*~* April 5, 2018 – Florida*~*~***

"Hello?"

Ellie glanced over at Bucky asleep in the passenger's seat, "Hey Steve"

"Hey sis, what are you up to?" Steve asked.

"Driving to Georgia right now," Ellie told him adjusting the earpiece in her ear, "How well can you hear me?"

"Good, why?" Steve asked.

"Shuri gave me this Kimoyo bead upgrade that literally conforms in my ear and works with my phone," Ellie told him, "I'm whispering and it is still picking up my voice."

"Doesn't sound like you are whispering either. Why are you whispering?" Steve asked.

"Bucky is asleep in the passenger seat and Grant is asleep in the back," Ellie said as she looked in the rearview mirror to see the reflection of the tiny mirror that showed Grant's face, "Bucky and I bought a car today."

"Wow, a car? What kind did you get?" Steve asked.

"Tony recommended it. It's called an Audi Q7," Ellie told him, "It was really easy to install Grant's car seat too. The backseats can fold down so the trunk area is huge. This thing… don't tell Shuri but this is better than the Wakanda cars."

Steve laughed, "So how was Disney?"

"Huge. We planned to leave last night, after getting back from the park, and drive so we could start our day early today in Atlanta… but we passed out as soon as we got back to the hotel last night. Then we nearly didn't make it by checking out this morning," Ellie told him as she yawned, "Bucky is still asleep."

"Sounds like you two had fun," Steve said, "We will have to go in the future."

"When the kids are older. There were a lot of things that you can't do with an infant, Bucky and I did end up riding Space Mountain. I rode first then Bucky gave Grant to me so he could ride but that was the only thing we did separate. There was a lot to do even with Grant," Ellie told him as she looked in the mirrors to merge over in the next lane.

"So where are you heading next again?" Steve asked.

"Atlanta, Georgia. Bucky and I picked one location in each state and we are trying to visit as many states as we can while still relaxing," Ellie told him, "We are only stopping in Georgia for today, then we are driving to South Carolina tonight. The plan is to go to the zoo-"

"You going to the zoo? Whoda thunk it?" Steve teased.

"Shut it, Steve. I like zoos," Ellie told him with a smile.

"You always have," Steve told her fondly, "Mom loved bringing us there because it always made you happy."

Ellie looked at Grant's reversed car seat in the middle seat, "I hope that I can be half the Mom that she was Steve."

Steve was quiet for a moment, "You will be and more."

Ellie cleared her throat, "Those are some pretty big shoes to fill."

"But you are completely capable. When Dad died, it was no fault of hers but she was so busy trying to make ends meet, you became her… way too young. I have never thanked you properly for that. Without you, I wouldn't be alive… many times over," Steve told her.

"Steve, stop… I am driving and you are trying to make me cry," Ellie told him wiping her eyes.

"Call me tonight or whenever you get to your hotel?" Steve asked.

"I will… I love you, Steve," Ellie told him.

"I love you too Ellie," Steve said as he hung up.

Ellie sighed as she ran her hand over her face.

"You okay?" Bucky mumbled with his eyes closed.

Ellie looked over, "Are you even awake?"

"I don't know," Bucky said as he shifted.

Ellie laughed as his head drooped and his eyes opened suddenly as he coughed on his snore, "You okay there honey?"

"What? Eww, I drooled all over myself," Bucky said wiping his face.

"It's adorable… I even got pictures," Ellie told him with a smirk glancing at him.

"You didn't," Bucky said wide-eyed.

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't," Ellie told him as she blew him a kiss.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 5, 2018 – Wakanda*~*~***

Steve sighed as he put down his phone and felt Natasha slide her hand around his shoulders. He touched it and looked up at her, "I'm okay."

"No, you're not but go ahead and think that," Natasha said as she climbed cat-like into his lap, "I think you need to sit down with Bucky and Ellie… talk things about before…anything might happen. Let them know how much they mean to you."

Steve buried his face in her neck, "Thank you for being here."

"There is nowhere else I'd want to be," Natasha said as she kissed him.

Steve's hands were creeping up the back of Natasha's shirt when Sarah started crying over the monitor.

"My God, she has Daddy is about to get some radar," Steve groaned as he rested his head on her chest.

"A little presumptuous aren't you? Thinking you were getting any Mr. Rogers," Natasha said as she kissed him then got off his lap, "Although, it has been 7 weeks now."

Steve sat up straight, "Does that mean what I think it means?"

Natasha laughed as she swayed her hips walking away, "You'll have to see… Captain."

"Fuck," Steve said as he followed her and picked her up making her squeal.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 6, 2018 – Atlanta, Georgia*~*~***

Ellie looked up in wonder as they walked through a tunnel with various fish and other sea-life swimming above them.

Bucky grinned as he filmed Ellie gazing up at the fish and gasping as a shark swam over them. Grant was even watching the colors and smiling.

"Oh!" Ellie said as one of the sharks came up behind them and she jumped slightly.

"Oh!" Grant repeated as he squealed.

Ellie laughed and looked down at him, "Are you copying Mommy?"

"Ah Oooh! Ooh!" Grant screamed.

"Okay, Mommy doesn't sound like that," Ellie said as she looked at Bucky, "Do I?"

"Well maybe not now, but in bed-"

"Bucky!" Ellie scolded with a laugh, "You are recording."

"I'll figure out how to edit it out," Bucky defended, "Plus you don't sound like that… it's more, 'harder Bucky and there Bucky, and you are a God Bucky," Bucky said with a laugh as she pushed him.

An older woman was frowning at them as she grabbed her Grandchild and left the area they were in.

"Shit I didn't see her there," Bucky said.

"Some master assassin skills you have," Ellie said snorting, "No wonder you needed a whole team"

Bucky's eyes narrowed, "Are you seriously joking about this?"

"I'm just saying for two years I operated completely on my own and was never caught and took down two Hydra bases on my own," Ellie told him, "There is a woman… about 5'7 walking around the corner holding an infant and holding in her other hand, the hand of a 2… no… 3 year old."

"You expect me to believe…" Bucky said as the said woman appeared with the daughter dragging her behind her.

"Come on Momma, I want to touch the fishies," She said as the Mother struggled to keep up.

"Anna, don't pull on Momma's hand too hard. I don't want to trip and drop Thomas," The woman said as they rushed past.

Bucky looked at Ellie, "How the hell did you know?" He asked surprised.

Ellie laughed, "Look through the glass."

Bucky looked through the glass to see people on the other side of the water, "Shit you saw them."

Ellie giggled, "I have super hearing but I don't have X-Ray vision Buck, that's only in the comics."

Bucky shook his head as he followed her taking her hand, "You had me fooled for a second."

"Nah, just observant. I know… I know it's safe to drop your guard now Buck but you don't want to drop it too much. Yeah, Hydra isn't going to burst down the wall but… there are still small threats." Ellie told him.

"Shit, remember that time the guy pick-pocketed my wallet and we had to walk back from Coney Island?" Bucky asked.

"I nearly forgot about that," Ellie said shaking her head as she looked at one of the Manta Rays, "Look at how big that Manta-Ray is."

"I think that thing is as long as you are tall," Bucky told her as she looked at him grinning, "What?"

Ellie held up his wallet and he frowned, "Missing something?"

"Not fair," Bucky said taking it and putting it back in his back pocket, "I'm used to you touching my ass anyways."

"Because it's mine," Ellie said as she smacked it then skipped again as much as she could holding Grant.

Bucky smiled and put the camera on himself, "If I don't edit this out and you are watching this in the future El… this is just part of the reason I love you. You have me falling all over myself."

Ellie looked around the corner, "Well are you coming? I think I just saw a turtle."

"I'm coming," Bucky told her as he followed after her.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 7, 2018 – South Carolina*~*~***

Ellie threw their bags on the bed as they entered their hotel room at Myrtle Beach, "I don't know about you Buck, but I'm exhausted. It seemed warmer than Disney World was at the zoo"

Bucky set down Grant's carrier and went over to the sliding door, "Shit El, look at this view."

Ellie walked over behind him and put her arms around him, "I could get used to that view. Maybe in the future, we should get a beach house."

"Too bad the water is going to be too cold to go swimming in the ocean," Bucky said.

"The car said it was 71* but the water temperature is around 63*, doesn't sound cold but I bet it feels like it would be freezing," Ellie told him, "Why don't we go explore?"

Bucky turned around and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, "How about nap first, explore later?" Bucky asked.

"Actually, that does sound good. After that traffic jam… I am a little tired," Ellie told him as she kicked her shoes off as he went to unpack Grant's travel crib.

Ellie unfastened him from his carrier and put him in the bed with her as she laid down. As she had been doing for a few weeks, she pulled him up into sitting position as she looked at him.

"Hi Grant, you have been such a good boy," Ellie cooed.

"Where is the diaper bag?" Bucky asked.

Ellie pointed to the chair, "Over there."

Grant clapped his hands together squealing and Ellie slowly moved her hand out from behind his back.

He wobbled slightly then looked at her, "Ehhh! Ehhh!"

"Buck," Ellie said wide-eyed.

Bucky looked back at her, "What… he is sitting up on his own."

"I know," Ellie said as Grant tried to look at Bucky and lost his balance so she caught him, "Good job little man."

Bucky sat down on the bed, "Shit El… this is crazy how fast he is growing."

"I know," Ellie said as she kissed Grant's hands then let go of his back again.

Grant wobbled again then looked at Bucky as he giggled then fell over.

"It's going to be a game now," Bucky said as he tickled Grant's belly.

He ducked behind Ellie's shoulder then looked out at Grant who laughed.

Bucky kissed Ellie's shoulder as he nuzzled at her neck, "I love you."

Ellie grabbed the back of his neck and kissed him, "I love you too, so no more visits?"

Bucky shook his head, "No."

Ellie sighed as she laid her head on his shoulder as they watched Grant grab for his feet as he rolled, "Hopefully that's a good thing. Why visit when I have you back?"

Bucky kissed the top of her head, "I hope so."

* * *

 ***~*~* April 8, 2018 – North Carolina*~*~***

Ellie smoothed down her dress as Bucky put Grant in the baby sling carrier, "Are you sure this is okay?"

Bucky nodded, "If you want to go, I'm fine with it. Couldn't hurt. As long as I don't burst into flames when I walk in here… we are good."

Ellie rolled her eyes, "And they call Steve the dramatic one."

Bucky took her hand and they walked up to the church. Walking through the doors, a man in white robes was standing at the front of the pews.

"Good day," He greeted, "I am Jeremiah Jones. Are you visitors to our church?"

"Yes sir, I am Elizabeth Barnes and this is my husband James," Ellie said, "We are just here on vacation."

"Welcome to our church, who is this?" He asked looking at Grant.

"This is our son Grant," Ellie told him with a smile.

"You are welcome to sit in the pews while he sleeps but we have a room back here for if he starts fussing or you want the privacy of feeding him," Mr. Jones told them as he pointed to a room with privacy glass, "There are TVs so you can still hear."

"Thank you, sir," Ellie said as they went to the pew and found a seat.

Bucky took her hand and kissed it as she closed her eyes with a smile, "You look happy."

Ellie looked over at him, "Church has always had that effect on me. Until Steve stopped being an altar boy around ten because of his health. The incense that was used was always hard on him. We were there every mass, every Sunday we would be there. It was my safe place. People knew me and I was safe. After that…" She said with a sigh, "Steve's health started declining. He had his first bout with pneumonia and the incense was too much. Mom made us read Bible passages together at home but it wasn't the same as when I was able to be in church. The church was my escape from the reality of our lives."

"Make sure you bring Grant every week if you can then," Bucky said as he put his arm around her and kissed the side of her head.

The organ started playing and the altar boys made their way down the aisle with Jeremiah Jones at the rear of the procession.

Jeremiah came to the podium and looked out over the crowd.

"Welcome my sisters and brothers to our humble church today on this glorious day. We offer the lord ourselves with all our strengths and weakness and I pray in the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit that any sins should be cleansed from us," Jeremiah said.

Ellie squeezed Bucky's hand after crossing herself.

"I pray that our hopes and desires that we are waiting for are coming and pray lord that you will have mercy on us and forgive our sins and bring us to everlasting life and glory to God in the highest. We give thanks to you Lord God, our heavenly king for bringing us here together and receiving our prayer," Jeremiah said as he looked out at the crowd, "Let us pray."

Ellie bowed her head.

"Lord, we rejoice in you through your song Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you. Amen," Jeremiah said as he looked out at everyone again, "I thank each and every one of you for joining us here today. I see many new faces. I invite you all to open your bibles to the book of Isaiah chapter 40 verses 1 through 11."

Ellie took the bible from the back of the pew and opened it.

"Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service has ended, that her guilt is expiated, that she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins," Jeremiah read, "A voice proclaims: In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be lifted up, every mountain and hill made low; the rugged land shall be a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken. A voice says, "Proclaim!" I answer, "What shall I proclaim?" "All flesh is grass and all their loyalty like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower wilts, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it."

Bucky blew out a breath as he felt as if the Priest were speaking to him alone.

"Yes, the people are grass! The grass withers, the flower wilts, but the word of our God stands forever." Go up onto a high mountain, Zion, herald of good news! Cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news! Cry out, do not fear! Say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm; here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, leading the ewes with care," Jeremiah read as he set his bible down, "For this is the Word of the Lord."

"The Lord died for our sins but I invite you all to repent your sins with me," Jeremiah stated.

"I confess to almighty God and you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned," Ellie repeated, "In my thoughts and my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, my fault, through my most grievous fault."

She glanced over at Bucky as she heard him whisper the words.

Squeezing his hand, he looked at her with tears in his eyes.

"I know," Ellie whispered as everyone said 'Amen'.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 10, 2018 – North Carolina*~*~***

Ellie stood on the balcony of their hotel room on Nags Head Island listening to the waves as they crashed against the beach. Behind her, Bucky and Grant continued their harmony of snores, but she could not sleep.

Taking the gold ring out of her pocket, she slipped it onto her hand then closed her eyes as she sat down on the chair on the balcony. Taking deep breaths, she held her hand out and envisioned the bedroom and her and Bucky's house. Making a circular motion with her hand, a circle opened up in the air. Standing up, she walked through it.

"Very good"

Ellie jumped as soon as she stepped foot in her own house, "Shit Strange, don't do that to me!"

"You are a fast learner," Strange told her.

"I have a photographic memory. Helps with the time jumps," Ellie told him, "What do you want from me and how the hell did you get into my house?"

"I merely projected myself into your home to wait for you," Strange told her, "Are you ready to work on your astral projection? When you can go to your astral form your body can rest and you can study or navigate the astral world completely independent from this world."

Ellie sighed as she sat on the new reading bench in the study of her bedroom and put her head in her hands.

"What is it?" Strange asked exasperated.

"Look I know this doesn't seem weird for you but it is for me," Ellie told him as she looked up at him, "I grew up in the 30s where all this…" She said looking around her house, "This was a dream. This wasn't the reality. Even millionaires didn't live like this. Time travel and astral projection? Science Fiction. So give me a bit of a break already Damnit."

Strange sighed as his cape flew off his back as he sat down next to her, "I'm sorry. I was in your place once."

Ellie looked at him, "Not an asshole?"

He chuckled, "No, I've always been an asshole. I'm a doctor, we usually are. I became… the supreme sorcerer only after I had an accident. It was a debilitating accident that caused me to lose the function of my hands."

Ellie bit her lip, "What type of doctor were you?"

"Neurosurgeon, so I needed complete use of my hands," Strange told her, "But after much research, I heard of a man who was healed and regained the ability to walk without surgery. So I... gave up all my worldly possessions, used all my money and ended up in a place called Kamar-Taj. It's in Nepal. I was less than skeptical but the man told me that these holy men had healed him. The Ancient One took me in and showed me their ways. While my hands were not truly healed, with the help of my spirit and multi-dimensions, I could be more useful than I ever thought possible. I had a year to learn my craft to get to where I needed to be. You have two months, it is not fair but those are the cards that we have been dealt with."

Ellie gnawed on her lip and looked at him, "Do you know the date… it happens?"

"No, just that it will be happening within the month," Strange told her

Ellie nodded, "That's what I've told myself too."

Strange looked at her, "You can talk with your future self?"

"Only when… she is in my body. I can't try to talk to future me now," Ellie told him shaking her head, "It doesn't work like that."

"Well, since we don't know how much time we have left, let's get to work," Strange told her.

Ellie stepped through the portal and sighed as she took her sling ring off. Opening the sliding door, she toed her shoes off then climbed into bed with Bucky.

"Where have you been?" Bucky mumbled.

"Don't worry about it right now. Go back to sleep," Ellie told him as she kissed his chest.

He put his arm around her and pulled her close, "You aren't cold."

"No, I was in our house," Ellie told him.

Bucky looked at her through the darkness, "In New York?"

Ellie nodded, "Strange has a way to travel between different places."

Bucky sighed, "Shit, what a world we live in."

"Go back to sleep, I need it," Ellie told him as she snuggled into his side.

Bucky kissed the side of her head, "Goodnight my love."

* * *

a/n3: There it is. Looking at the chapters I have so far, even if I am unable to write any more than a chapter every two weeks… this will take us to Falcon and the Winter Soldier easily. Without knowing anything about it, I have no clue if this will be affected at all or if this story will end after Endgame. We will see how it plays out. I have a timeline and notes between Infinity War and Endgame so bare with me. Please review so I know what you guys think!

Now to review:

gingin1975: Thank you! Hope you enjoyed this one as well.

* * *

 **Preview of Chapter 80- Glory Days**

Ellie swallowed hard then sighed as she sat in the sand then closed her eyes listening to the waves crash around her.

" _I am truly impressed by the way"_

Ellie looked over at the astral form next to her, "I'll take that as a compliment"

 _Strange nodded, "It is and I don't give many of them. Your skillset is what took me months to do."_

"But let me guess, it's still not enough," Ellie stated.


	80. Glory Days

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2:** ** _So I have been sick. For nearly three weeks now, haven't been thinking straight. Coughing so hard I couldn't sleep and when I finally could sleep, I couldn't stay awake. So I haven't wrote as much as I wanted to. I was hoping last week to post a chapter, that didn't happen. I am in between classes right now so I hope next week I can write more. So I hope you enjoy this chapter._**

 **Thank you to the new followers: somebodywhocares, polaculenswan2627, Wispynauticalphoenix, and Half Winged Angel in Despair. Also 200 reviews! Thank you guys so much!**

* * *

Glory days  
well they'll pass you by  
Glory days  
in the wink of a young girl's eye  
Glory days, glory days

~ Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen

* * *

 ***~*~* April 12, 2018 – West Virginia*~*~***

After a relaxing day in Richmond, Virginia at the Richmond Zoo, they had driven to West Virginia to Blackwater Falls State Park. Ellie pulled the car up to the cabin that was assigned to them and parked it.

"This cabin is cute," Bucky said looking around as he opened the door to a wall of heat, "Holy shit, are we back in Wakanda?"

Ellie laughed, "It's not that warm," Ellie said as she got out of the car, "But it is much warmer than yesterday. Why couldn't Nags Head have been this warm?"

Bucky opened the backdoor, "Might have helped the water be warmer," He told her as he pulled Grant's car carrier out of the car and Grant woke up.

Grant screamed then threw his arms around.

"Whoa, whoa Grant buddy. It's just Daddy," Bucky told him as Ellie walked over.

Ellie frowned as Grant started crying, "What's wrong, Grant?"

"Here take him and I'll go unlock the cabin. He might just be tired still," Bucky said as he handed the carrier over and kissed Grant's head.

He quickly opened the trunk and took the Porta-crib out then went to open the front door.

Ellie followed Bucky inside and looked around as she rocked Grant, "This is a nice little cabin. Reminds me of our cabin."

Bucky kissed the side of her head then started opening up the Porta-crib to set it up, "A bit smaller."

"It has a larger upstairs than we do from what I saw online," Ellie told him as she took Grant out of his carrier, "What's wrong, little man?"

Bucky kissed her again, "I'll go get our bags"

Ellie walked over to the couch and sat down on it, then pulled her shirt up, "Are you hungry?"

Grant whimpered but latched on so she sat back watching him feed.

"It's okay Grant honey, Momma is here and Daddy is here and we will keep you safe. I worry what is going on in that little head of yours sometimes. How much you understand. I cannot wait until you can talk," Ellie said as she ran a finger over his cheek as he sucked away.

Bucky walked back in and set their bags down, shutting the door behind him. He glanced over at them on the couch, "He happy now?"

"A little, but he is whimpering every once in a while. I hope he isn't coming down with something," Ellie said as she looked at him, "Set everything down and sit down with us. I'll figure out dinner in a bit."

"Is there food?" Bucky asked walking over to the kitchen and opening the cabinets, "There is boxed stuff."

"The lady when I called to confirm yesterday said that she was getting some food for the refrigerator," Ellie told him as he opened the refrigerator.

"Eggs, bacon, ground turkey, that was nice of her," Bucky said as he shut the door and came over to sit down next to her.

Ellie moved over to lie her head on his shoulder, "I think he is coming down with something Buck."

"Let's hope not," Bucky said as he put his arm around her.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 13, 2018 – Wakanda*~*~***

Steve looked at his phone and frowned.

"What is wrong?" Natasha said looking over at him as she mixed bottles for Sarah.

"Ellie didn't call me yesterday," Steve told her, "She said she would call me every night."

Natasha laughed, "She is an adult Steve. She and Bucky… not only is this their second honeymoon but… it's a goodbye trip."

Steve sat back and watched the TV "Is it selfish of me to want to spend time with him too though?"

Natasha looked at him, "Steve."

"No… it's stupid," Steve said with a sigh as she came to sit next to him, "I don't want to seem like a whiny brat but… sometimes… they forget about me you know? I know they have their family and they want to spend time together… before it is too late. But I… they are my family too."

"Speak to them," Natasha told him, "You need to talk to them before it's too late."

"No, no… Ellie… Ellie deserves happiness. They said they will come back before the end of the month. Hopefully, nothing happens before then," Steve told her.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 13, 2018 – West Virginia*~*~***

Bucky was woken up to a sneeze in his face.

"Shit, sorry Buck. When I set him on the bed, I didn't think he'd sneeze in your face," Ellie said as she picked Grant up and he started to fuss again, "I don't think our hiking plans are going to happen."

Bucky sat up and lay back against the headboard, "So he is sick?"

"At the very least a cold, but you go out Buck," Ellie said rocking Grant, "Go scout out where we should take Grant tomorrow."

Bucky ran his fingers through his hair, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, probably better if we know what paths would be easiest to use," Ellie said as she looked down at Grant, "I hope this is just he getting another tooth. Although I don't know if my breasts could take two teeth. I hope they are at least together."

Bucky got out of bed and looked down at Grant, "His gums are red again like they were last time. So hopefully it's just that."

Ellie looked up at him, "Go and enjoy yourself, but shower first… you stink and if you want a chance to see any wildlife… you don't want to scare them off with your stink."

"I don't stink," Bucky said as he lifted his arm and sniffed, "Okay never mind, I'll take a shower."

Ellie laughed, "Go I'll make breakfast before you leave."

* * *

 ***~*~* April 13, 2018 – Wakanda*~*~***

Natasha walked into the living area of their apartment to see Steve sketching on canvas and smiled, "You are doing art."

Steve looked up at her, "Yeah, Ellie got these for me for Christmas. They've sat in the closet so I figured, why not get them out."

Natasha curled her feet under her after sitting on the couch, "What are you painting?"

Steve looked at her, "I was going to paint our living room growing up, but I ran into one problem."

"What is that?" Natasha asked.

"I don't know what the colors were," Steve told her sadly as he looked at the sketch on the canvas, "I couldn't see colors back then so everything was grays, tans and just… drab"

"Paint it as you saw it," Natasha suggested.

Steve looked at her with a smirk, "How about I paint something more… interesting?"

"Oooh, Steven Rogers do you do risqué artwork that I don't know about?" Natasha teased.

"Well we did have to do nudes in art class, but that's not what I was meaning," Steve said as he walked over to her, "There is something that I've been wanting to try but… haven't yet."

"What is that?" Natasha asked interested.

Steve took the paintbrush from the jar of paint and smeared it on her cheek, "Pop art."

"And what exactly does this… pop art entail?" Natasha asked.

"Me… painting you… as if you were my canvas," Steve told her as he kissed her.

"Mmm… the bedroom now," Natasha told him.

"Hell yes," Steve said grabbing all his paints.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 13, 2018 – West Virginia*~*~***

Walking through the brush and trees, Bucky followed a few other people as they came to a clearing. The people he had been following went to the left but Bucky noticed a small pathway to the right, so he took it.

The path took him out on to rocks that looked out onto the mountains and valley all around him. With a smile, he sat down to take in the sights.

"Beautiful isn't it?"

Bucky looked back and had to double-take, "My goodness… you look so much like your mother when she was younger I couldn't believe it."

She smiled as she sat down next to him, "Hi Dad."

"Am I talking to Kasie?" Bucky asked.

"Yes, I'm the only one that can travel," Kasie told him.

Bucky stared at her for a moment, "How old are you?"

"16 years old, Mom would kill me if she knew I came here but… in your future, my past. You and Mom brought us here. But, it was in the Fall," Kasie explained as she looked at the scenery in front of her, "So I was looking through pictures and I thought I would come to visit you… before it happens."

Bucky sighed, "How long do I have?"

Kasie sighed as she looked at him sadly, "15 days."

"Shit," Bucky said as he groaned then looked at her, "How much do I miss?"

"You can't tell this to anyone Dad… even Mom," Kasie told him as she bit her lip, "2023."

"Fuck," Bucky said as tears came to his eyes, "I missed so much of your lives."

"But you are here now Dad. It wasn't your fault. Without you, so many more people would have died that day but they didn't. People came back with Mom and Uncle Steve and all the Avengers help," Kasie told him looking over at him as she turned her body towards him, "But I do need you to do something."

"What?" Bucky asked.

"Call Uncle Steve," Kasie told him sadly, "He… he held it in for most of the time you were gone but… he missed you."

Bucky frowned, "Steve? We talk to him every night."

"Tonight try video calling him. Uncle Steve used to talk about you and Mom going into your little happy bubble and how no one else existed when you were in it. You two don't even realize you do it. Now that we are older, I've seen it myself. It's kind of sickening," Kasie told him, "I better get back home. I am supposed to be babysitting tonight, and I need the money to buy my new tablet."

Bucky laughed, "And you don't have one?"

"Of course I have one, a Stark Tech one, but… Aunt Shuri makes the best ones," Kasie told him, "But Mom told me that I had to pay her for it."

"I agree, you shouldn't just ask her for one," Bucky told her.

Kasie frowned, "God you sound like Mom."

"Because your Mom is very smart," Bucky told her with a smile.

Kasie rolled her eyes then gave him a small smile, "You need to get back to Mom and I need to get back to… my version of Mom. Give her a hug for me?"

"I will honey," Bucky said as he pulled her into a hug.

"I love you, Daddy," Kasie whispered.

"I love you too, now go before Mom gets suspicious," Bucky told her as he let her go.

"Mom being suspicious? Never," Kasie said as she stood up with a smile, "God I wish I could see Mom and Grant. Grant being tiny."

Bucky looked at her, "How tall is your brother?"

"Well last I knew he was six foot three inches tall but I think he has grown because Mom tells him she needs him to go get new jeans and he hates shopping with Mom," Kasie told him with a laugh, "Anyways love you, Daddy."

"Love you too," Bucky said as she disappeared.

 ***~*~* April 13, 2018 – Wakanda*~*~***

Wanda stood in the kitchen of the common area just short of midnight and started making herself a cup of tea.

A noise behind her made her quickly turn to see a figure standing behind her in the darkness. It stepped forward so she could see them in the limited light.

She grabbed her chest, "Vis, you scared me. What are you doing here?"

Before her eyes, he turned to his human form that he had been working on perfecting.

Wanda walked over to him, "You look wonderful"

He pulled her into his arms, "Come with me"

"Where?" She asked staring up at him.

"Edinburgh, Scotland," Vision told her as he pushed a piece of hair behind her ear, "I have reserved a place for us, one of those… AirBNBs, for the next two weeks."

Wanda smiled, "Let me get my bag."

 ***~*~* April 14, 2018 – West Virginia*~*~***

"Be careful not to track too much mud in," Ellie told Bucky as she took her shoes off at the door to the cabin.

"What do you want for lunch?" Bucky asked.

"Just sandwiches would be fine with me," Ellie said rubbing her stomach, "I don't think my stomach could take much else"

Bucky glanced at her, "Go lay down, I'll make something."

"No, I think I am going to use the bathroom," Ellie said as she took Grant out of the carrier and set him on the carpet.

"Let me know if you need me," Bucky told her.

Ellie looked back at him as she walked into the bathroom, "Why are you going to help me wipe? I'm not that old."

Bucky went to putting sandwiches together and finding chips. When he heard Ellie swear in the bathroom.

Bucky walked over to the bathroom, "What's wrong?"

Ellie opened the door, "I need to go to the store."

"We can after dinner," Bucky told her.

"No, I need to go now so I can purchase some things. Shit… Pads have to have changed since 1987," Ellie told him as she shut the door.

"Oooh, do you want me to go?" Bucky asked, "I will go get the stuff for you."

Ellie came out of the bathroom, "No, I can go."

Bucky took her arms in his hands, "No, you stay here; I'll go get some… supplies. Can't be too hard," He told her as he pushed a piece of hair behind her ear, "I used to go to the pharmacy to get them for you before."

Ellie smiled at him, "You are too good for me."

Bucky kissed her forehead, "No, it's just what a husband should do for his wife. I'll call you if I need help," Bucky said as he grabbed the car keys.

"Are you sure?" Ellie asked.

Bucky looked back at her as he went to go out the door, "I've been driving with you, is my driving that bad?"

"No, but do you know where to go?" Ellie asked.

"There was a market as we were driving in," Bucky said as he shut the door.

Ellie looked over at Grant, who had curled up on the floor with his little butt in the air, "Okay Grant, I won't argue. Let's go lay down in the bedroom until Daddy gets back."

Ellie picked Grant up who protested then grabbed onto her shirt, "I know, little man."

She walked into the bedroom and laid him down into his Porta Crib.

Opening up their suitcase, she found an outfit to change into. After quickly changing, she climbed into bed turning on the TV.

* * *

Bucky walked back into the cabin with a bag in his hand, "El?"

"In the bedroom," He heard her mumble.

Bucky walked back to the bedroom to see her cocooned up in the covers and smiled, "Warm enough?"

"Getting there. After I got my feet wet, I just couldn't warm up" Ellie said as Bucky sat next to her on the bed.

"So I found the basic pads now. There was this little older lady and she was calling me a young man… she was probably in her late 60s and was raving about how young men should be more like me," Bucky told her, "I didn't have the heart to tell her I was nearly 40 years older than her."

Ellie snorted as she took the package, "Thank you," Ellie said as she untangled herself from the sheets, "Thank goodness there isn't a belt anymore. I hated that thing."

Bucky waited for her to come back out of the bathroom then stood up, "I think I am going to shower. I did get a little sweaty on that hike."

Ellie curled back up in bed, "I'll be here."

"Open up the bag, there is a surprise," Bucky told her as he pulled an outfit out of their suitcase.

Ellie looked into the bag, "Reese Cups… god, I love you," She said as she unwrapped the first Reece cup and put it into her mouth and moaned.

"I'll be showering now," Bucky said as he went into the bathroom, "A very cold one," Bucky said as Ellie moaned again after stuffing another into her mouth.

* * *

Bucky walked out of the bathroom toweling his hair off to see Ellie sitting up against the bed watching a movie on the TV, "Find something good?"

She looked at him with sparkling blue eyes.

"Hey baby," Bucky said as he got in bed next to her.

Ellie curled into his side, "Hi," She breathed out.

Bucky frowned, "Are you okay?"

"As I can be," Ellie said sadly, "We don't have long left Buck."

Bucky sighed, "When are you coming from?"

"May 25th, 2023," Ellie told him sadly, "I'm in Hawaii… we were going to have our wedding here. I had to push it back by the way. So you have another year to get ready. So you better make the wait worth it."

Bucky thought about Kasie and her sister, "Well… another year, Grant will be old enough to be my best man, I'll have to bump Steve down a notch."

Ellie laughed then sighed, "He is five and a half Buck. He… he comes up to my chest. Where he is getting his height from is beyond me. I guess that is what happens when you eat well from the time you are an infant and don't have to scrimp and save to get by. At least we were able to provide better than our parents were."

Bucky kissed the top of her head, "Our parents did their best and you are doing your best, which is all we could ask for."

Ellie looked up at him, "I'm only where I am because of you Buck."

Bucky pulled her close again, "Everything will work out Angel, believe me… trust me. Don't lose faith. I'll be back with you soon."

"It's hard not to lose faith," Ellie mumbled into his chest.

"I'll be back before our next anniversary and we will have that grand Hawaiian wedding you were planning," Bucky told her, "That way I can say I've been out west."

Ellie chuckled, "You've been here with us, this entire time Buck. I don't do it in front of Steve that is, but I swear that I feel you. I tend to talk to you and I know that Grant does. He talks to your picture. It is like you are here we just can't see you. No, before you say it, not a ghost. Not a haunting feeling," Ellie said interrupting him, "I don't know how to explain it. I've felt it stronger since the accident. It's almost like I was close to the other side so I feel… the other side stronger I guess."

Bucky bit his lip, "Do you think it's a new power?"

"No, yes… I don't know Buck but… I've tried to figure it out. You know, going to cemeteries thinking I'd feel spirits there… all I feel is you," Ellie told him, "Maybe it's just… mental, and I'm hoping I feel you and I don't actually."

"Well if I was stuck on this world as a ghost or spirit or whatever it might be, there would be nowhere else I would rather be," Bucky said as he kissed her.

"But I don't want you to choose to be here Buck, I am hoping it's just my mind playing tricks on me," Ellie told him, "I've never found evidence that it is you and I hope I don't. I want you here with me physically."

"And I will be," Bucky told her as he tried not to cry resting his chin on top of her head, "I will be."

* * *

 ***~*~* April 16, 2018 – Maryland*~*~***

Ellie stood at the ocean edge thinking about the sermon they heard yesterday at the church they attended.

 _Ellie smiled at Grant, who was awake and playing with Bucky's hands._

" _I'm going to go take him to check his diaper. I think he left us the wrong kind of gift," Bucky said as he quickly kissed her then got up._

 _Ellie settled back into the pew listening to the Priest's words._

 _The priest stopped and looked out at the congregation, "Here a saying of Saint Paul can help us: "One believes with the heart" (Rom 10:10). In the Bible, the heart is the core of the human person, where all his or her different dimensions intersect: body and spirit, interiority and openness to the world and others, intellect, will, and affectivity. If the heart is capable of holding all these dimensions together, it is because it is where we become open to truth and love, where we let them touch us and deeply transform us. Faith transforms the whole person precisely to the extent that he or she becomes open to love. Through this blending of faith and love, we come to see the kind of knowledge in which faith entails its power to convince and its ability to illumine our steps. Faith knows because it is tied to love because love itself brings enlightenment. Faith's understanding is born when we receive the immense love of God which transforms us inwardly and enables us to see reality with new eyes."_

Ellie swallowed hard then sighed as she sat in the sand then closed her eyes listening to the waves crash around her.

" _I am truly impressed by the way"_

Ellie looked over at the astral form next to her, "I'll take that as a compliment"

 _Strange nodded, "It is and I don't give many of them. Your skillset is what took me months to do."_

"But let me guess, it's still not enough," Ellie stated.

" _No, but we are always learning. You know what you will need to know. That is what matters. I didn't," Strange said as he shook his head, "I didn't mean to train you as a supreme sorcerer like me. Just a master of the mystic arts and you are there. When you need to use them, you will be able to."_

Ellie glanced over at him, "But you will be there to train me after the threat right?"

 _Strange looked at her, "My future… is spotty after this month. Some futures, I survive. Some, I don't. It is ever-changing."_

Ellie sighed, "The world will end after this month… won't it?"

" _As we know it, yes," Strange told her._

Ellie walked back into their hotel room and took her shoes off. Bucky sat up in the bed, "Hey," She said.

"Where were you?" Bucky asked sitting up.

"Just went down to the beach to think," Ellie told him as she took off her hoodie to leave herself in the t-shirt she had underneath.

Bucky pulled Grant out of the Porta-crib and sat back on the bed, "Did it help?"

Ellie climbed back into bed next to him, "Did what help?"

"The quiet peaceful time to yourself?" Bucky asked as he held Grant up and Grant planted his feet into the bed.

"It did," Ellie said as Grant started bopping his knees as if he was jumping and she laughed, "Are you trying to jump little man?"

"Now Bud, this is the only time we will let you jump on the bed. Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy," Bucky said with a smile as he gazed at his son.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 17, 2018 – Maryland*~*~***

"Why is it that whenever we go to the beach, it turns cold?" Ellie shivered as she put her hoodie back on.

Bucky laughed, "Sure seems that way doesn't it."

"Yeah," Ellie said as she turned the TV on, "Let's see if we can get lucky and a good movie is on."

Bucky walked over to the kitchenette, "What do you want for lunch?"

"Macaroni and Cheese sounds amazing," Ellie told him as she pulled her feet under her to keep them warm then looked down on the blanket where Grant was playing with his toys, "Wait where is-"

"Bud, you just about pulled my pants down!" Bucky exclaimed with a laugh as Grant laughed when he picked him up, "Well babe, I think we officially have a crawler"

"With how fast he got over there, I would say so," Ellie said as she got on the floor and Bucky set Grant down, "Come to Mommy, Grant"

Grant crawled faster than Ellie thought should be possible to her and she put him in her lap.

"Shit, we have to watch everything now," Ellie told him.

Bucky nodded, "What did Pepper say about the baby proofer people?"

"Shit," Ellie said with a sigh, "Probably should take her up on that offer. I don't know the first thing about it"

Bucky threw her cell phone to her and she caught it. Bringing up Pepper's phone number, she put the phone to her ear as she set Grant down for him to crawl over to Bucky who was preheating water.

"Hello?"

"Hi Pepper, this is Ellie Barnes," Ellie told her watching Grant.

"Hi Ellie, how are you?" Pepper asked.

"Good. How are you and Tony?" Ellie asked.

"Full swing in wedding preparations honestly I feel like I will lose it before the wedding happens," Pepper told her.

"If you need help let me know. Bucky and I are going to have our big renewal ceremony on our 80th anniversary so if you want help, I'll be glad to assist you," Ellie told her, "I need to start looking into stuff."

"Wow, 80th? That sounds so weird" Pepper said with a laugh.

"Exactly, doesn't help that we were asleep through most of it," Ellie joked, "Anyways the reason I am calling. We have a crawler."

"Grant started to crawl?" Pepper asked surprised.

"Well he was scooting for a few weeks now but now he is crawling so fast we didn't realize he was doing it," Ellie told her watching Grant chase Bucky around, "Not that we are going to be ready to move into the house anytime soon but-"

"Oh! The baby proofers!" Pepper said, "Hold on."

Ellie watched as Bucky held Grant up so he was standing on the floor and smiled as Grant bounced his legs again, 'I hope you remember some of this Grant, even if it's a fleeting memory. Your Daddy loves you so much,' Ellie thought.

"I'm back, I found the number of the service and I will set up an appointment. Do you want me to tell them to do the whole house?" Pepper asked.

"Just stick with the master bedroom floor and the basement and kitchen floors. The top floor isn't… isn't necessary right now. He won't be up there much" Ellie told her, "I am not sure how much is even done on the house right now. The contractor said it probably wouldn't be finished until July."

"I am heading that way later this week. I'll look into it and see what they can do. The best floral company in the area is up near there," Pepper told her, "I have another call so I have to let you go but I will let you know what they say."

"Thank you, Pepper," Ellie said as she hung up.

Bucky came over and sat next to her with Grant on his lap, "So she knows who can do it?"

"Yep, she is. She is planning the wedding and she has to go up near our house so she said she would call them and set up a time," Ellie told him as she grabbed the remote and started flipping through the channels, "How much longer until it's done?"

"About three minutes," Bucky told her, "Wait! Go back."

"What?" Ellie asked as she went back one channel, "Holy crap."

"So not only does Steve have another superhero that is a doppelganger but an actor too," Bucky stated, "Who is that?"

Ellie hit the info button on the remote, "The movie is called Gifted. Frank Adler (Chris Evans) is a single man raising a child prodigy - his spirited young niece Mary (McKenna Grace) - in a coastal town in Florida. Frank's plans for a normal school life for Mary are foiled when the 7-year-old's mathematical abilities come to the attention of Frank's formidable mother, Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan), whose plans for her granddaughter threaten to separate Frank and Mary."

"So his name is Chris Evans… why does that name sound so familiar?" Bucky asked.

Ellie shrugged, "I don't think we've watched anything with him in it before have we?"

"No, I know what it is. You mention him in the future. The life story of me and Steve… he plays Steve," Bucky told her.

"Well, I can see why there is an eerie similarity to him and Steve," Ellie told him as Bucky got up to check on their pasta and set Grant on the floor.

Ellie got up off the couch, "Here sweetheart, let's get some of your toys out."

She pulled out his piano gym and set it up. Grant quickly crawled over to it and started batting at the things that were hanging from it.

She sat back down as Bucky brought her a bowl of macaroni and cheese, "Thank you."

Bucky sat back eating as he watched the screen, "The guy even has a beard as Steve does now. It's just… weird."

Ellie pulled out her phone and sent a message to Natasha, "Hopefully they aren't asleep yet."

* * *

 ***~*~* April 17, 2018 – Wakanda*~*~***

Natasha yawned and reached for her phone as it went off.

Steve rolled onto his back as she reached for her phone, "Who is it?"

"Like I know, I haven't seen it yet," Natasha said as she looked at it, "its Ellie."

"Ellie?" Steve asked confused.

"Look up Chris Evans, you will thank me for it," Natasha read.

"Who is Chris Evans?" Steve asked as she typed something on her phone.

Natasha grinned looking at him, "The man of my dreams."

Steve frowned, "What?"

Natasha showed him, "This is Chris Evans."

"Shit," Steve said as he took her phone, "Wow."

"It is kind of bizarre how we all have someone in this world that looks like us," Natasha told him.

"As Bucky says 'It's a Small World After All,' Steve said pulling her close.

"Of course he would, him and his Disney obsession," Natasha said throwing her phone to the floor and snuggling into his side.

"It all started with Snow White all those years ago," Steve said kissing the top of her head.

"Someday my prince will come… is that you?" Natasha asked looking up at him.

"Nah, did you know that Bucky is now considered a Prince? By marriage, Ellie is a Princess of Wakanda," Steve told her.

"Shit" Natasha mumbled with a grin in his chest, "I should have stayed hooked up with Bucky."

"What! I'll show you," Steve said as he flipped her on her back and she laughed.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 19, 2018 – Pennsylvania*~*~***

After a day traveling from Maryland, through Delaware and stopping at the Brandywine Zoo, they had decided to skip New Jersey at Bucky's insistence, "Why would we go into that horrible state on purpose?"

They decided to stop in Philadelphia to see the Liberty Bell, and Ellie also had planned a surprise for Bucky.

"Where are we going?" Bucky asked as she signaled to get off at an exit barely a mile after they had gotten on the highway from the Liberty Bell.

Ellie smiled at him, "You will see," She told him as she looked over her shoulder and merged into the lane that she needed to be in.

"International airport? Are we flying somewhere?" Bucky asked.

"Nope," Ellie said as they drove a little further.

"Wait… sports complex? Are we going to a sports complex?" Bucky asked.

"I don't know are we?" Ellie asked with a grin as she made a right-hand turn as the directions had said.

They started driving past ball fields with little league games going on.

"You are taking me to a baseball game? How did you even know that these kids were playing?" Bucky asked.

"We aren't going to their baseball game," Ellie told him shaking her head.

Bucky looked at a sign as they crossed an intersection, "Walt Whitman Bridge?"

"We are going bungee jumping Bucky off the Walt Whitman Bridge," Ellie told him sarcastically.

"Seriously?" Bucky asked surprised.

"No," Ellie said laughing as she turned the opposite direction, "You think I'd do that?"

"Never know," Bucky said as Ellie slowed down and got into a lineup of cars, "Wait… is that a baseball stadium?"

Ellie looked over at him, "It's not the Dodgers, but its Phillies versus Pittsburgh… what do you think?"

Bucky grinned, "I love you. God Steve will be so jealous."

"Oh, I have that handled too," Ellie told him as she pulled into the parking lot and paid the attendant.

Bucky stood at the top of the stands taking in the field below him.

"Looks a little diff-" Ellie said as he kissed her, "Mmm so you like this?"

"God El, this is amazing," Bucky said as they found their seats.

"I made sure that there was no one around us when I asked for these seats. I told the lady I didn't want to worry about Grant bothering anyone but the truth is," Ellie said as she called Steve on her Kimoyo Beads.

"Hey sis, what's up?" Steve asked.

"I have a surprise," Ellie told him as she took the Kimoyo bead and set it on the seat then moved her hand up.

"Whoa, you guys are at a baseball game?!" Steve asked his image projected onto the seat.

"Steve man, things have changed so much since our last game. Look they have backs to the seats now! All over the stadium! Not just the expensive seats," Bucky said excitedly.

* * *

Ellie walked down the steps and came to their row to hear Bucky and Steve chatting about something that had happened while she was taking Grant to change him.

"Can you believe they missed that?!" Bucky asked as Ellie sat down.

"I bought you some hot dogs," Ellie told him holding them out to him.

"Thanks, want one…" Bucky trailed off as he laughed and Steve laughed back in Wakanda, "Shit Steve, it's like you are right here."

"It's like I am not even here again," Ellie said.

Steve snorted, "Please, it was always like I wasn't there when you two are together. Still is"

Ellie looked over at him, "That's not true."

"Yes, it is," Steve told her as he shrugged, "That's okay."

"Steve, when all this is over. We will go as a family to a lot of stuff," Ellie told him as the wind blew again, "Shit, it's cold. We should have bought heavier jackets."

Steve grinned at them as he saw Bucky pull his coat closer as well, "Oh, it's cold? It's a balmy 75* here."

"You suck," Bucky said as Steve laughed, "I'd push you over if I was there."

"But you…ah!" Steve said as he felt out of shot and Natasha's face appeared out of thin air.

"You are welcome," Natasha said with a grin.

"Thank you, Nat," Bucky said as he laughed.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 20, 2018 – Hershey, Pennsylvania*~*~***

Bucky drove past the ZooAmerica, "Look they even have a zoo."

"Whoa, this is a bigger amusement park than I thought it would be," Ellie told him as they pulled onto the road for it.

"What the… shit, it's closed!" Bucky exclaimed seeing the closed off gates.

"It is still early Spring Buck," Ellie told him, "Let's just go back to the zoo. I am sure it's open. Then we can go relax at the hotel. I heard they had a ton of chocolate there. You can never go wrong with chocolate. The museum also has a chocolate tour."

"Yeah," Bucky said disappointed, "I just really wanted to go to the amusement park."

"Next time," Ellie promised, squeezing his hand.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 20, 2018 – Wakanda*~*~***

Natasha looked down at Sarah as she fed her as Steve came into their apartment, "Can you believe she is 8 weeks old?"

"No, wasn't she just born?" Steve asked as he sat down next to them.

"Sure feels that way doesn't it," Natasha said as she checked the bottle then put it back to Sarah's mouth again.

Steve looked pensive and Natasha looked over at him, "What's wrong?" She asked.

"I just wonder where Wanda went," Steve said.

Natasha laughed, "Somewhere with Vision probably. She usually tells me that she needs some time to herself before she disappears though."

Steve sighed, "With everything possibly happening soon... I just wish we knew where she was."

"She is an adult Steve. Nothing about what may be coming is guaranteed. We know what Ellie said we were okay. Bucky has never mentioned anyone else," Natasha said sadly

Steve closed his eyes dejected, "Bucky has never mentioned anyone else has he?"

"No, but that doesn't mean they are gone. Ellie is back living in New York after the disaster. Sam, Wanda... They might go back home or stay in Wakanda. I think Sam is seeing someone here," Natasha told him.

Steve laughed, "I think you are right. He has been coming back late sometimes."

"He had a bite mark on his neck the other day," Natasha told him with a smirk, "Then he wore that tall turtleneck shirt to cover it."

Steve sat back on the couch thinking for a moment, "I wonder who she is."

"Probably one of the girls from the village," Natasha told him as Sarah finished her bottle, "Take her for me. I am going to go make dinner."

Steve took Sarah who stared up at him with wide-eyes, "Um… what are you making?"

Natasha slowly turned around, "Why?"

"No reason, just wondering," Steve said.

"For that, I am making fish," Natasha told him.

Steve groaned, "Nat I wasn't saying that I didn't like whatever you were making, I was just wondering. Right, Sarah?"

"Bringing our daughter into this" Natasha mumbled, "So low Steve."

"Shit, I can't win," Steve said shaking his head.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 20, 2018 – Pennsylvania*~*~***

Bucky pulled the car up to the carport of the Hotel Hershey.

A man walked over to Bucky's door, "Check in sir?"

"Yes sir," Bucky said.

"Feel free to leave your vehicle here to go and check-in. I am Bernard," He introduced.

"Thank you, sir," Bucky said as he got out and opened the backdoor to get Grant out.

A man held out his hand for Ellie as she stepped down from the car, "Thank you, sir."

He handed her two chocolate bars, "We hope that your stay is a sweet one ma'am."

"Thank you," Ellie said as she looked at Bucky impressed.

Bucky took her hand and after locking the car they walked inside.

"Wow," Ellie said looking around, "This reminds me of Disneyland Paris."

Bucky led her to the check-in desk and set Grant's carrier down, "Barnes family checking in."

"Welcome to Hotel Hershey. May I have your first name please?" He asked.

"James," Bucky told him.

"Reservation for two adults, one infant in our King Suite for one night" He stated, "Your room is ready and when you are ready we can take you up to your room. Just sign here."

Bucky took the paper and signed it.

"Here are your keys, feel free to take a cart and load up your luggage. We can park your car or you can, it is your choice," He told them.

"Thank you," Bucky said as he looked at Ellie, "I can go park the car and you can go up to the room with Grant. Then I'll bring the luggage up"

Ellie nodded as she looked down at Grant, "He does need to be changed"

"Ma'am I can take your luggage up for you," A teenager named Mark, according to his badge, said.

Ellie looked at Bucky, who looked at Mark, "Sure, thank you" Bucky said.

Ellie picked up Grant and followed Bucky to the car. Mark came out with a luggage cart and helped Bucky load their luggage into it.

After pushing the cart to the elevator, Ellie rode up with Grant, Mark and the luggage cart when Mark turned to her.

"Ma'am, I have to admit something," Mark said sheepishly.

Ellie looked at him, "Yes?"

"You are Captain America's sister aren't you? Your husband is Bucky Barnes too," Mark told her, "I promise not to tell anyone I just… I think it's so cool."

"Oh, well thank you I guess. I've never really had someone recognize me before," Ellie told him.

"I just have to say, you are beautiful ma'am," Mark told her as the elevator stopped on the correct floor, "Mr. Barnes is a lucky man."

Ellie stepped back and let him push the cart out, "I am a lucky woman as well."

* * *

Braiding her hair after coming back from her spa appointment that Bucky had booked for her, she called Steve as Bucky showered.

"Well good morning, well good evening there," Steve answered.

"Hey Steve," Ellie said with a yawn, "I thought I'd call you before we went to bed."

"Where are you guys at right now?" Steve asked.

"Pennsylvania for the day, we came here to Hershey. It is amazing here," Ellie told him as she lay back on the bed, "I had a chocolate facial, chocolate massage, and this amazing spa shower… I think I might have fallen asleep during it. What have you been up to?"

"Not getting massaged," Steve said.

"Aww, Stevie you sound bitter" Ellie said with a grin, "I'll treat you a massage for your birthday, how about that?"

"Or I can give him a massage anytime," Natasha said, "Hey Ellie."

"Hi Nat, how are you?" Ellie asked as Bucky came back out of the shower.

"Not bad. Just… surviving," Natasha told her as Bucky came up behind Ellie and put his arms around her, "Any word on… well, the future?"

"No, nothing either way. No news is good news right?" Ellie asked as Bucky started kissing her neck.

Bucky grinned against her neck, "Mmm chocolate, your shower missed a spot," Bucky mumbled against her skin causing her to get goosebumps.

"Are you fucking kidding me right now?" Steve asked, "Bucky give my sister a break!"

Ellie laughed as Bucky stared at the phone.

"Damnit Steve, can't you turn your super hearing off for one fucking second?" Bucky asked.

"Not when you are trying to get the hanky panky on with my sister while I am on the phone with her, rude. Just rude," Steve said as Natasha and Ellie laughed.

"What you don't know is, I've made love to her while she is talking to you before," Bucky told him.

"Bucky!" Ellie said shocked, "We have not!"

"Close enough," Bucky said as he kissed her.

"Mmm Steve… I have to go," Ellie said as she pulled back breathless.

"Damnit Bucky," Steve said as Bucky hit the end button.

"Sorry I couldn't help myself," Bucky said pushing her onto her back causing her to giggle.

* * *

a/n3: There is it. Hope you enjoyed it! Now to the reviews:

 **Tucketjnp1:** Thank you for your continued support and reading!

 **Gingin1975:** Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed this one!

 _ **Here is your preview of Chapter 81- Smile:**_

 _"Hello"_

 _Kasie gasped and looked at Ellie wide eyed, "Hi."_

 _"Hi," Ellie said looking at Bucky._

 _"This young girl here isn't a huge fan of Tony and I was trying to convince her that yes despite everything that has gone down. We are friends with he and Pepper," Bucky said looking at Kasie._

 _Ellie looked at her suspiciously, "Yeah we are close to Tony."_


	81. Smile

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: It has been two weeks since I last posted and it is truly shocking how much life has changed since then. I hope and pray that all my readers are in a safe and healthy environment right now. Normalcy is gone for right now and I hope I can be part of your normalcy for at least ten minutes today. Please remember to wash your hands and look out for others and together we will make it through this. As of right now, my school is still open. Colleges in my state have been closed but my master's program is 100% online so I am still in college. I am working less to try to distribute hours between all of my fellow teachers but it is exhausting. Thank you to the medical professionals, the first responders, the retail workers, delivery drivers, and all the other professionals that are pushing through and trying to maintain the normalcy.**

 **Thank you to the new followers: Shar82204, NicaArmstrong, and NightyNight.**

* * *

 _Smile, though your heart is aching_  
 _Smile, even though it's breaking_  
 _When there are clouds in the sky_  
 _You'll get by..._

~ **Smile by Nat King Col**

* * *

 ***~*~* April 21, 2018 – New York, New York*~*~***

Ellie stood under the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty staring up at Lady Liberty, rocking Grant in his carrier, "This is one of the first places your Daddy took me on a date, Grant," Ellie said trying not to cry.

Bucky slid his arm around her waist and kissed the side of her head, "You told me something about here in the future."

Ellie looked at him, "Really?"

Bucky looked around sadly, "They stop using it for a tourist area. Ellis Island becomes a refugee camp for those displaced."

Ellie swallowed hard and looked around at the beauty of it all, "God, so… this could possibly be the last couple of weeks for visitors?"

Bucky nodded.

Ellie looked up at the sky blinking, "Buck, I don't think I am strong enough to do this."

"You are," Bucky said as he pulled her into his arms, "You are the strongest person I know. Not only physically. You just have to believe in yourself and have faith."

Ellie rested her head on his chest with Grant securely between them, "It's just not fair."

Bucky sighed as he buried his face in her hair.

"Remember our first date here?" She said in a small voice.

"That's why I brought the picnic," Bucky told her as she looked up at him, "I thought we could relive it"

Ellie let Bucky lead her to a spot for their picnic and could not hold back the tears, "You remembered."

"Grant, right here… we were broke but we were in love. I told your Momma I was going to marry her someday. I was right," Bucky told him as he kissed Ellie, "Come on, let's eat."

* * *

After a quick tour of the first few floors of Ellis Island, they walked up the stairs and stepped into another room.

Ellie bit her lip as she looked around at the old tile and the benches, "Mom and Dad were here Buck…did I tell you that she met Dad here?"

"Really?" Bucky asked surprised.

"Yeah, Mom was stuck here for a week quarantined because someone on her ship had been sick. Dad's ship came in a week later, and that is when they met. My grandfather liked him because Dad came from Dublin. Even back in 1908, there was starting to be unrest in Ireland. They came here to escape that life," Ellie said sadly as she looked at pictures of people lined up in rows in the registry room.

They continued to walk through the building smiling at the old radiators that used to heat their own homes until Ellie froze at a picture on the wall in a room. Ellie stared at the tired face staring back at her and the younger more youthful one next to it, "Oh my goodness Buck."

"What?" Bucky asked confused.

"That… that's Mom. When she was only 17 when her family came over," Ellie said as she gazed at the photo, "That must… that must be my Grandmother with her. She died before I was even born. Mom and Dad came here in 1908, Grandma only lived here for five years before she died."

"It says Gallagher family from Donegal, Ireland immigrated to the United States in 1908," Bucky read.

"Gallagher… Deirdre Elizabeth Gallagher… that was my grandmother's name," Ellie said remembering, "Grandpa's name was Sean. Mom said that Grandma died first only a few years after they came here. Grandpa died around the time she married Dad."

"What were your Grandparents on your Dad's side named?" Bucky asked.

"Steven, I know that. Dad wanted to name Steve after his Dad. I'm not sure about my Grandmother on that side. Mom never mentioned it," Ellie said as she smiled at the picture then took her phone out to take a picture to send to Steve.

* * *

Ellie was standing at the immigration records computer, looking through the records for members of her family. She found a record stating her father's mother was a Belle.

Smiling she looked around for Bucky, only to frown when she saw him in what appeared to be a heated discussion with a young girl. Hitting the print button, she walked over to them.

* * *

Bucky walked around as Ellie explored the passenger manifest and immigration records, exploring the gift shop and a few other areas.

He looked up and spotted a familiar face, which quickly looked away when they realized that they were caught. Setting down the snow globe he had been looking at he walked over to them. He grabbed the person's arm to pull them into a more private area.

"What are you doing here Kasie?" Bucky demanded.

"Gees Dad, hello to you too," Kasie said rolling her eyes.

"Your mother is just over there. What if she sees you?" Bucky asked glancing in Ellie's direction to see her still looking at the computer.

Kasie looked at him shaking her head, "I haven't even been made yet. How would she know who I was?" Kasie told him as she sighed, "I just wanted to see you two happy. Is that so bad of me?"

Bucky bit his lip, "No," Bucky said as he sighed.

"Shit, look at Grant," Kasie said as Grant looked at her, "Damn Grant, you were cute as a baby. Why are you an ugly thing now?"

"Kasie," Bucky warned.

Kasie rolled her eyes, "Chill out."

"Listen you don't know what you-"

"Hello"

Kasie gasped and looked at Ellie wide-eyed, "Hi," She breathed out.

"Hi," Ellie said looking at Bucky.

"This young girl here isn't a huge fan of Tony and I was trying to convince her that yes despite everything that has gone down. We are friends with he and Pepper," Bucky said looking at Kasie.

Ellie looked at her suspiciously, "Yeah we are close to Tony."

"Oh, sorry my mistake," She told her looking at Grant, "I guess… I guess I'll leave you two… three now."

"Wait," Ellie said as the girl went to turn away, "Why do you look familiar?"

Kasie looked at her then glanced at Bucky, "I guess I have a familiar face. I've never met you before."

Ellie watched as she turned away and disappeared from her sight.

"El, don't," Bucky said as Ellie tried to follow her and he tried to grab her hand only for her to pull from his and turn the corner to see she had disappeared.

Bucky walked over to her, "El."

"She was a time traveler Buck," Ellie told him.

Bucky looked at her, "What?"

"She had the sparkles in her eyes that you said I get, I can't believe you didn't notice it," Ellie told him disappointed, "I was hoping to ask her how she got them. I've been wondering for so long why I have these powers. I was hoping she could answer where she got hers."

"We will never know. If she was able to, she is gone now," Bucky told her as he took her hand, "Come on, let's go home."

* * *

 ***~*~* April 21, 2018 – Irvington, New York** ***~*~***

Ellie pulled into the driveway of their home, "Well there are no workers here," Ellie said, "I wonder what we are walking into."

Bucky unlocked his door and got out. Entering the code on the garage, the door opened up for them to go inside. He stood back so she could drive-in.

As soon as she put it into park, Bucky took Grant out of the car, "Grant, I don't know if you remember anything about this house but this is your home," Bucky told him as he opened the door and the alarm started beeping, "Hold on, hold on."

He entered the code and the alarm stopped. Ellie came up behind him and shivered, "First thing, we need to find the thermostat."

Bucky took her hand, "I remember seeing one in the family room upstairs."

Together they walked up the stairs to the first floor.

Ellie looked down at the floor, "The floor is done. It looks good."

"I like the cherry wood," Bucky said, "Let me go check the family room."

Ellie stood in the foyer and looked around at the newly painted walls.

"El, come here!"

Ellie followed Bucky's voice into the dining room and smiled as she saw the plastic covered chairs and the long wooden table. There were ten chairs at the table, just as she had requested. Enough for her, Bucky, Grant, Steve, Natasha, Sarah and their twins along with hopefully Sam and Wanda. One thing that she hoped would happen eventually.

Walking into the family room, she stared at awe as she saw that it was finished.

"Found the thermostat," Bucky said pointing at the wall with a smile, "What do you think?"

Ellie closed her eyes and imagined standing in this room.

"We will place candles in the chandler, the artificial ones. Two plush armchairs and two couches… all surrounding a square table in the middle," Ellie told him as she opened her eyes, "Both the couches we bought will be in here."

"Are you seeing the future you's memories?" Bucky asked.

"I don't know," Ellie stated with a sigh, "I can just envision it."

Bucky turned and left the family room, opening plastic that was in the doorway to go into the kitchen, "Shit."

Ellie walked into the kitchen, "Crap, it's gutted."

"They haven't finished it," Bucky said sadly.

"Hell Buck, the ceiling is the only thing done," Ellie said looking at the ceiling to see the wood detailing was the only thing done. There was a large hole in the wall above the doorway to the pantry along with holes scattered along the walls.

Bucky put his arm around her, "We will call the contractor tomorrow. Ask if we pay a little more if they can hire some people to get this done faster so you can be here at home."

Ellie turned from him and went walked through the house to the living room. The same wood paneling was finished on the ceiling as well as wood floors down underneath a floor wide drop cloth. The fireplace was half done as well as the arch between the living room and the sitting room.

Ellie opened the sitting-room door, "At least the wood paneling is done for the wine cellar… since that was the priority."

"Angel," Bucky said.

"No, I just… I was hoping…" Ellie said as her voice broke, "Hoping that everything would at least be livable… even if it's only for a day or two… how… however long we have left."

"We have a downstairs kitchen. We can order cheap appliances for that. We can go shopping tomorrow. In fact, Friday do you hear me?" Bucky asked.

"Hello Mr. Barnes," FRIDAY replied.

"FRIDAY, is there a Sears and Roebucks near us?" Bucky asked.

"If you mean the Sears department store, there is one 13 minutes away from here. It is closing in two hours," FRIDAY told him.

Ellie snorted, "Sears and Roebucks, honestly Bucky."

"What?" Bucky asked confused.

"It's just Sears now," Ellie told him with a smile.

"Oh, what about Jc Penneys?" Bucky asked, "Is it just JC's now?"

Ellie grinned as she took Grant, "No, Penneys but they do still call it JC Penneys too."

"Shit, next thing you know Starbucks will just be Bucks," Bucky said.

Ellie just laughed, "Come on, let's go see what we can find at Sears."

* * *

Ellie and Bucky stood in the appliance section of Sears staring at all the gleaming appliances, "Shit Bucky… why does there have to be like 15 of each type?"

Bucky rocked Grant as he fussed, "I don't know. Just pick one."

Ellie covered her eyes and spun around in the middle of the refrigerator aisle with her arm out.

Bucky laughed as she stopped and opened her eyes to be looking at a white refrigerator.

"Shit I don't want it to be white, let's go with stainless steel," Ellie told him.

Bucky smiled, "Sure babe, whatever you want. I like this one. It reminds me of my old arm."

"Really? You had to go there?" Ellie asked.

"Yes," Bucky said with a grin, "I like this one. It's fingerprint-resistant. That will be good when Grant gets older."

Ellie grabbed the tag, "Okay we have… shit one more hour until they close."

"Well let's go find a stove," Bucky said taking her hand, "Before Grant has a meltdown. He is getting tired."

* * *

Ellie looked down at Grant as he settled down into his crib in his room, his finished room in their home.

Bucky put his arms around her and kissed the back of her neck, "Are you sure you don't want to put him in the study?"

"No, no… first real night in our home and I want him in his room. We have the monitor," Ellie told him as she turned it on, "Come on… let's go to sleep in our bed."

Bucky picked her up and she tried not to squeal as she put her arms around his neck.

Ellie moaned as he kissed her, "Bed now."

Bucky carried her to their bed and threw her onto it causing her to nearly bounce off the bed.

Ellie laughed as she held on then ran her hands over the comforter, "At least we have a comforter."

She looked up at him as she laid in their bed. Somehow, he looked even sexier than usual.

"What?" Bucky asked looking at her in her nightdress lying on their bed.

"I just can't believe this is happening Buck. We are spending a real night in our own home, in our own bed that we paid for with our money," Ellie told him, "Although you are wearing too many of the clothes that we paid for."

Bucky grinned, "What? Do you want a striptease?"

Ellie bit her lip, "Ooh, it's like that magic Mike that Natasha had me watch."

"Magic Mike, what was it about?" Bucky asked.

"Strippers, a group of male strippers, I blushed the whole time. Natasha got a laugh out of it," Ellie told him.

"Hey FRIDAY, play me some striptease music," Bucky said.

Ellie laughed as loud music started playing through the speakers, "FRIDAY quieter please, we don't want to wake Grant."

Bucky grabbed the bottom of his shirt and pulled it over his head as he tried to be sexy and hit himself under the chin.

"Oh my god," Ellie giggled as he threw his shirt onto the floor and rubbed it.

"Quit it or I will stop," Bucky said with a pout, "Not like I've done this before."

"It's just taking your clothes off, slower and more… sexily," Ellie said leaning back on the headboard.

"Sexily? A new word there?" Bucky asked as he pulled his undershirt up swaying to the beat.

He threw his shirt to the side and knocked over the new lamp.

Ellie quickly put her hand out and it stopped in midair then it slowly floated to the ground safely shaking her head, "You aren't doing a good job at this Buck."

"I'll show you," Bucky said as he pulled at his lounge pants as he swiveled his hips.

"Turn around," Ellie said with a grin.

Bucky turned around and pulled his lounge pants down revealing his toned rear end and Ellie whistled.

"God I love your ass," Ellie told him.

"Oh really?" Bucky said kicking his pants to the side so that he was completely naked in front of her.

"Come here," Ellie said.

Bucky walked over to her and she traced the curves of his stomach, to his hips and over to his ass.

"Mmmm when I was finally able to touch these for the first time… I was so excited," Ellie said as she kissed his stomach.

"I think you are too dressed my dear," Bucky said as he reached for her nightdress and pulled it over her head and looked at her, "Totally naked under there? Well if I would have known that I would have done this sooner."

Ellie grabbed him and flipped him over onto the bed, "Hi."

Bucky looked up at her through the curtain of her hair, "You are so beautiful."

Ellie moved her mouth to his throat and kissed, running her tongue over his pulse point and smiled as she gave the side of his neck a loud suck.

"Did you just give me a hickey?" Bucky said surprised as she pulled back to see a large red mark that would be covered by his hair.

Ellie grinned, "Whatcha gonna do about it?"

Bucky grabbed her thighs and swept her on her back.

Ellie stared up at him breathless, "You know I could easily counter you."

"I know you can but," Bucky said as he ran his hand up her leg, "You won't."

"Why wouldn…oh," Ellie said as Bucky started kissing the top of her left foot as he cradled it in his right hand. She moaned as he kissed her ankle and looked up at her.

"Seriously? All this time and your ankle is a sweet spot?" Bucky asked.

"Who knew, now keep kissing it," Ellie demanded.

"Yes ma'am," Bucky said as he sucked and nibbled at her skin, moving from her ankle, up her calf, to her knee then moving across her thigh with his tongue.

Ellie gasped with pleasure as he inched closer to her inner thigh, at the crook of her thigh, just close but not close enough to where she wanted him.

"What the hell are you doing?" Ellie asked as she felt pain in her thigh, "Did you just fucking bite me?"

"Maybe?" Bucky stated then felt him drag his tongue down her slit.

"Fuck," Ellie said throwing her head back against the mattress.

First one finger, then two curled inside her, and with a nip with his teeth at her clit, waves of pleasure coursed through her body.

"I think you nearly broke my fingers doll," Bucky drawled as he kissed up her stomach and chest to her lips, "You okay?"

"Fuck… when was the last time we had time do that that?" Ellie asked running her hand through her messy hair.

Bucky smirked, "A long time."

Ellie wrapped her legs around his waist and rolled them over so she was straddling him.

"What are you doing?" Bucky asked as she kissed down his chest.

"Just lay back," Ellie told him.

"Ellie…. What are you doing?" Bucky asked as she moved between his legs.

Ellie gripped his penis by the base, "If you are asking obviously I am not doing it right."

"El, you hate… oh God," Bucky said as her hand started moving over him, "Not that I don't lov…ve this. But you hate this."

"Hate is such a strong word. I just was never good at it," Ellie told him as she wrapped her mouth around him.

"Fuck! El… you… God," Bucky said gripping the bed as she sucked, "Ok enough, enough."

"What?" Ellie asked looking up at him with red swollen lips, "It was that bad?"

"God no baby, that good… you know you don't have to do it," Bucky said pulling her up to him.

Ellie gave him a small smile, "I know but… I wanted to. How else would I see my three favorite freckles," She told him as she reached between them, positioned him and slid down onto him.

"Angel," Bucky gasped as his hands tightened on her hips as she rocked against him.

Ellie leaned down and captured his lips in hers.

"Mmm," She breathed out as he kissed along the side of her jaw.

He thrust up into her and she gasped, "It's okay Buck."

"No," Bucky said as he rubbed her thighs, "What do you need?"

"Buck, you have to be so close," Ellie told him as she rolled her hips, "It's okay."

He reached between them and pressed against her clit with every roll of her hips, "Not without you."

Ellie moaned as tears suddenly started building behind her eyes as the pressure of his fingers got her there and he simultaneously spilled inside her.

She collapsed onto his chest and he tightened his hold on her, pulling her close.

Bucky ran his fingers through her hair, "Are you okay?"

"No," She told him honestly, "But I will survive… I'll keep… I'll keep fighting. It's all I can do."

"We don't know how much time we have left. Let's just make the best of it," Bucky said as he kissed her forehead.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 22, 2018 – Irvington, New York *~*~***

Ellie opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling smiling when she realized that they had really spent the entire night in their home, Grant had slept through the night without issue as well. She felt amazing and happy.

"Hey sleepyhead, about time you woke up," Bucky said from the bathroom door as he put the toothbrush back in his mouth, standing there completely naked.

Ellie bit her lip, "What time is it?"

"Hof on," Bucky said as he went back into the bathroom then came out after spitting and wiping his mouth on the back of his arm, "We need to get towels. It's 8 am. Do you still want to go to the church in town?"

"Yeah, I want to see how it is. I don't want to drive to Brooklyn every Sunday. Maybe just on holidays," Ellie said as Grant started crying on the monitor.

"Go shower," Bucky told her as he grabbed his boxers and slid them on, "I'll get him."

Ellie grabbed her clothes from her suitcase and walked out of the bedroom and into the bathroom. Setting her clothes on the counter, she smiled when she saw Bucky's toiletries sitting on the "his" sink that he had picked for himself. He had even set up her toothbrush in the cub on the other sink. Sliding the door shut, she walked past the bathtub and gazed at it, mentally noting to herself that they had to use that tonight. It was definitely big enough for both of them to sit comfortably. Opening the shower door, she looked inside as the shower had not been finished the last time they were at the house. She smiled as she saw the hand sprayer on the back of the large shower and the shorter showerhead on the front wall.

Taking her clothes off, she folded them and placed them on the floor outside of the shower. Stepping inside she stood in front of the three faucets and turned the top handle. Overhead, the showerhead turned on, drenching her immediately in a shower of cold water.

"Shit!" Ellie yelped turning the handle to the left and smiling when it immediately felt warmer, "At least we have a great hot water tank."

She tried the second faucet handle and the two small heads on the wall to the left and right of the handle turned on in a massaging fashion, "Oooh." Turning the third on, it was similar results but lower for her legs. Adjusting the heads, she grinned closing her eyes as the water washed over her.

"Do you realize you have been in here for 15 minutes?"

Ellie jumped to see Bucky standing at the door with her shower products, "Have I?"

"I am guessing the shower was worth the money?" Bucky asked.

"Mmmhmm," Ellie said as she closed her eyes, "I may never leave."

Bucky stepped inside and set the body wash, soap and shampoo on the shelf, "When you are ready, here is your stuff."

"Thank you babe, I might see you in a few hours," Ellie told him.

Bucky laughed, "The refrigerator and oven should be delivered soon. I'm taking Grant downstairs. Just remember, we have to leave here by 10 to get to church at 10:30."

"Okay," Ellie mumbled.

Bucky smiled shaking his head as he shut the door.

An hour later, Ellie walked out of the bathroom dressed and ready for church, "FRIDAY, where is Bucky?"

"Mrs. Barnes, he is downstairs on the lower floor. Your refrigerator and stove are here. They are installing it now," FRIDAY replied.

"Thank you FRIDAY. Oh and FRIDAY, please call me Ellie," Ellie told the AI.

"Of course Ellie," FRIDAY replied.

Ellie left the bedroom and walked down the stairs to the lower floor.

"Mr. Barnes, this will need a few hours before you use it," A man's voice told him, "But you are all set and ready to go."

"Thank you," Bucky said.

Ellie stood back as the gym room doors opened and two men with a dolly came through.

One of the men noticed her, "Ma'am, we will be out of your hair now. Have a great day."

"Thank you," Ellie told them.

"I'll walk you both out," Bucky told them as he followed them out.

Ellie walked through the gym into the kitchen and looked at the shining new refrigerator against the left wall and the stove next to the sink.

"We got lucky, I didn't even think to measure the countertop to see how big the stove needed to be," Bucky said as he appeared next to her carrying Grant.

"It worked out, fit just right," Ellie told him as she looked at him, "You look handsome today. Oh my goodness, where did you find that outfit for Grant?"

Grant was in a little dress shirt and nice pants with a small little bowtie.

"I thought you put it in the suitcase," Bucky said, "It was with the rest of the clothes in the dresser in his room."

Ellie laughed, "That would be Pepper. All his clothes are still in the suitcase in our room," Ellie told him as she looked at her watch, "It's nearly ten, we better get ready to head out."

"Let me go get my shoes and we can go," Bucky said as he handed Grant to her then gave her a kiss.

Ellie sighed as she looked over their new kitchen, "Grant honey if you could believe it. This was actually bigger than the one in Daddy and my first apartment with Uncle Steve. Only one of us could really be in it at a time it was so small. I can't wait until our kitchen upstairs is finished."

* * *

Ellie and Bucky walked into the church after walking the ten minutes it took to get to it.

"That wasn't that bad of a walk," Bucky said as he pushed Grant's stroller over to the side of the church so they could park the stroller at the end of the pew.

A lady walked over to them as they took a seat, "Hello, I am Cynthia Price. Welcome to our church, are you new to the neighborhood?"

"Hello, yes, we are actually going to be moving in soon. The church… we were going to before is in Brooklyn and a bit of a drive so we thought we would try this one out since it would be closer for us," Ellie told her, "I'm Ellie Barnes and this is my husband, James, and son, Grant."

"Welcome to the Immaculate Conception Church. We are a small church but once you are here with us you are family. What area did you move into if you don't mind me asking?" She asked.

"Over on Fargo," Ellie told her.

"Fargo? Don't tell me that you bought the old Carter place?" Cynthia asked.

Ellie looked at Bucky who shrugged, "I don't know what the prior owners' names were but we are the first house on the street," Ellie explained.

"Oh yes, they were members here. Until she became sick and they moved closer to their son. Steven comes to services here occasionally when he is in town. I will have to introduce you, if you are here with us when he is. We are so glad to have you here with us," Cynthia said as the organist started, "I better head upfront. If either of you needs anything. I am your girl. It was so nice to meet you, Ellie and James."

"You too," Ellie said as she left and Bucky took her hand, "So the Carter family…"

"Carter must be more common of a name than I thought," Bucky said.

Ellie froze as she thought about it, 'Lizzie, James… that is too weird.'

* * *

Ellie and Bucky walked down the sidewalk of Main Street taking in their new town.

"Well, at least there will be a variety of food to try. There was a Mexican restaurant back there and now there is sushi," Bucky said pushing the stroller past another restaurant, "Weekend winedown… that sounds interesting."

"Yeah, you won't find me there at the sushi place. I still hate fish," Ellie told him as they walked down the hill and stopped at the stop sign, "Wait, is that a train station?"

"Well let's go see," Bucky said as they looked then crossed the road once traffic was clear.

Ellie looked at the sign, "It's the train to the city. Every 40 minutes, that will be helpful. Oh and look, 14 stops away is Stark Industries on Park Ave. If I don't want to drive, I can just take the train."

Bucky looked around, "Let's walk down this way and see if we can find our way back."

Walking down the road, Ellie noticed a sign, "Look, Buck, there is a park here."

"Let's check it out," Bucky told her as he grabbed the front of the stroller to help her take the stroller down the steps.

There was a large open area with families running around enjoying the warm day. Walking further down the path, Ellie froze while Bucky continued to walk ahead of her.

He started to say something to her and stopped, looking back when he realized she wasn't next to him, "What's wrong?"

"I know this place," Ellie said looking around, "Where do I know this place?"

"We have never been here before," Bucky told her.

Ellie took in the playground and the benches, "They will have plastic benches in the future. They will get rid of these."

Bucky frowned, "Have you seen this place?"

Ellie nodded, "There have been a few glimpses into the future. Nat and I brought the kids here."

Ellie looked over at the grassy area and could almost see the twin girls playing, "Nat and Steve's twins will play over there as Grant plays on the playground with Sarah," Ellie told him pointing to the grassy area.

Bucky looked over at the area and bit his lip at the sudden wave of emotions, "Come on."

"What?" Ellie asked as he pulled her over to the spot and they sat down.

"When that… moment happens, remember us here. Enjoying this day, "Bucky told her holding her hands.

Ellie couldn't help but let the tears come as she curled herself into his chest.

"I love you, I love our life. I will never be gone, I will be back… I promise," Bucky told her as he kissed the top of her head.

* * *

A/n3: Sadly getting closer and closer to Infinity War. Thank you for reading! Please remember to leave me a line.

Now to the reviews:

 **Gingin1975:** I am feeling better thank you!

 **Somebodywhocares** : thank you for reading a reviewing!

* * *

 **Here is the preview of Chapter 82- Daylight**

 _"Shuri!" Ellie gasped, "What are you doing here?"_

 _"I came to get you guys. Can't exactly autopilot a flyer can I? Can you please put some clothes on Brother?" Shuri asked._

 _Bucky threw his clothes on the bed and slid his boxers on as Ellie put her bra and panties on first, "Shuri, how the hell did you get into here? We set the alarm."_

 _"That shit is what you use to protect your house? That is sad," Shuri said, "I could do so much better. I broke the encryption in less than two minutes."_

 _Ellie slid her shirt on as Bucky put his pants on, "Ok Shuri it's safe, and we just didn't expect anyone out here."_


	82. Chapter 82 - Daylight

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: So looks like Falcon and the Winter Soldier for sure won't be aired until December at the earliest.** **I hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy! Thank you for reading and reviewing. In four weeks, I will have graduated from this program so I will be able to write more! This is the longest chapter ever. Just warning you. I just didn't want to split it with the next chapter at all. Enjoy!**

 **Thank you to the new followers: mlesley23 and Faery66!**

* * *

Here I am staring at your perfection  
In my arms, so beautiful  
The sky is getting bright, the stars are burning out  
Somebody slow it down  
This is way too hard  
'Cause I know, when the sun comes up  
I will leave, this is my last glance  
That will soon be memory

 **~Daylight by Maroon 5**

* * *

 ***~*~* April 23, 2018 – Irvington, NY – 3 AM *~*~***

Ellie laid in bed staring at the ceiling as she listened to Bucky snore next to her. She fluffed her pillow then laid her head back down, but her brain would not turn off.

Sighing, she got out of bed and glanced back at Bucky, who was still asleep on his stomach. She walked out of their bedroom and down the hall. Looking into Grant's room and checking on him, she saw he was still asleep as well. Walking out of the room and down the hall, she looked into the other rooms. Pausing at the door that would soon hold twin girls, she sighed. Swallowing hard, she went across the hall to look into Sarah's room and smiled as it was a beautiful pastel pink.

After staring at it for a few moments, she walked past the laundry room to Steve and Natasha's area of the house where their room was. Originally there were two small guest bedrooms with a shared bath but with knocking one wall down and moving it to create a walk-in closet, there was suddenly a large extra bedroom with walk-in closet space.

Taking the stairs on the far end of the house, she went downstairs and to the library. Some of the workers must have been nice enough to start putting some of the books away. Taking a book off the shelf, she smiled when it was Gone with the Wind. Putting it back, she grabbed another to see Great Expectations. Walking over to the spiral staircase, she sat down on the steps. Flipping through the book, she started reading the book and was about ten pages in when Bucky appeared at the top of the spiral steps.

"What are you doing up?" Bucky asked as he walked down the stairs and sat down next to her.

"I couldn't sleep so I was just wandering around the house, just thinking," Ellie said as she leaned her head on the railing to look at him, "For some reason, it reminded me of the fire escape for a moment," Ellie told him as she closed the book, "I was just having trouble sleeping."

"Do you think a warm bath could help?" Bucky asked, "We haven't tried the tub."

"Mmm, that sounds nice," Ellie said.

Bucky stood up and took her hand, "Come on."

Ellie let Bucky pulled her up and followed him back up the spiral staircase. Opening the door at the top, they entered the study.

Letting him pull her into the bathroom, she leaned against the sink as Bucky turned the faucets on in the bathtub.

After the tub filled up about halfway, Bucky walked over to her and grabbed the bottom of her nightdress. Pulling it up over her head, she leaned forward resting her head against his chest.

Putting his hand into the water to check the temperature as Ellie pulled off her panties.

Bucky shut the water off then pulled her into his arms with a kiss to her forehead, "Go ahead and get in."

Ellie stepped into the tub and eased her body into it then looked up at him, "You are joining me right?"

Bucky smiled, "I thought you'd never ask."

Ellie moved up so that he could slide behind her after he had undressed. She sighed as she rested her head back against him as he wrapped his arms around her.

They didn't talk for the first five minutes, Ellie just relaxed in his arms.

"I'm so tired Buck," Ellie whispered.

"I know you are. Just remember, you can only do what you can do, you can't change what you can't change," Bucky told her.

Ellie sighed, "I just can't turn my brain off to fall asleep."

Bucky kissed the side of her neck, "I think I can help with that."

Ellie yawned, "Sorry… sorry, if you can get me relaxed enough to sleep… go for it. Do your stuff."

* * *

 ***~*~* April 23, 2018 – Irvington, NY- 7 AM *~*~***

Bucky laughed as he walked into their room after making her breakfast and saw that she was still asleep.

Setting the plate on the bedside table, Bucky sat down next to her, "Ellie… Angel… time to wake up."

Ellie groaned as she rolled over putting the pillow over her head, "I don't wanna."

Bucky rubbed her back, "It's almost 8, Grant is going to be waking up soon."

Ellie looked at him from under the pillow, "This is your fault. I had five orgasms last night."

Bucky grinned, "I didn't hear you disagreeing… it was more…Ooooh oh yeah."

Ellie hit him with the pillow making him laugh.

"Hey now, I made you breakfast in bed," Bucky told her as she sat up against the headboard.

Ellie smiled as she took the plate, "Pancakes and strawberries, thank you, babe," Ellie said as she kissed him.

"Eat your food, I am going to go look around a bit then we will get ready to go to White Plains," Bucky told her as he got up, "We need to get some essentials like plates, cups, towels… we used all the towels last night cleaning up the mess we made on the floor."

Ellie looked down at her Elsa plate, "Hey I like my Elsa plate and my Olaf glass."

Bucky just shook his head and kissed her forehead, "Eat."

"Mood killer," Ellie mumbled as she stuffed a piece of waffle into her mouth.

"Didn't say that last night," Bucky told her as he left the room.

"Yeah definitely wasn't a mood killer last night," Ellie said with a grin.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 23, 2018 – Irvington, NY- 9 AM *~*~***

"Hey, Buck?!" Ellie yelled from their bedroom.

"What?!" Bucky yelled back from Grant's room.

"Do you know how warm it is outside?" Ellie asked pulling stuff out of their suitcase.

"No, I haven't been outside either," Bucky told her as he dressed Grant.

"Possibly I could help, it is 61* with a light wind," FRIDAY told them.

"Thank you FRIDAY, sorry I forgot about you for a second," Ellie said as she grabbed a light long-sleeve shirt and slipped it on.

Bucky walked back into the bedroom, "I forgot about FRIDAY, sorry FRIDAY."

"It's okay Sergeant Barnes," FRIDAY replied.

Bucky looked at her, "Are you almost ready?"

"Yeah, I just have to put my shoes on then I'll be all set," Ellie told him as she slid the socks on her feet, "They are downstairs by the front door."

Bucky took her hand, "Come on."

"Where is Grant?" Ellie asked looking on the floor.

"In his crib. Built-in baby jail right now," Bucky told her as they walked into his room, "Oh shit."

"He is standing up," Ellie said in shock looking at Grant standing up holding the crib rails.

"Shit Grant," Bucky said as he walked over to him.

Grant tilted his head and babbled, "Nnnanan babbaa," He screamed bouncing on his legs.

"Is that right?" Bucky asked looking down at him.

Grant scrunched up his face, "Dada!" He yelled holding up his arms, only to fall back on his bottom.

"Fuck," Bucky said as he reached in and picked him up, "I can't deny that."

"Already has Dada wrapped around his little finger," Ellie said with a smile.

"Dada!" Grant yelled with a giggle.

"Yeah Bud, I'm Dada," Bucky said with tears in his eyes as he kissed the top of Grant's head.

Grant snuggled into his chest.

Bucky looked at Ellie, who smiled at him then got on her tiptoes to kiss him.

"Come on, let's go and enjoy our day," Ellie said rubbing his back.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 23, 2018 – Irvington, NY- Noon *~*~***

Ellie pushed Grant's stroller through the third story of the White Plains Mall.

"Dada Dada babawasa," Grant babbled to Bucky, who was carrying Grant on his hip.

"I know, look at this Grant… these shoes are over $100… it's ridiculous. I paid $2 for my first pair of shoes," Bucky told him as he glanced back over at Ellie, "Until I get back, you aren't to ask your momma for stuff this expensive."

Grant looked back at her, "Mama!"

"Yeah, Mama ain't going to buy you stuff that expensive. Just telling you now, I agree," Ellie told him as she saw a Baby Gap, "I'm going to go into Baby Gap. Do you want to head down to Crate and Barrel? Or go with me in here? I just want to buy an outfit or two that is a little more heavyweight than what he has."

"We will go to go Crate and Barrel to see what they have. We need more kitchen stuff," Bucky told her, "Just meet us there.".

Ellie walked into Baby Gap and smiled at all the clothes.

"Hello welcome to Baby Gap, we are having a promotion today, buy one outfit at full price and get the next one for half off," The lady told her, "Is there anything you are looking for specifically?"

"No not specifically, but my son is growing fast. He is in 6 months right now but he is getting close to 9 months. I am just looking for some lightweight, spring-type clothing for him," Ellie told her.

"Come on over here and I'll show you what we have," She told Ellie.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 23, 2018 – Irvington, NY- 1 pm *~*~***

"Welcome to the cheesecake factory, how many today?" The greeter said as they walked in the door.

"Two," Bucky told her.

"Do you want a high chair for your child?" She asked typing something into the computer.

"Yes please," Ellie told her.

"It will be a few minutes," She told them.

Ellie sat down and kissed the top of Grant's head as he babbled away.

Bucky sat next to her, "He has found his voice in the last few days."

"He will be talking our ears off soon," Ellie said as she frowned, "What is today?"

"April 23rd," Bucky told her with a slight smile.

"Well... I said that it would happen at the end of the month... It is the end of the month. I haven't visited lately either. Maybe it changed?" Ellie asked.

Bucky sighed as he put his arm around her, "Let's hope."

* * *

Ellie wiped her mouth then gave Grant some more baby puffs as he reached for her plate again, "Buck... We ate a meal without interruptions."

Bucky smiled as he chewed his food then swallowed, "You are right. It was nice. I think that calls for some dessert."

Ellie laughed, "If you think I was coming to a place called the Cheesecake Factory and was not getting some cheesecake you are delusional."

Their server came over, "Did I hear something about dessert?"

Bucky took the cheesecake menu from the back of the table, "We will be ordering some," He told her as he passed it to Ellie.

"I don't have to look at all honestly," She said as she handed it back to Bucky, "I will have a piece of Reece Cup."

"Classic New York with Strawberries," Bucky told her.

"I will be right back with those," She told them with a smile.

Bucky reached over and took her hand as Ellie looked outside, "What is going on in that head of yours?"

Ellie sighed, "Just time... We are in our little happy bubble and I'm not ready for it to pop."

"Just make it an indestructible bubble. Don't let anyone pop it," Bucky told her as he rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb.

Ellie saw a family of two a few tables from them and tried not to cry as the mother gazed at her children and laughed at something her husband had said. She let out a shaky breath and looked at Grant.

"I am still here El," Bucky told her.

"I know but every day... I wake up... I wonder... Will it be last?" Ellie asked wiping her eyes.

She cleared her throat as she saw the server coming with their cheesecake.

"Here are your slices and your check. Is there anything else I can do for you today?" She asked setting the check upside down.

"No, thank you," Bucky said as she left.

Bucky looked at her, "Angel take a bite. You can't be sad with peanut butter and chocolate."

Ellie laughed as she took a bite and moaned, "Oh God, so good."

Bucky reached over and took a spoonful.

"Hey," Ellie said as she slapped his hand, "Mine."

Bucky put it into his mouth, "Oh that is good," He told her as he took some of his and held it up to her, "Want a bite?"

Ellie bit it off his fork, "So good too. Is it sad I want to get a whole cheesecake and just take it home?"

Bucky licked his lips, "Let's do that going out. The Reece one."

Ellie groaned as her phone went off, "Seriously Steve... Mood killer," Ellie said as she answered it, "Why do you have to be a wet blanket, Steve?"

"El, sorry to bother you but Nat, Sam and I have been called on a mission," Steve told her.

Ellie set her fork down and looked at Bucky, "What kind of mission?"

"Nothing big, they just asked us to come to London for something happening there," Steve told her, "Some undercover dealings but with Wanda gone-"

"Gone? Where did she go?" Ellie asked surprised.

"No clue, she didn't tell us, but with her gone, we have no one to watch Sarah," Steve told her.

Ellie sighed as she pinched her nose, "How soon?"

"Fury wants us there by tomorrow. Shuri is sending a Talon flyer to you, she said just call her and tell her the coordinates. I told her to go to New York so right now it's heading to the compound," Steve told her, "I am sorry to cut your trip short. I just don't have anyone."

"No, no... It's okay Steve. I am Aunt Ellie... That's what I am here for. I'll call you when we are heading out," Ellie told him.

"Love you El," Steve told her.

"Love you too," Ellie said as she hung up and looked at Bucky, "They were called to a mission. He, Nat and Sam, but Wanda isn't back so they need us to come… back home."

Bucky let out a breath, "Well I guess the honeymoon is over. I'll go pay the check," Bucky said as he shoveled the rest of his cheesecake into his mouth then stood up.

"Can you take Grant? I need to use the bathroom," Ellie said as she took another bite of her cheesecake.

"Yes, finish your cheesecake and go to the bathroom. I'll pay then meet you at the car," Bucky told her.

Ellie nodded, "Make sure you leave her a good tip."

Bucky unfastened Grant then pulled him out of the highchair, "Of course."

Ellie quickly finished her cheesecake then got up, grabbing the diaper bag and reached into the bottom and unzipped the compartment. She grabbed a piece of paper and pulled it out then zipped the compartment back up. Taking a pen out of the bag, she wrote on it, 'Hold your loved ones close and enjoy the time you have'

Walking to the bathroom, she used the facilities then went to wash her hands. Walking up to the sink, she saw her reflection in the mirror. Upon seeing her face, how tired she looked, she lost it sobbing at the sink.

She lost track of time when the door to the bathroom opened. Thankful for the dark lighting of the bathroom, she collected herself as the woman who had just come in walked past her to the toilets. Washing her hands, she wet a paper towel then wiped her face.

Staring at her reflection, she shook her head, "We probably only have days left, time to put on our big girl panties."

* * *

 ***~*~* April 23, 2018 – Irvington, NY- 5 pm *~*~***

Ellie stood in their bedroom looking out at their backyard.

"Angel, everything is ready to go as soon as the Talon Flyer gets here," Bucky told her, "Grant is asleep too."

Ellie turned and looked at him, "Thank you, I should have helped you."

"How about we take a bath instead?" Bucky asked.

"No, a shower. I want to use that shower one last time," Ellie told him as she grabbed the monitor and took his hand, "Come on."

Bucky let her lead him to their bathroom and she started taking her clothes off to fold them. She took his clothes and folded them on top of hers.

Stepping into the shower, Bucky got the shower running and let it warm up to the perfect temperature. Neither of them liked cold showers very much.

Bucky reached his hand out and without a word; Ellie took it and let him pull her in with him.

Ellie stepped under the water and let it wash over her. Grabbing the shampoo, Bucky put some in his hands and worked up a lather before massaging it into her hair. Ellie moaned as his fingers worked over her scalp then down the back of her head to start massaging her neck and shoulders.

Bucky took in the sight of her mouth falling open as she relaxed as her eyes fluttered shut. He stopped so that she could step back into the stream of water and he helped her rinse all the soap-free from her tresses.

Grabbing the soap, he started his exploration of her body as he made sure every crack and crevice of her body was cleaned.

Ellie gasped as he ran his hand over her thigh, "Bucky, please."

With gentle strokes, he ran his finger over her clit as her legs shook on the first contact. Wrapping his arm around her, he pulled her closer and slid a finger inside her.

Ellie moaned as she grasped his arm and squeezed. After nearly ten years of being together, he knew just how to play her body. The right tempo and pressure, as he added a second then a third finger leaving her shaking as he kissed her neck and she grabbed onto the back of his neck to keep herself balances as she got closer and closer to her climax.

Breathing in the steam of the shower in heavy gasps as she felt him growing behind her, she fell apart with the aid of his fingers.

Taking a moment to catch her breath, she spun herself around in his arms, threw both arms around his neck and jumped to wrap her legs around him. With a quick positioning, he was home.

"El," He moaned as she sucked on his neck as she moved her hips in the tiniest movements.

He moved her so that her back was against the shower wall and moved the tiny showerheads so they hit their bodies.

"Fuck," Ellie gasped as he thrust into her.

Bucky captured her lips in his as he chased their releases, "God I love you, so much."

She felt the familiar tightness spreading through her as she rested her head against his shoulder. As if a rubber band snapped inside her body, her eyes rolled into the back of her head as her orgasm hit her hard and he spilled inside of her.

"You bit me again," Bucky said as he chuckled, "It was just started to fade."

Ellie smiled at him blissfully, "Just marking you as mine in case anyone forgets."

Bucky ran his thumb over her lip then kissed her, "We better rinse off."

"Mmm… can't we just stay right here forever?" Ellie asked.

Bucky kissed her forehead, "No, our family needs us."

"Fine," Ellie said with a sigh.

Wrapping her new fluffy towel around her, Ellie left the bedroom with Bucky completely naked behind her as he snapped her with his towel.

Ellie giggled as she entered their bedroom.

"You know, I wouldn't leave… oh, God!" Shuri squealed as she turned around.

"Shuri!" Ellie gasped, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to get you guys. Can't exactly autopilot a flyer can I? Can you please put some clothes on Brother?" Shuri asked.

Bucky threw his clothes on the bed and slid his boxers on as Ellie put her bra and panties on first, "Shuri, how the hell did you get into here? We set the alarm."

"That shit is what you use to protect your house? That is sad," Shuri said, "I could do so much better. I broke the encryption in less than two minutes."

Ellie slid her shirt on as Bucky put his pants on, "Ok Shuri it's safe, and we just didn't expect anyone out here."

"From what Sam says, even if there are people around you still are getting freaky everywhere," Shuri said with a grin, "Nice house, by the way, I can't believe you at still staying in Wakanda when you have a place like this."

"The house isn't finished. The kitchen isn't done along with some of the other parts of the house," Ellie told her as she stepped into her pants then buttoned them, "Look don't tell Steve, it's going to be a surprise when it is finished."

"I won't, but this is a nice place. How many bedrooms does it have?" Shuri asked.

"Our bedroom, Grant's, Sarah's, Nat and Steve's along with an extra guest room is on this floor," Ellie told her as she put socks on, "Upstairs there are only two rooms."

"I'll get Grant," Bucky said as he left after putting another shirt on.

Shuri looked at Ellie and started giggling, "My God, I thought I was listening to porno for a bit."

"Oh come on Shuri, not you too," Ellie groaned as she made sure they had everything that they needed.

"Don't worry, I think it's great that two old people can share their love," Shuri said with a grin.

"You are horrible you know that?" Ellie told her as Bucky came back into the bedroom with Grant.

"Hey Bucky, do you need erectile dysfunction medication every morning?" Shuri asked.

"Fuck you Shuri," Bucky said frowning.

Shuri glared at him, "Don't be an asshole, I thought you were the cool brother."

"Children, children, children… are we going to go? At this rate we won't be back before they have to leave," Ellie told them.

* * *

Bucky looked out their back window to see the Dragon Flyer sitting on their back lawn, "Well at least we know that we can park Quinjets or Flyers there with no problem."

"Are these your bags?" Shuri asked.

"Yeah," Ellie told her.

"I'll take them down for you," Shuri told them, "You know, you guys need to think about putting an elevator in this house."

Ellie just shook her head as Shuri took two of their bags out of the room.

Grant babbled something as he yawned as Ellie bit her lip looking around the room.

"You alright?" Bucky asked as he put his arm around her that wasn't holding Grant.

Ellie swallowed hard, "This could be the last time that all three of us are in this room together."

"I am coming back Ellie, the lack of your visits just confirm it to me, " Bucky told her, "You just have to be patient and have faith, I'll be right back here with you."

Ellie nodded, "I'll keep the bed warm for you."

"Now, come on. I'm not dead yet, let's go take care of our niece," Bucky told her as he kissed her forehead.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 24, 2018 – Wakanda- 7 am*~*~***

Ellie and Bucky, holding Grant, followed Shuri off the Dragon Flyer as the sunrise shown all around them in brilliant colors.

"So I talked to Mother and that Flyer is all yours," Shuri told them looking back at them, "I'll give you flying lessons later today or tomorrow, Ellie. I am sure we all need sleep."

"Thanks, Shuri, wow Buck…we have our own mansion, now we have our own plane," Ellie joked as Shuri told a group of men to unload their baggage, "We are moving up in the world."

"Okoye," Shuri said as she saw her once they entered into the palace, "Has Captain Rogers and Miss Romanoff left yet?"

"Yes, about 5 hours ago with Sam," Okoye said walking with them, "Queen Mother has the child," She looked back at Ellie and Bucky, "How was the honeymoon?"

"It was a nice month," Ellie told her as Bucky squeezed her hand.

"If possible he seems bigger," Okoye told them as she opened the door to the Royal Suite, "Queen Mother, I announce-"

"Mother I'm home!" Shuri announced walking in.

"Shuri," Ramonda admonished glancing into the bassinet, "The child is sleeping."

Ellie walked over to the bassinet and looked at Sarah, who was sleeping, "Thank you, Mother, sorry to inconvenience you. We got here as fast as we could."

"No worries, did you two have fun?" Ramonda asked, "How was the second honeymoon?"

"It was amazing Mother," Bucky said sitting with Grant then placing him on the floor, "It was nice to just have time for the three of us."

"Mother, you should see their house," Shuri said as she sat down, "It's like the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air's house."

"I don't know who that is but I doubt our home is that big," Ellie told her.

"You have a home?" Ramonda asked surprised.

Bucky bit his lip, "We bought it back in November."

"Oh, you are always welcome here in Wakanda," Ramonda told them, "Why haven't you been living there?"

"It needed some renovations, plus Mother… our family is here," Ellie told her.

"Dada!" Grant yelled.

Bucky looked over at him as he pulled himself up on the back of a table, "Grant, careful," Bucky said as he ran after him.

"He is talking?" Ramonda asked.

"Babbles but… he knows how to get Bucky to come running by yelling Dada," Ellie told her sadly as she watched Bucky blow raspberries on Grant's belly making him laugh.

"Do you want breakfast?" Ramonda asked them, "I'm not sure the last time you two have eaten anything."

"Well lunch our time, of course, we had cheesecake on the Flyer," Ellie said looking at Bucky with a grin as she yawned, "If you are eating though Mother we will have something."

"Splendid, I will tell the chef," Ramonda said as she got up.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 24, 2018 – Wakanda- 4 pm*~*~***

After feeding Grant, Ellie set him on the floor and picked Sarah up to give her a bottle to her. She heard the door shut and looked back to see Bucky walking in the common room, "How are the goats?"

"Lost the brown and white one two weeks ago," Bucky told her sadly, "Otherwise they are doing fine."

Ellie groaned as she heard a crash in the kitchen, "Check on Grant, I thought I baby-proofed enough."

Bucky walked into the kitchen, "He just pulled some bowls out from the shelf. Are you getting into everything?"

Grant babbled and hit his face as Ellie yawned again.

"Why don't you go take a nap, Angel?" Bucky suggested.

"No, if I sleep now, I won't sleep later," Ellie told him, "How about we go into town?"

"We could do that if you want," Bucky told her.

"We can just use both the baby wraps and take them both in the wraps," Ellie told him as Sarah finished her bottle.

"Sounds fun, when do you want to go?" Bucky asked her.

"Let me use the bathroom and we can go, they are both fed. Just take the diaper bag," Ellie told him as she set Sarah on her belly on the floor.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 24, 2018 – Wakanda- 7 pm*~*~***

Ellie sighed as they sat down eating at a tiny open-air restaurant.

"What's wrong?" Bucky asked putting a piece of BBQed meat in his mouth.

"I don't know, I just… I feel this… unexplainable feeling," Ellie told him shaking her head unable to place the dread that she was feeling, "I can't even explain it. Just that something is wrong."

"What do you think it is?" Bucky asked.

"I don't know," Ellie said, "I just feel… this intense sadness, I don't know how to explain it."

She shook her head, "Just eat."

After they had finished eating, they continued their walk through the village, stopping at various vendors.

"Look at this Buck, isn't it beautiful?" Ellie asked holding up a handmade vase.

"It is," Bucky said as Ellie gasped grabbing her chest and he grabbed it as she nearly dropped it, "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," Ellie said as she felt her heart racing, "Something… something major is happening, Buck."

"Let's go back to the palace," Bucky said as he paid for the vase.

Ellie pulled her phone out and sent a message to Steve, 'When you are able, send me a message to know you are okay'.

"Do you think it is Steve?" Bucky asked as Sarah fussed and he rubbed her back so she would settle back down.

"I don't know but it was literally like I felt this cascade of sadness and pain all at one time… then it was gone," Ellie told him as her phone rang, "Steve?"

"Everything is fine. Is Sarah okay?" Steve asked.

"She is fine, she is sleeping. I just… it's stupid. I had this bad feeling," Ellie told him, "I just wanted to check to make sure everything was okay with you guys."

"Just same old spy shit. Natasha is trying to infiltrate this establishment right now, and Sam and I are acting as patrons," Steve told her, "We just packed it in for the night, well I did. Sam stayed; he was enjoying it too much."

Ellie grinned, "Was it at a strip club by some chance?"

"Possibly," Steve told her as she heard something in the background, "I need to go, one of our bugs is picking up on something."

"Be careful Steve," Ellie told him.

"I will. Love you El," Steve told her.

"Love you too Steve," Ellie said as she hung up, "It's not them. I don't know what I was feeling."

* * *

 ***~*~* April 25, 2018 – Wakanda- 1 am*~*~***

Ellie walked into Shuri's lab, and was not surprised at all when she saw that Shuri was still there.

"Ellie? What are you doing here at 1 am? I figured you would be sleeping," Shuri told her.

"No, I can't sleep. I gave up and I came here because I was hoping you'd be here," Ellie told her, "I have a question for you since you are the technology Queen."

"Don't you know it, what do you need?" Shuri asked.

Ellie sighed, "Since earlier today, well… I don't feel it anymore but I felt this… overwhelming fear, sadness, and pain, then it was gone. I don't know how to describe it," Ellie told her shaking her head, "Have you heard of a mass causality incident or anything along those lines? Steve and Nat are okay so it wasn't them."

Shuri frowned, "I haven't heard of anything. Hold on," She said as she spun in her chair and started typing away at her computer, "Nothing is coming up. A battle in the middle east, that is nothing new, other than that… nothing."

"It was so weird," Ellie told her shaking her head, "I just… it was overwhelming for a second."

"You were telling me about the Tesseract and how it was used to get your powers. Steve said it was thought of to be a portal to space. Do you think what you felt was… possibly space-related?" Shuri asked as she looked at her.

Ellie bit her lip, "Shit… I… I didn't even think of that."

"If you feel it again, let me know immediately. Not that we have a ton of space resources but I'll turn our satellites onto monitor everything we can monitor them for. It wouldn't hurt," Shuri told her.

"Will do," Ellie said staring at her computer to see the biggest news was the Queen of England was a Great Grandmother again.

"Did I ever tell you that we did blood tests on you?" Shuri asked.

Ellie looked at her, "What kind?"

"Just a wide range to figure out why you can do what you can do," Shuri told her as she sat on her stool, "There is an alien substance in your blood."

Ellie stared at her, "What do you mean?"

"I compared your blood tests from when you first woke up and after. Your DNA when you first woke up was mutated and there was a small amount of change in your blood with whatever this alien aspect is. After we put the chip in your brain, it was enhanced," Shuri told her sadly, "I guess it's my fault."

Ellie sat in a chair and put her head in her hands, "So am I part alien now?"

"No, I just think that between the Vibranium which came from space and the… Tesseract, is that what they called it?" Shuri asked.

Ellie nodded.

"Between the two, they changed your body and that is why you can do what you can do. We've used Vibranium beads as life-saving tools on people and it has never changed them like you. We didn't understand the Tesseract aspect when we put the Vibranium in your brain," Shuri told her.

Ellie closed her eyes and sighed, then frowned and slumped over.

"Ellie, what…" Shuri said as Ellie opened her eyes and her eyes were glowing, "Well hello sister."

"I don't have much time, and neither do you guys. I can't… I have to warn someone Shuri. They are coming here," Ellie told her.

"Who is?" Shuri asked concerned.

"The Alien who is going to kill half of the planet, the fight will be here," Ellie told her as she looked up at her with tear-filled eyes, "But you all come back in five years, Shuri. Steve and the Avengers figure out a way, the second battle isn't here but everyone that disappears for five years in Wakanda, wakes up here in Wakanda."

"What do I need to do?" Shuri asked.

"Build up the defenses around the city if you can. It saved everyone for a long time," Ellie told her.

"They fail?" Shuri asked shocked.

Ellie looked at her, "No, you opened it because the aliens were going around it. Some of them were getting through, so T'Challa told you to funnel them in."

"Shit," Shuri said as she went to her computer.

"But Shuri," Ellie said as she went over and touched her.

Shuri gasped and looked at her, "Is that what happens?"

Ellie nodded, "I'm sorry, I haven't… I haven't really needed to use my powers in a while so I was thinking about the battle and transferred my thoughts. I'm sorry. But you need to store weapons for everyone for what you come back, where you can find them. When you guys come back, you won't have long but the Wakandan defense was one of the reasons we won."

Shuri nodded, "I can do that. How long do we have here?"

"Not much time at all," Ellie told her sadly as she hugged her.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 25, 2018 – Wakanda- 5 pm*~*~***

Ellie laughed as Bucky told Ramonda and Shuri a story of Steve growing up as they all sat around the table together, "You know he would kill you if he knew you were telling these stories right?"

"Probably, but he'd have to catch me first," Bucky said with a grin as he kissed her.

Ellie just shook her head with a smile, "Don't forget the one time the two of you nearly were arrested."

Ramonda looked at Bucky, "And how did this come about?"

"One of Steve's stupid ideas. We snuck onto a train so that we could head down to Washington DC. We just didn't realize that the train that we had snuck onto was the one that the President of the United States was also on. We also didn't exactly blend into the other people on the train so we were easily caught," Bucky told them with a shrug, "The President was nice though, didn't press charges. Steve always got me into trouble."

"But you always went along with his ideas, don't lie to Mother. There were lots of them that you came up with yourself," Ellie told him as she looked at Ramonda, "I was the innocent one."

"Bullshit," Bucky said with a laugh as Shuri laughed, "You went to that all-girl school and came back home with the ability to kick our asses to tomorrow. Plus even before that, you could scuffle with the best of them and they didn't have a chance."

Ellie grinned, "Because I was a girl. They wouldn't bother me or their mothers would have their hides."

"What did your mothers' think of this?" Ramonda asked.

Ellie shook her head, "Mom worked so much, and she didn't know what was happening. Winnie on the other hand…" She said looking at Bucky.

"Had me in my room because she didn't want me to be like my Dad," Bucky told her with a laugh, "God… my poor mother. Shuri you remind me of my little sister. She was too smart for her own good and used it to her advantage."

"So it was yourself and your sister, and you and Steve?" Shuri asked.

"My mother supposedly had another baby after I… disappeared but yeah growing up, it was only us," Bucky told her, "That is why we always wanted a big family," He told her looking at Ellie.

Ellie gave him a forced smile then looked out the window.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 25, 2018 – London- 9 pm*~*~***

"Hello, there handsome."

Steve looked up from his table in the club, to see Natasha in her full outfit, blonde hair and all, "Well hello there beautiful, how are you on this fine day?"

"You don't look too interested in this place, "Natasha said as she hooked her finger in his top, "Thought I'd help you… enjoy it."

Steve hissed as she sat on his lap and ground onto him, "Nat…"

"Shhh listen, the old guy in the blue jacket over there by the bar. He is running the ring. He is also a slimeball. He has been eyeing me all night but not taking the bait, help me," Natasha told him as she sat backwards on his lap and lay back against his shoulder, "At least pretend you are enjoying it."

"Oh I'm enjoying it," Steve hissed, "Fuck, are you coming back to the hotel tonight?"

"I hope," Natasha said, "Depends on how this interrogation goes. At the very least he has two Hydra guns. No matter what tell Ellie to tell Sarah that I love her tonight… tomorrow, whenever you talk to her."

"Will do," Steve said as she rotated to straddle him, "Shit I wish I could kiss you right now."

She ghosted her lips over his then jumped off his lap as she saw her target eyeing them, "Later."

"Fuck," Steve said as he grabbed his drink and tossed it back.

"You alright there Cap?" Sam's voice asked through his earpiece and Steve could hear him grinning.

"That is enough, eye on the prize," Steve told him uncomfortable.

"Oh you can't wait for your prize tonight, can you?" Sam asked.

"Sam," Steve warned.

"Fine, fine, going radio silent," Sam told him.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 26, 2018 – Wakanda 2 pm*~*~***

Ellie looked out over the panther as she and Bucky stood at the top looking over the land, "When…when all this gets solved. Do you want to have more children?"

Bucky looked over at her and glanced at her stomach knowing that inside her at this moment, unless they had changed something accidentally, their daughters were growing inside her, "Yes… I would give you ten children if that is what you wanted, El."

"I don't know about ten… let's just say… three," Ellie told him as she looked at Sarah in the sling on her chest then over at Bucky, who had Grant, "Do you think we could handle three?"

"Oh I know we could easily handle three," Bucky told her as she sat down, "What would you name them?"

Ellie bit her lip as she thought about it, "I don't know. I mean we were so sure about Grant. I don't know what I'd name another son."

"What about daughters?" Bucky asked.

"Daughters? God, could you imagine me raising girls?" Ellie told him with a laugh, "They'd think they were boys."

"What is wrong with that?" Bucky asked, "You were such a tomboy growing up but as you got older, you could be a girly girl too."

"I guess, I just hope we end up having all boys," Ellie said looking up at her, "I know you've always hoped for a girl, what would you name her?"

"Kasie, since Doc and Nalia have done so much for us, Kasie Faith… because I have so much faith that, things will work out," Bucky told her.

"Kasie Faith Barnes… I like it," Ellie said with a smile.

Bucky pulled her to him and ran his fingers through her hair, "The next one is up to you."

"Name? Shit Buck, are you trying to jinx us? Poor Grant, between Steve and Nat's twins, Sarah and if we would have a girl… he would be drastically outnumbered," Ellie told him.

"He can handle his own, right Bud?" Bucky asked looking at their son.

"Dada!" He yelled as he babbled.

Sarah looked over at him and frowned.

"See this is what I mean," Ellie said with a grin as he kissed her.

Bucky looked out at the river, "What time is it?"

Ellie pulled out her phone, "Nearly 2:30 pm, they will start getting hungry. Let's start heading back. What do you want for dinner tonight?"

"Food," Bucky said with a grin.

"Big help you are, "Ellie said as he pulled her up, "How about Chicken Pot Pie?"

"Oh that sounds amazing," Bucky told her as he put his hand in hers.

"Maybe if you are nice enough I'll make some cherry pie to go with it," Ellie told him looking up at him.

"Do I need to grovel? Kiss your feet? Do something… naughty?" Bucky asked with wide blue eyes.

"Shit, you do all the above and you are guaranteed. Let's go get these kids fed and to their naps," Ellie told him as she pulled him down in a kiss.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 26, 2018 – Wakanda 7 pm*~*~***

Ellie laughed as Bucky kissed a particularly sensitive spot, "Stop, your whiskers are tickling me."

"Sorry but it's too kissable," Bucky said as he sucked on her neck.

"Are you trying to give ME a hickey now?" Ellie asked looking up at him from their spot on the couch as he laid on top of her.

"Only right," Bucky said with a grin as Ellie's phone started ringing.

Ellie groaned, "Steve seriously," She said as she grabbed it off the table, "Steve, I swear you have-"

"Ellie, it's me, Pepper," She said with a rough voice as if she had been crying.

Ellie froze as if she was suddenly submerged in ice-cold water, "Pepper?"

Bucky sat up staring at the phone in shock.

"Ellie, it's Tony… he's… I am sorry I didn't know who else to call. A spaceship of some kind landed in New York," Pepper told her as Ellie sat up, "Tony… he got on it. I lost contact with him."

Ellie felt a tear fall down her cheek, "I'll be there. I'm coming."

"No, no you don't need-"

"No, I'll be there by tomorrow morning. I'll land at the compound and we will see what we can do," Ellie told her.

"Thank you, Ellie, should I call Steve?" Pepper asked.

"No, I will," Ellie told her, "See you in a bit."

As soon as she hit the end button, she lost it.

"It's happening isn't it?" Bucky asked.

"Yeah, it is," Ellie said as she wiped her eyes, "Shit I… I got to get everything together for the kids."

Bucky kissed her hard, "Go call Steve and get Sarah's things together. I'll get Grant's."

Ellie wiped her eyes again, "I don't want to leave you."

"Look at me, look in my eyes… you have to, you have to go. You have to get them to safety, do you understand?" Bucky asked holding her shoulders.

Ellie nodded, "But I don't like it."

"I know, I don't want you leaving me either but we have to keep the kids safe," Bucky told her as he kissed her.

Ellie let out a shaky breath as she rested her forehead against his, "I need to get moving. We don't know how soon they will be here."

* * *

 ***~*~* April 26, 2018 – Wakanda 7:30 pm*~*~***

Bucky grabbed more of Grant's stuff and threw it into the suitcase. He almost knocked a picture frame down from the dresser and quickly grabbed it. Staring at the picture of himself holding Grant, sitting on the couch with Ellie on the day Grant was born.

He wiped the tears that came to his eyes as he put the picture into the suitcase.

"Buck," Ellie said from the door.

Bucky turned to her, "Did you get… Angel," He said as he saw her sparkling eyes.

She walked over and hugged him, "I had to visit today because I had to tell you there is hope. Steve and the Avengers… they think they know how to bring you all back, but just in case it works I had to see you."

Bucky kissed her, "It's going to be okay, are you from 2023?"

"Yeah, June. I'll be leaving here in just an hour," Ellie told him, "I'll be waiting for you at our home."

"I'll be there as soon as I can to see Grant and the twins," Bucky told her.

Ellie looked at him as she stepped back and started crying, "What do you know?"

"I know," He told her with a tearful smile, "I've known for a while. I just want to hear it from you."

"Yes, I wanted to tell you but, I was afraid something would happen if I did but…" She said as she bit her lip and laid a hand on her belly, "They are already conceived. I won't know for a few more months. They are… amazing. They have never met you… but they love you none the less. God… Beckie, our little Rebecca. I named her Rebecca Wanda Shuri Barnes; she…has your mental powers. She can project it and when she gets pissed… I can't touch her, the little shit," Ellie told him with a smile and Bucky laughed, "Now our little Kasie, Kasie Faith… just like you wanted, she can read minds."

"How is Grant?" Bucky asked.

"He can project the shield and restrict his thoughts from Kasie, which pisses her off and he has the super healing. He can heal others easily, I still can't control mine but… I am hoping that I will have more time to talk to you soon," Ellie told him as she put her hand on his face and projected the image into his mind of their kids, "I am praying that whatever Steve and Scott are doing works. I have faith."

Bucky kissed her hard and rested his forehead against hers, "We will be together again soon."

Ellie nodded, "I better go, I can feel myself fighting to come back and I do have to go. Oh did you tell T'Challa?"

"Yes, Mother is coming with you," Bucky told her.

"Good… because it keeps her alive," Ellie said as she took in their apartment and bit her lip, "This part gets destroyed. Put everything in the bag you can."

Bucky nodded, "Here go, I'll hold you as you go."

Ellie kissed him again, "I love you."

"I love you too," Bucky said as he held onto her and she closed her eyes.

Ellie opened them back up and looked up at him, "Good news?"

"Steve thinks he knows what to do to bring everyone back. You told me not to give up hope, we'd see each other soon," Bucky told her.

"Not soon enough for me," Ellie told her as she sighed, "I have to get the last few things together-"

Bucky grabbed her hand, "El, this part of the palace is destroyed in the battle."

Ellie looked at him then looked around sadly, "Okay, I'll grab everything I can."

"Quickly, we don't have much time," Bucky told her as he let her hand go.

Ellie nodded and left their apartment.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 26, 2018 – Wakanda 9 pm*~*~***

T'Challa stepped off their Dragon Flyer, "Mother all your belongings are on there."

"Thank you, son," Ramonda said as Bucky came down after putting the rest of their bags on the flyer.

Ellie looked down at the two car seats next to her and Bucky came over and hugged her, "I can't do this Buck, I just can't."

Bucky pulled her to him, "You can… look, if this goes bad… you have to be strong for Grant, but I will be back. I promise, this isn't a period on the end of a sentence, this is just a comma in our lives."

Ellie nodded as she rested her head over his heart to listen to his heartbeat one last time.

"You need to go, they are here on Earth and you said, they come here to end it. You can't be here when they do," Bucky told her.

Ellie looked up at him, "I love you Bucky Barnes and I will love you forever, nothing will change that."

"I love you so much," Bucky said as he kissed her then knelt next to Grant, "You are the man of the house now Grant, it's your job to take care of Mommy. I love you so much."

Bucky kissed Grant's forehead then his hand as he reached out.

"Dada!" Grant yelled.

"Yeah Bud, Dada loves you," Bucky said as he tried not to lose it as he grabbed Grant's carrier, "I'll help you strap them in."

Ramonda gave T'Challa and Shuri one last hug each, "I wish you would come with us."

"No Mother, if the battle is coming to us, we need to be here to protect Wakanda," Shuri told her, "We will be here when you get home."

"Be safe," T'Challa told her, "We love you."

Ramonda and her guard, Abebi walked up the ramp to meet Ellie and Bucky.

Bucky was holding Ellie to him, "Look at the moon okay?"

Ellie looked up at him confused.

"When you can, look at the moon… if wherever I go… I can see it too I will be looking at it and waiting to come back to you," Bucky told her.

Ellie nodded, "I'll be waiting for you and I'll see you soon, I'm going to bug the shit out of you."

"Rule… you can visit as long as someone is watching Grant," Bucky told her.

"Of course," Ellie said.

Bucky kissed her, "Go before it's not safe."

"I love you, I love you so much," Ellie told him.

"I love you too Angel," Bucky told her as he hugged Ramonda then walked off the Dragon Flyer.

Ellie swallowed hard as she looked at Ramonda and Abebi, "Are you, ready girls?"

Ramonda took her hand and squeezed it, "Let's go."

Ellie nodded as she climbed into the driver's seat and the controls appeared. She double-checked their coordinates then hit the buttons to start the engines.

Ellie closed her eyes and send Bucky one last thought, 'I love you so much.'

Slowly moving the throttle up to hover over the pad, she steered around to face T'Challa, Shuri, and Bucky, who blew her a kiss. Then with a flick of a switch and a forward throttle, they were off to the United States.

* * *

 **a/n3: Next chapter is it, its Infinity War time. This chapter was so hard for me to write. I hope you guys enjoyed it.**

Now to the reviews:

 **Gingin1975-** She will be able to remember everything, for awhile. Thank you for reading and reviewing!

 **SomebodyWhoCares:** Guilty! I just wanted to bring out the non-Winter Soldier side of how I thought Bucky could be. The caring side. Thank you for reading and reviewing!

 **PrettyRecklessLaura:** Thanks for reading and reviewing!

* * *

 **Preview of Chapter 83- Closer to You**

 _Bucky sighed as he pulled Kasie into his chest tighter, "Thank you, honey. Now please, go. I just want to make sure you are safe."_

 _"He isn't coming right now, he will be here, after Uncle Steve gets here," Kasie told him as she stepped back, "But some other people are coming so I better go," She stepped back and saw people walking over in the distance, "Aww shit I have been caught."_

 _Bucky looked over to see a shaved Steve walking over to him with Ellie, "What are you doing here?"_

 _"I'm not from now Hun," Ellie said as she kissed him._

 _Bucky smiled, "Hi beautiful, long time no see."_


	83. Closer to You

_**A/n: I only own Ellie; all other characters that you recognize are property of Marvel.**_

 **A/n2: Another two weeks in quarantine. I hope you are all doing well. Sebastian's new movie is now out, Endings, Beginnings. Go check it out. Lots of sexy Seb. Shirtless Seb, Sebby's bare ass… totally worth the $10 on GooglePlay. ;) Still trying to cool down from those sex scenes. *Fans self***

 **Thank you to the new followers: gearo1313, Adore AJ, darkpegasuzz**

* * *

On the day that you were born the angels got together,  
And decided to create a dream come true.  
So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold,

and starlight in your eyes of blue.

 **~ Closer to You by the Carpenters**

* * *

 ***~*~* April 27, 2018 – Esopus, New York – 3 AM*~*~***

Seeing the Avengers logo on the top of the building in the distance, Ellie hit the buttons on the control panel of the Dragon Flyer and put it into hover mode as they reached Esopus, NY. The lights came on underneath the flyer, to light the grassy area for her to hand. At the noise, three figures came out of the building as she turned the engines off and looked back at Ramonda and Abebi.

Ellie pressed the communicator behind her ear and thought of Bucky, 'We just landed at the compound. We are okay, as soon as we get settled I'll call. Love you.'

She pressed the button to lower the ramp and Pepper walked up the ramp.

"Pepper," Ellie said as she threw her arms around her as she met her at the top, "It's going to be okay."

"Thank you for coming, Steve is on his way," Pepper told her as she pulled back with a sigh.

Ellie frowned, "Steve is coming to here? Coming here to America?" Ellie asked confused.

"Yeah, Bruce got a hold of him," Pepper told her, "He is coming here with Wanda and Vision. They were attacked by Thanos's fighters and barely escaped with Steve, Natasha and Sam's help. I guess Vision is hurt."

Ellie looked behind her and saw a man standing with Rhodey, "Hi Rhodey."

"Hey Ellie," Rhodey said as he looked down at Grant in his seat, "God… didn't I just see Grant?" Rhodey asked looking at him asleep then back at her.

"He's getting big. He is 20 pounds now, oh and he's crawling and starting to talk," Ellie told him with a smile as she looked at the man, "Hi, I'm Ellie Barnes," She said holding out her hand.

"Hello, I'm Bruce Banner," He said as he shook her hand.

"Oh, the Hulk right?" Ellie asked surprised how small the man was when he wasn't the Hulk, "Steve has had only kind words about you."

Bruce shook his head as he stared at her, "I can't believe that you are his sister… I didn't even know that he had a sister until Pepper said that you were about to land," Bruce said as Ramonda stood up after unfastening Sarah's carrier.

"I was a well-kept secret," Ellie told him with a wink, "Pepper, Rhodey, Bruce, I would like you to meet Mother. King T'Challa's mother, as well as Bucky and my Mother now of course," Ellie introduced.

"Just call me Ramonda," Ramonda told them holding Sarah's carrier.

"Wait, you are the King's mother?" Rhodey asked as he bowed to her, "It is a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

"Let's get in the compound so you can get settled in," Pepper told them, "The boys can get your bags."

They walked down the ramp and Ellie hit the button on the bottom of the Flyer for the storage compartment to come down then looked at Rhodey and Bruce, "Thank you, it's a handful with luggage and babies."

Pepper took Grant's carrier from Ellie as she led them back into the compound, "I'll take my boyfriend. Oh, so that you know, we haven't told Bruce about Nat and Steve. I am not sure how to go about it honestly," Pepper told her quietly.

Ellie glanced back towards the flyer, "Natasha said that there was no real emotion behind her feelings but I am not sure with him," Ellie told her as she looked at Abebi and Ramonda after they made it to the common room of the compound, "Abebi, where do you want to stay?"

"I will just make a bed on the Queen Mother's floor. Until the threat is clear, I do not feel comfortable leaving her," Abebi told her.

"I'll give you our room that we use here and I'll sleep in Steve's room. Did Steve say when to expect him?" Ellie asked Pepper.

"They found Wanda and Vision in Scotland, they were getting Wanda's things then heading straight here," Pepper told her, "I'd expect them soon."

Ellie led Ramonda to the room that she and Bucky had been using, "This is the room you can use, Mother. Get some rest."

"You need to as well," Ramonda told her as she handed her Sarah's carrier.

"I will, I'm going to put the kids to bed and call Bucky, and then I'll take a nap until Steve gets here," Ellie reassured her.

"Good night my child," Ramonda said as she and Abebi went into the bedroom.

Ellie and Pepper walked to Steve's old room and set the kids down on the floor.

"Ellie, Tony might not have been supposed to tell me about your powers but he did. Do you know-"

Ellie held her hand up, "He makes it home Pepper," Ellie reassured her.

"Thank you," Pepper said as she hugged her then left the room.

Ellie sat on the bed and sighed as she looked down at the kids.

Rhodey popped his head through the doorway, "Do you want your bags in here?"

"For now, thank you Rhodey," Ellie told him as she stood up as he and Bruce brought in most of their bags and she took the Porta-crib out of the bag first to set it up.

Taking Grant out of his carrier first, she laid him down in the Porta-crib after a sniff to his back to make sure there were no surprises.

"How many months old is he now?" Rhodey asked.

"Five months but he is about 7 months old in development," Ellie told him as she pulled the blanket away from Sarah.

"Shit, she is adorable," Rhodey said with a smile, "When was she born?"

"Valentine's Day," Ellie told him as she pulled Sarah, who was awake, out and put her on her shoulder as she rocked her.

"Was this the first time Nat had to leave her?" Rhodey asked.

Ellie glanced over at Bruce as he turned to look at them, "Yeah, Steve has had some missions since she was born but not her."

"Wait, they aren't twins?" Bruce asked confused.

"Oh shit," Rhodey said looking at him, "Sorry Bruce, I forgot you didn't know."

"Didn't know what?" Bruce asked as he looked at Sarah and saw the strawberry blonde hair and the blue eyes, "That's Nat's daughter isn't it?"

"Yes," Ellie said as she bit her lip, "Natasha told me your history."

"There was no history; we gravitated towards each other when we thought we were monsters. She wasn't supposed to be able to have children," Bruce said confused.

"Natasha was nearly killed and when Wakanda saved her life, they fixed all her… past injuries. Well, Nat and Steve didn't know, and Sarah came from it," Ellie told him.

"Wait, Nat and Steve?" Bruce asked surprised, "Steve and Nat are together?"

"Yes," Ellie told him.

Bruce stared at Sarah, "So that is Nat and Steve's child?"

"This is Sarah, she was born on Valentine's Day," Ellie explained.

"Wow, I am going to go work on the space scans to see if Tony is sending a message. Good night," Bruce said as he left.

"He had to know, at least he knows before they get here," Rhodey said with a shrug, "Good night, try to get some rest."

"Thank you," Ellie said as he shut the door.

Ellie walked over to the Porta-crib and set Sarah down inside, "We will have to get you something soon too if we are going to stay here."

Walking back over to the bed, Ellie sat down and held out her hand to call Bucky.

"Hey baby," Bucky said as he appeared in her hand, "You get there okay?"

"Yeah we did, everything okay there so far?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah, nothing Earth changing," Bucky said as he sighed, "Where are you at?"

"I gave Mother our room we have been using here at the compound and I am in Steve's room for now. I don't know how long Steve and Nat will be here, but I plan on taking Mother to our house as soon as we figure things out," Ellie said as her phone went off, "Hold on Bucky, its Steve."

She grabbed her phone with her other hand, "Hey Steve, I am talking to Bucky through Kimoyo bead, you are on the speaker."

"Please tell me that you are at the compound with the kids," Steve told her sounding tired already.

"Yeah, Pepper said that you are heading this way," Ellie told him.

"Shit, Ellie… it's bad. I just fought these aliens from outer space that we're trying to take the mind stone from Vision, from what Bruce said that the attack on New York was from this Thanos guys' army too. He is trying to collect the Infinity Stones," Steve told them.

"Infinity Stones, what are those?" Ellie asked.

"Bruce explained that when the Universe was created six stones were elementally made to control everything. Vision has the Mind Stone in his forehead, Bruce said that the Tesseract was taken when he was on the ship with Thor and it was the Space stone," Steve told her.

"The Space stone? That is how I got my powers?" Ellie asked as she looked at Bucky who was frowning through their connection.

"Yeah, Tony went after Dr. Strange-"

"Wait, Steven Strange?" Ellie asked surprised.

"You know who Dr. Strange is?" Steve asked skeptically.

"Yeah, I've met him before," Ellie said as she felt her ear, "Thanos went after the green gem he carries didn't he?"

"The Time Stone, it controls time. There are three others, soul, power and reality… they are all in space somewhere. We don't know where but they are out there. He has the space stone, possibly the time stone and Bruce thinks he has the power stone with the damage he was able to cause on Thor's ship," Steve told her.

"Is…Thor isn't here Steve, is... he dead?" Ellie asked.

"I don't know El, this is above me. Shit, this is what comic books are about not real life," Steve told her with a sigh, "Anyways, if you are at the compound with the kids that was my biggest priority. We will be there in less than two hours. We aren't flying too fast because we don't want to call attention to us. We don't know what kind of technology they have. We are in Stealth mode but… can they see through that? I don't know."

"Be careful Steve," Ellie told him, "I love you."

"Love you both, I can't see you Buck but love you man," Steve told him.

Bucky smiled, "Love you too Steve."

Ellie sighed as she hung up and threw her phone to the side, "Shit Buck, this is the end of the world."

"This is why Strange was training you," Bucky told her, "Did he give you the earrings?"

Ellie sighed, "Yeah," Ellie told him, "I don't know what they are, I don't know if I want to know what they are."

"I don't want to know, we don't know what is coming up and I don't know what that mind stone does. If it reads minds, I don't want to know anything that could possibly send them to you," Bucky told her, "Give Grant an extra kiss for me."

Ellie tried not to cry, "Of course, I love you, Buck."

"I love you more, I'll call in a few hours if I can," Bucky told her.

"Just stay safe," Ellie begged.

"Of course, I don't go looking for trouble. That is Steve," Bucky told her as he hung up.

Ellie put her head into her hands and groaned. Rubbing her hands over her face, she stood up and looked into the Porta-crib to see Grant and Sarah were both asleep. Grabbing the monitors out of the diaper bag, she turned them on so that she could hear them then walked out to the common area.

Rhodey and Bruce were sitting at the table discussing what had happened in quiet tones.

Rhodey looked up, "Ellie, shouldn't you be resting?" He asked surprised.

"Could you?" Ellie asked him honestly as she leaned on the wall.

Rhodey shook his head, "No hence the reason I'm up, want something strong?" He asked holding up a glass of liquid with the whole bottle next to it.

Ellie scoffed pushing herself off the wall, "Doesn't do anything to me, but thanks for the offer."

"So you are Steve's sister?" Bruce asked as she walked closer to the table, "Where have you been?"

"Frozen in Wakanda," Ellie told him as she sat down next to Rhodey, "I was Howard Stark's attempt at Steve's serum."

Bruce frowned, "And it worked?"

"With side effects," Ellie told him as she looked down at her hands, "I have all of Steve's strengths but I also have powers."

"You don't mutate do you?" Bruce asked.

"No," Ellie said as she looked at him as she held her hand out and showed him her glowing hand, "I control light, photokinesis, I can also control people if I want."

"I didn't know that," Rhodey said surprised.

Ellie nodded, "It's not something I like using. I have to scream the order. I hate doing it, I never want to take someone's free will away, but Hydra wanted me to control Bucky."

"Wait, Bucky Barnes? The Winter Soldier?" Bruce asked surprised.

Ellie nodded, "My husband. When Howard created my powers, Hydra had their hand in them without him knowing it. They were part of SHIELD even back then. They planned to use me to control him. So I control minds if I want, I can electrocute people probably. Have you seen Wanda's powers?"

"Yeah, unfortunately," Bruce stated with a frown.

Ellie looked at Rhodey bewildered.

"Their first meeting didn't go well," Rhodey told her shaking his head.

Ellie stood up and took a breath as she channeled her powers then summoned the Phoenix.

"Holy shit!" Rhodey said looking up at her as she opened her eyes.

"I am the Phoenix," Ellie told him as she came back to the ground and turned her powers off.

"Why couldn't I get something like that instead of being green?" Bruce asked with a groan.

"Well, I wasn't able to control these and had to be frozen for years until Wakanda figured it out," Ellie told him as she sat back down, "I hurt people."

"So how did Howard create your powers? I thought Erskine's serum was lost," Bruce told her, "I researched it for years."

"Dr. Reinstein, his assistant, figured out that Steve's serum was geared to his DNA. I have part of his DNA because I am his sister, so they were able to change it to mine then they used the Tesseract to power my transformation," Ellie told him leaning back in her chair.

Bruce looked at her wide-eyed, "That is the space stone, what Thanos took."

"Yeah, it is powerful," Ellie told him sadly crossing her arms over her chest.

Bruce looked at her and Rhodey, "So Thanos has the power stone and the space stone, just two stones and he is already the most powerful being in the universe," Bruce stated looking at them, "If he gets the Time Stone from Strange… we are doomed."

* * *

 ***~*~* April 27, 2018 – Esopus, New York – 6 AM*~*~***

Ellie was lying in bed drifting in and out of consciousness as she rested her eyes waiting for Steve when she heard the familiar humming sound of the Quinjet.

Rubbing her eyes, she looked down at the kids to see Grant awake, "Hey little man," Ellie said as she picked him up, "Thank you for letting Mommy get a little sleep at least."

Grant smiled at her as she walked out of the bedroom to hear Rhodey talking to someone. Bruce was up against the wall so that he could see Rhodey but not being seen by whoever he was speaking with.

Ellie stayed off to the side as Bruce put his finger to his lips when he saw her.

Ellie nodded as she walked over to him and placed her hand on his head, 'Who is he speaking to?'

Bruce looked at her surprised and she heard a few thoughts going through his brain then clearly, 'Secretary of State Ross'

Ellie frowned.

"So you know about him?" Bruce whispered.

Ellie nodded, "And I know he's no good."

"Still no word from Vision?" Ross' hologram asked.

"Satellites lost him somewhere over Edinburgh," Rhodey told him.

"On a stolen Quinjet with four of the world's most wanted criminals," Ross told him.

Ellie sucked in air and bit her lip as she looked at Bruce, "He is tracking them somehow."

"You know they're only criminals because you've chosen to call them that, right, sir?" Rhodey told him.

"My God, Rhodes, your talent for horseshit rivals my own," Ross told him sitting at a diplomatic looking table with other men.

"If it weren't for those Accords, Vision would've been right here," Rhodey told him.

Ross got up from the table and walked over to the edge of the hologram, "I remember your signature on those papers, Colonel," Ross told him.

"That's right. And I'm pretty sure I've paid for that," Rhodey told him as he went toe-to-toe with the hologram version of Ross.

"You have second thoughts?" Ross asked.

"Not anymore," Rhodey told him crossing his arms over his chest.

Ellie looked past Rhodey as she heard a sucking noise of a door opening and saw Steve, Natasha, Sam, Wanda, and Vision, who was visibly injured, walk into the room.

"Mr. Secretary," Steve said as he saw the holograms.

Ross walked over to them in his hologram.

"You got some nerve. I'll give you that," Ross told Steve.

"You could use some of that right now," Natasha retorted.

"The world is on fire. And you think, all is forgiven?" Ross asked.

"I'm not looking for forgiveness. And I'm way past asking for permission. Earth just lost her best defender. So we're here to fight," Steve said as he took a step forward, "And if you wanna stand in our way... we'll fight you, too."

Ross turned to Rhodey, "Arrest them," Ross told Rhodey.

"All over it," Rhodey told him as he waved the hologram away and the beeping was heard, "That's a court-martial. It's great to see you, Cap."

Steve came down the steps and shook Rhodey's hand, "You too, Rhodey," Steve said.

Natasha walked over and hugged him.

"Hey," Rhodey told her as he looked at Wanda and Vision, who was being held up by Sam.

"Well, you guys look like crap. Must've been a rough couple of years," Rhodey told them.

"Yeah, well, the hotels weren't exactly five stars when we were on missions," Sam told him.

"Uh, I think you look great," Bruce said as he moved around the corner so they could see him and stepped into the lab, "Uh... heh... Yeah. I'm back."

"Hi, Bruce," Natasha said.

"Nat," Bruce said.

"This is awkward," Sam mumbled.

Ellie walked up behind Bruce and Steve smiled as he walked over to her, "Hey."

Steve pulled her into a hug and Grant squealed between them, "Sorry Grant."

"You look like crap," Ellie said looking up at him.

"Well the hotel in London wasn't the best and didn't have running water," Steve told her.

Ellie laughed, "I thought you stunk."

"Where's my baby?" Natasha asked.

"She is still asleep, she is in Steve's old room," Ellie told her as Natasha walked past her back to the rooms and Ellie sighed.

"Have you talked to him?" Steve asked.

Ellie nodded, "He said they are getting ready as best as they can. I just wish we knew something."

* * *

 ***~*~* April 27, 2018 – Wakanda – 2 PM*~*~***

Bucky was standing in the fields organizing the evacuations of the women and children as well as the non-warriors when he saw a familiar face standing on the edge of the forest.

"W'Kabi, take over for me," Bucky said as he ran over to her, "Kasie Faith Barnes, what the hell are you doing here? You go home right now."

"Stop Dad," Kasie said holding up her hand, "Look Dr. Strange swore Mom that she wouldn't come back and tell you that everything was going to be okay. But he didn't tell me that," Kasie told him with a grin.

Bucky laughed as he pulled her into a hug, "God you are so like your mother."

Kasie rested her head on his chest as he held her to him, "It's going to be hard but… they figure it out after five years, Dad. You might miss my first five years but you are there for the rest of it, for the important stuff. My first broken heart, when I accidentally time travel and come back… I come back to you. We miss you every day when you are gone, but you come back to us, you come back to Mom, to me, Grant, and Beckie," Kasie told him.

Bucky sighed as he pulled Kasie into his chest tighter resting his chin on top of her head, "Thank you, honey. Now please, go. I just want to make sure you are safe."

"He isn't coming right now, he will be here, after Uncle Steve gets here," Kasie told him as she stepped back, "But some other people are coming so I better go," She stepped back and saw people walking over in the distance, "Aww shit I have been caught," Kasie said as she bit her lip in such an Ellie way, "Don't tell her who I am."

Bucky looked over to see a shaved Steve walking over to him with Ellie, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm not from now Hun," Ellie said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

Bucky smiled against her lips, "Hi beautiful, long time no see."

"You guys make me sick, but I am glad to see it again after five years," Steve said with a smile.

Ellie looked over at the young girl standing next to Bucky then frowned, "Wait… Kasie?"

"Aww shit," Kasie said as she groaned, "How the hell…Hi Mom," Kasie said sheepishly.

"How… what the hell?" Ellie asked shocked.

Bucky snorted as they both shifted in the same manner.

"So time traveling is genetic I guess. We still can't figure it out. Only I can do it though," Kasie told her with a shrug, "I've been visiting Dad for a few months."

Ellie looked at Bucky in disbelief, "You knew the whole time that the twins were coming?" She questioned.

Bucky nodded, "But I didn't want to possibly not conceive them so I didn't say anything."

"Shit," Ellie said rubbing her hand over her face, "We don't have the time," Ellie said as she sighed, "Look we know how to travel between time periods now."

"With the Pym particle," Kasie said bouncing on her toes.

Ellie looked over at her with narrowed eyes, "God, you are too much like I am, aren't you?"

"Dad is proud of it," Kasie told her with a grin.

Ellie looked at Bucky with a smile as he laughed, "Of course he would. Anyways, we can travel and Steve is here to take us somewhere."

Bucky frowned, "But the whole battle is coming."

Ellie smiled at him sadly, "I have to bring you back before it. I wish I didn't but I have to. We will be back like you never left. Are you ready to go?"

"Where are we going?" Bucky asked.

"To the past," Steve told him as he handed him a bracelet looking object, "Put it on your hand, coordinates are already in it. You just hit the button and the particles will spread over your body, and then hit the button."

Bucky looked at Ellie hesitantly.

"Trust me, it will work," Ellie told him with a smile, "I wouldn't be here would I if it didn't? Gotta have faith remember."

"You two and your damn faith," Kasie mumbled as her parents both gave her a look, "Shit, I'm not even born and I am still getting the damn look."

Bucky put the bracelet on his hand and hit the button as Ellie hit hers. He looked at her to see the white suit from the time she had visited in their kitchen here in Wakanda, "So this is a time travel suit?" He asked looking at his own.

"It is," Ellie said as she hit the button on the side and the helmet came up.

Bucky followed suit and suddenly was looking at a small monitor with numbers attached then looked over at Kasie, "Go home. Love you."

Ellie looked at her, "Listen to your father."

Kasie rolled her eyes, "Fine Mom," She said as she disappeared.

Ellie took his hand, "Ready?"

"As I will ever be," Bucky told her.

Ellie looked at Steve, "Let's go."

* * *

 ***~*~* April 27, 2018 – Esopus, NY – 7 AM*~*~***

Ellie walked into the "war room" with food and set it on the table next to a hologram of the aliens and Steve pulled her into a hug, "Thanks, sis."

"So we gotta assume they're coming back, right?" Rhodey asked staring at the hologram.

"And they can find us," Wanda told them as she stood next to the kitchen.

Bruce paced, "We need all hands on deck. Where's Clint?" Bruce asked looking back at Natasha.

"After the whole Accords situation, he and Scott took a deal. It was too tough on their families, they're on house arrest," Natasha told him.

"Who's Scott?" Bruce asked confused as Sam walked over to grab a waffle.

"Do you have any peanut butter?" Sam asked.

Ellie smiled, "Of course," Ellie said as she walked past Wanda into the kitchen.

"Ant-Man," Steve told him.

"There's an Ant-Man _and_ a Spider-Man? " Bruce asked confused as he shook his head, "Okay, look… Thanos has the biggest army in the universe. And he is not gonna stop until he... he gets... Vision's Stone," Bruce told them.

Natasha walked over closer to everyone, "Well then, we have to protect it," Natasha told them.

Ellie brought the peanut butter in with a knife and handed it to Sam.

"Thanks," Sam said as he took it.

"No, we have to destroy it," Vision said from his position at the window, "I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head, about its nature. But also, its composition," Vision said as he walked over to Wanda, "I think if it were exposed to a sufficiently powerful energy source, something, very similar to its signature, perhaps… its molecular integrity could fail," Vision told them as he looked at Wanda specifically.

"And you, with it. We're not having this conversation," Wanda told him.

"Eliminating the stone is the only way to be certain that Thanos can't get it," Vision told her quietly.

"That's too high a price," Wanda told him.

Vision took Wanda's head in his hands, "Only you have the power to pay it," Vision told her as she walked off from him over by Ellie, who had sat at the kitchen counter.

"Thanos threatens half the Universe. One life cannot stand in the way of defeating him," Vision stated.

"But it should," Steve said as he looked at Vision, "We don't trade lives, Vision."

"Captain, 70 years ago, you laid down your life to save how many millions of people. Tell me, why is this any different?" Vision asked as he walked over to Steve.

"Because _you_ might have a choice. Your mind is made up of a complex construct of overlays. J.A.R.V.I.S., Ultron, Tony, me, the Stone. All of them mixed together. All of them learning from one another," Bruce told Vision.

Everyone looked at Bruce.

"You're saying Vision isn't just the stone?" Wanda asked.

"I'm saying that if we take out the stone, there's still a whole lot of Vision left. Perhaps the best parts," Bruce told her.

"Can we do that?" Natasha asked Bruce.

"Not me. Not here," Bruce said shaking his head.

Steve glanced at Ellie and sighed as he looked at the table.

"You better find someone and somewhere fast. Ross isn't exactly just gonna let you guys have your old rooms back," Rhodey told them.

"I know somewhere," Steve said as he looked at Ellie, who shook her head wide-eyed, "El-"

"No, you are bringing the fight to him on purpose!" Ellie yelled, the ends of her hair sparking.

"Shuri can figure it out, you know she can," Steve told her.

Ellie shook her head with tears in her eyes, "By sentencing Bucky to die?" Ellie asked shaking her head, "I can't… I can't do this."

Steve sighed as Ellie left the room.

Natasha walked over and put her hand on his shoulder, "You don't know that is what happens Steve. She's known that it is coming for months now, but the fact that it is here… I couldn't imagine how she must be feeling. Shuri is our only chance."

"Someone want to clue me in?" Bruce asked confused.

Steve looked at him, "We have been living in Wakanda for the last year. They brought Ellie back to life, saved Bucky, gave us Sarah… saved Nat… Ellie came here with the kids but Bucky stayed behind in Wakanda."

* * *

 ***~*~* April 27, 2018 – Wakanda – 2:30 PM*~*~***

"I better go," Ellie told him as she unwrapped her arms from around him, "I have to get home… well to you. You told me that when it happens, it doesn't hurt… it was like your body went numb and that was it."

Bucky nodded as he sighed, "Good to know."

Ellie pulled him down for a kiss, "I love you and I'll be waiting for you."

"I love you too," Bucky said as he stepped back from her and she disappeared.

Bucky walked back over to the village and started organizing more of the evacuations when he saw T'Challa and his guard walk down the hill with Okoye and they stopped front of Bucky, "Brother, Steve just called… they are on their way they are coming to us. Ellie doesn't like it but they are getting ready to take off soon," T'Challa told him.

Bucky sighed, "So they are bringing the fight to us."

T'Challa nodded, "They hope to get Vision's stone removed by Shuri before the assault comes," T'Challa told him.

Bucky ran his hand over his face, "Where do you need me?"

"Come back to the palace. We will talk logistics there," T'Challa told him.

* * *

 ***~*~* April 27, 2018 – Esopus, NY – 8 AM*~*~***

Ellie stood back as everyone loaded into the Quinjet.

Vision walked over to Ellie, "Ms. Barnes, I want to thank you for all you have done for me."

"I haven't done a thing Vision if I could I would," Ellie told him sadly.

Vision took her hand and slipped something into it, "Keep this with you."

Ellie frowned as she felt a chain in her hand.

Steve walked over to her, "I don't want to leave you mad."

"I just… I hate this," Ellie told him sadly as she slipped the chain into her pocket, "I want to be there with him."

"You have to stay here with the kids. Heaven forbid something changes and… something happens to me or Nat. At least you are safe here. I want you to leave the compound. So go to the cabin," Steve told her, "You will be far enough away from this place just in case they'd come here."

"I will leave," Ellie told him, "Tell… tell him I love him and watch after him as much as you can."

Steve nodded as he gave her one last hug, "I love you."

"I love you too," Ellie said as she stood back and Steve ran up into the Quinjet. Within a minute, they were off into the air.

Ellie bit her lip and touched her communicator, "They are on their way to you guys. Get prepared."

Bucky's voice was heard in her head, 'Thank you, my love.'

Ellie walked back into the compound, "Mother! Abebi! Pepper!"

Pepper walked into the room, "Are they off?"

"Yeah, do you have clothes here? We are leaving just to be safe," Ellie told her as she went into Steve's room.

Ramonda came to the door, "What is happening?"

"Vision was just here with the stone, they are tracking it. Steve and I agree, we need to leave just to be safe," Ellie told them.

Pepper nodded, "Probably a good idea. Where are we going?"

Ellie looked at her, "The only place no one will know where we are. My house."

"Good idea," Pepper told her as she nodded, "I'll go pack a bag."

"Pepper?" Ellie called out after she left the room.

"Yeah?" Pepper asked coming back to the room.

"We are going to take a Quinjet, faster we get there the better," Ellie told her.

"They are yours to use," Pepper reassured her.

* * *

A/n3: The next chapter is it, beginning of the end. I hope you enjoyed this one!

Now to the reviews:

 **Gingin1975- Thank you! I am excited and nervous to see how you guys take them. It was hard writing them. Including just a few small changes to the grand scheme of everything… was more difficult than I thought. It was like a domino being added off-kilter from the rest. Does it change the way the rest fall or does it make them not change at all?**

 **PrettyRecklessLaura- Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

* * *

 _ **Here is the Preview of Chapter 84- Army**_

 _Ellie took her hands then gasped pulling away as she grabbed her head._

 _As if she was far away, she heard Ramonda yelling her name, when she came to she was breathing heavily._

 _"What happened?" Ellie asked from her position on the floor._

 _"You went rigid and slid off the couch. It almost was if you passed out," Ramonda told her, "What happened?"_

 _"I don't know… but it… it can't be good," Ellie told her trying to calm her heart rate._


End file.
